Building Courage and Refuge
By now, you have likely seen the heartbreaking pictures of the lifeless body of Aylan Kurdi, a three-year-old boy whose family tried to flee war-torn Syria by boat. Their boat capsized, the captain...
View ArticleSeeking Sanctuary: Searching for Hope Amidst Conflict
The news headlines are filled with stories about migrants struggling to reach safe ground, animals under siege in their own homes, homelessness, violent arrests, seemingly endless wars, and divisive...
View ArticleSexual Violence Can’t Be Excused By “Culture”
Last week, The New York Times ran several stories detailing how US soldiers were told to ignore the sexual abuse of boys by Afghan allies. Before one Marine, Lance Corporal Buckley, was killed, he told...
View ArticleCreating Sanctuary for Neglected and Abused Parrots: Interview with Wes Savoy
In an earlier blog, I wrote about the power of sanctuary. Recently, I interviewed Wesley (Wes) Savoy, who has dedicated his life to providing sanctuary for neglected and abused parrots. From the moment...
View Article5 Ways to Stop the Killing
Earlier this week, news broke that one of Africa’s largest elephants had been killed – just three months after the killing of Cecil the lion sparked international outrage. A German hunter shot and...
View ArticleFinding the Courage to Get Past the Fear
Recent devastating events in Paris remind us that the world is uncertain and at times dangerous. To date, at least 129 people died as a result of Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris. More than 340...
View ArticleConflict Zones to Phoenix Zones: 6 Things I’ve Learned as a Physician & Advocate
Throughout the holiday season, many of us are looking for hope – particularly amidst all of the conflict, unrest, and chaos in the world. From stories about the backlash against Syrian refugees and the...
View ArticleWhere Are We in the Fight to Stop Violence against Women and Girls?
Today is Day 8 of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a suggested road map to gender equality....
View ArticleThe Therapeutic Importance of Justice for Sexual Violence Survivors
Last week, a jury convicted former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw of serial rape. His 13 victims ranged in age from 17 to 57. Prosecutors argued that the former police officer used his...
View ArticleFlutters of Hope & Promising News for 2016
“Hope is the acknowledgement that you are in a narrow space but you have had a glimpse, some flutter, of the possibility to transcend negative confinement and arrive at some more expansive state of...
View ArticleThe Meaning and Importance of Consent – for People and Animals
Recently, my alma mater, the University of Southern California (USC), made news – with a mandatory course on consent that initially erred by asking students about their sexual histories and with a...
View ArticleRising above Politics for Peace
Recently, Republican presidential candidates have been debating “bringing back torture.” Much of the discussion has centered on the use of waterboarding, which is a form of mock execution dating back...
View Article5 Ways to Combat Compassion Fatigue
Earlier this month, I came across a story about how more and more journalists are affected by vicarious trauma after ongoing exposure to graphic images portraying violence and suffering. As a result,...
View ArticleWhy Justice for Animals Is the Social Movement of Our Time – Reflections from...
This essay first appeared as a guest post on Marc Bekoff’s Psychology Today blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201603/why-justice-animals-is-the-social-movement-our-time, and it...
View ArticleThe Long Path to Freedom – for Chimpanzees
During the last weekend of March, I attended a party hosted by Animal Protection of New Mexico (APNM) celebrating the freedom of chimpanzees in US laboratories. Grassroots organizers, scientists,...
View ArticleShould Doctors and Other Health Professionals Engage in Advocacy?
Earlier this week, a Navy nurse who refused to force-feed Guantánamo Bay detainees had his security clearance reinstated, allowing him to return to his full professional duties. The decision ended a...
View ArticleWho Is Culpable for Harambe’s Death?
Last weekend, Cincinnati Zoo officials shot and killed a 17-year-old gorilla named Harambe after an unattended child tumbled into his enclosure. The killing sparked public outrage. Some people have...
View ArticleCourage in Vulnerability: A Model for Healing
In March, former Stanford University student Brock Turner was found guilty of three felony sex abuse charges after two men caught him sexually assaulting an unconscious young woman behind a dumpster....
View ArticleCall for Unity
Over the weekend, our nation faced yet another tragedy when an armed man wounded more than 100 people, killing at least 49, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Some have called the mass shooting an...
View ArticleCreating a Healthy, Humane, and Sustainable Food Supply: Interview with Bruce...
Over the weekend, I visited Farm Sanctuary, which was founded in 1986 to combat the abuses of factory farming and encourage a new awareness and understanding about farm animals. Today, Farm Sanctuary...
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