MEBO MENTAL HEALTH

Freedom from Shame

2020-11-16T07:16:00.012+02:00

In July 2019, our MEBO Mental Health Director, Crissan Rosalia, Health Psychologist, MSC. and Coach, wrote a paper for the MEBO community, 'Breaking the patterns of shame.' in which she expounds in a very clear and easy to follow manner on how shame and guilt can shape our lives in a very adverse manner. Her analysis of this process depicts how they can create a negative self-image, create feelings of powerlessness, worthlessness and isolation.

In this new paper, Crissan tells of a personal journey, inviting us to look at our own lives, as she has her own, to identify how shame creeps in and the immense impact it has had on the way we see self, others, and our place in the world. Reading this new paper on Freedom from Shame' invites the reader to go into an active personal journey of self-exploration and to continue the journey towards self-healing. The meditations Crissan provides shows us the way to personal healing towards freedom of shame.

LOVINGKINDNESS MEDITATION TRANSCRIPT

LOVING KINDNESS MEDITATION FOR A LOVED ONE

Thank you, Crissan, for this opportunity to pursue inner healing and happiness.

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION:
Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online
for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Coping with Isolation and loneliness

2020-06-22T07:12:00.004+03:00

Click on icon for full paper

While the world has been going through the COVID19 pandemic requiring a great deal of social distancing, quarantine, and isolation, to many sufferers it may not be such a new situation, though possibly much more intense. Social isolation and frequent social bombardments of insults and rejection have already been a lifestyle for persons affected with this condition.

Perhaps this is just the opportunity to take a good look at this situation and to chose to take steps to best cope with it in an effort to enrich one's life. Our MEBO Mental Health Director, Crissan, has provided us with practical tips on how to begin breaking the patterns of isolation and loneliness. There are measures to take that can help enrich our lives.

We are most grateful to Crissan for her consistent concern and tremendous support to our community through the years!

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

JUNE MENTAL HEALTH: TRAUMA, Part 1

2020-06-08T20:23:00.004+03:00

Click on icon for full paper

In this June article, while the world has been going through COVID19 pandemic and civil unrest and demonstrations, a need for time-out and reflection would be most helpful to those impacted around the world. It is a good time to pause and work through the strong feelings that life's reality has pummeled upon us.

In the case of sufferers of uncontrollable or difficult to control breath and body odor conditions, much of the emotions and socially hostile and isolating conditions are not new, as they currently are for the rest of the world. In fact, they've been the norm for years, and thus slowly but surely, psychological trauma sets in. Social isolation and frequent social bombardments of insults and rejection had already been a lifestyle for persons affected with this condition. The COVID-related lockdown and feelings of threat outside our homes and shelter have served only to highlight the psychological state that has been so familiar to so many sufferers around the world for generations!

Our MEBO Mental Health Director, Crissan, has provided us with practical tips on how to work through these feelings and the trauma it has produced. There is a way to calm them and to allow sufferers to move forward as a physical health solution is pursued and obtained by the scientific community.

We are most grateful to Crissan for her consistent concern and tremendous support to our community through the years!

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Guidelines for Anxiety and Coronavirus COVID19

2020-04-03T20:01:00.009+03:00

Yahoo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

GUIDELINES FOR ANXIETY AND CORONAVIRUS COVID19 Our MEBO Mental Health Director, Crissan Rosalia, Health psychologist, MSc. would like to share the following resource to help us better cope with the anxiety producing COVID19 pandemic.

Crissan tells us,

CNBC.com Italy lockdown in pictures

"This a free guideline with great tips on how to manage anxiety, the website Psychology Tools has provided this. It is available in multiple languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese.
https://www.psychologytools.com/articles/free-guide-to-living-with-worry-and-anxiety-amidst-global-uncertainty/

This is the English guideline:
https://www.psychologytools.com/assets/covid-19/guide_to_living_with_worry_and_anxiety_amidst_global_uncertainty_en-us.pdf "

Kind regards,
Crissan Rosalia
MEBO Mental Health Director
Health psychologist, MSc.
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org
takecharge@re-charge.org

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

March's Mental Health Column: Coping with Coronavirus Pandemic

2020-03-27T22:22:00.003+02:00

Click on icon for full paper
Greetings from Holland

Our MEBO Mental Health Director, Crissan Rosalia, MSc., reaches out to us yet again to guide us in times of trouble, especially now during this worldwide crisis - the COVID19 Pandemic. She tells us in this paper:

"It is my belief that even though this is a very difficult and trying situation for all, TMAU, malodor and PATM sufferers might already have certain coping skills, that can help us get through these difficult times...some of us have lived or are still living socially isolated lives...tried to avoid crowds of people social contacts and now everybody across the globe has to do this?" (Click on picture of tulips to read full paper)

Wishing you much strength and health! You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Take care,

Crissan

c.rosalia@meboreasearch.org

careformoc@gmail.com

We thank Crissan for her steadfast dedication to our community as she understands us, she gets us, and she uplifts us each step of the way throughout the years. Thank you Crissan! María

Link to paper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C3BG12sVVqfbzhDImTzb8db8naP1g4cN/view?usp=sharing

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Breaking the patterns of shame

2019-07-11T00:18:00.001+03:00

Click to see article

JULY 2019

MEBO Mental Health Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc.
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org
takecharge@re-charge.org

Breaking the patterns of shame

In her April Mental Health Column post, Moving from Denial, Anger and Depression to acceptance and self-acceptance, Crissan describes very real experiences sufferers go through and the impact it has on mental health. She then provides a very helpful explanation of how a sufferer can accomplish this process of healing.

In this, her July article, Breaking the patterns of shame, Crissan expounds in a very clear and easy to follow manner how shame and guilt can shape our lives in such an adverse manner,

Shame is an emotion that can become very heavy. People who feel ashamed might feel like they have broken moral and social laws, and like they have disappointed themselves and others. As a result, they create a negative self-image, they feel powerless, worthless and isolated. Even though shame can have a positive function in society, for sufferers of a malodor condition the continuous experience of shame can be very harmful. It becomes toxic and they may develop a shame-based identity. (Bradshaw, 2006).

Crissan explains just how deeply shame affects us,

Shame and guilt are often mixed and misunderstood. The simplest way to explain the difference is Shame- “I’m wrong, unworthy” and Guilt- “I did something wrong”. So the difference is in “being” and “doing”.

We are most grateful to Crissan for providing us with an action plan that is aimed at helping us grab a hold of this driving force and conquer it. In the process, we become more empowered in our lives as we move forward toward pursuing proper treatment for the odor/PATM condition.

As a community which is very heavily laden with so much shame, we owe so much to Crissan for having taken a significant amount of her time to prepare this paper for us. Her genuine concern for the well-being of each member of our community is so present in everything she steadfastly does for us. As a fellow TMAU sufferer, Crissan understands the depth of injury these conditions cause, and she has dedicated herself to help sufferers regain control of the mental health and their lives. For this, we thank you, Crissan from the bottom of our hearts.

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)
MEBO Brasil - Blog (Portuguese)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Moving from Denial, Anger and Depression

2019-04-20T19:14:00.001+03:00

Click to read article

APRIL 2019

MEBO Mental Health Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc.
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org
takecharge@re-charge.org

Coping with malodor conditions or PATM Moving from Denial, Anger and Depression to Acceptance and Self-Acceptance

In her February Mental Health Column post, Crissan focuses on resilience and she offers an action plan to achieve it, depicting the different types of resilience, such as natural, adaptive and restored. She points out the effects stress and trauma tend to have on resilience over time, and elaborates on the concept of Locus of control, differentiating between internal and external locus of control. Two pages of this paper expounds in-depth discussion on how to increase resilience, with step by step methods of how to develop it.

In this, her April article, Crissan describes very real experiences sufferers go through and the impact it has on mental health. She then provides a very helpful explanation of how a sufferer can move from denial, anger and depression to acceptance and self-acceptance.

At first, he thought that he was imagining things, that people were not referring to him. Until one day he realized that his coworkers were looking and pointing at him, sometimes even pinching their noses. Some would cough loudly, open windows and spray the office space with air freshners. Stephan* could hear his coworkers talking about a smell, a penetrating smell that was apparent around the office space…
Stephan stopped all social activities, he stopped going to work, distanced himself from his friends and hardly ever left his house. After a couple of months, Stephan realized that something needed to change…
*This is a fictional character.
What are the possible issues one experiences when dealing with acute or chronic health issues?
- A sense of loos of control- Financial hardship- Relationship conflict- Anxiety and sadness- Uncertain future- Loss of self-esteem- Reduced quality of lifeThese are just a few examples…

It is wonderful to see the love and care with which Crissan takes her time to write these articles for us, with such careful thought and generous delivery of valuable tools we can use to improve our outlook and our lives. She gives her heart and soul to lift up our community so that each has the wherewithal to find happiness and peace in life. Thank you, Crissan!

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Online Live Group Session on Anxiety Report

2019-03-12T14:57:00.001+02:00

Click on icon Session report

On February 24, 2019, MEBO's Mental Health Director, Crissan Rosalia, Health Psychologist, MSc., conducted our first online group session on "Coping with Anxiety". There were approximately 15 English speaking participants from around the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa and the Philippines. It was uplifting to see the openness of many participants to talk openly and freely about their symptoms, social situations and tips with each other. Crissan provided us with excellent guidelines throughout the session to empower sufferers with better coping skills.

Crissan has provided us with a follow-up of the session write-up while protecting the confidentiality and privacy of all participants. This piece is a true depiction of our experience and it's an easy, free-flowing reading that captivates the reader throughout. It covers identifying levels and characteristics of anxiety, thoughts, vicious cycle, triggers, physical sensations, and action/behavior.

Questions discussed were the following,

What makes it difficult for you to manage your anxiety?

What are healthy ways to cope with anger, bitterness?

How does one deal with long-term rejection?

How does one prevent from becoming a recluse?

The second online group session will be held on Sunday, April 28, 2019 at the same venu, Zoom. More details will follow soon.

Crissan Rosalia's Bio

For the past year, with handouts and her Mental Health Monthly Column in this blog, Crissan has been providing us with greater understanding and direction on topics, such as,

Crissan has also participated in a TMAU raising awareness short documentary in a scientific show in the Netherlands, FOCUS on NRT.

We thank Crissan for her steadfast professional support, love and dedication.

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Resilience

2019-02-10T02:44:00.000+02:00

Click to read article

FEBRUARY 2019

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

RESILIENCE

Action plan

THE STRONGEST PEOPLE ARE NOT THOSE WHO SHOW STRENGTH IN FRONT OF US, BUT THOSE WHO WIN BATTLES WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT

In her December Mental Health Column post, Crissan focused on coping with the holidays and offers an action plan for stress management. Now in her February Mental Health Column post, she addresses misconceptions about resilience, the different types of resilience, such as natural, adaptive and restored resilience. She points out the effects stress and trauma tend to have on resilience over time, and elaborates on the concept of Locus of control, differentiating between internal and external locus of control. Two pages of this paper expounds in-depth discussion on how to increase resilience, with step by step methods of how to develop it.

Resilience is not a trait, but rather a set of skills that can be developed with practice. Malodor and PATM patients can learn to be resilient in order to deal with the hardships they encounter on a daily bases. Sometimes this can come easy, other times it can be difficult, but with training it can definitely be attainable.

The love and care with which Crissan takes her time to write these articles for us never ceases to amaze me. She does so with such careful thought to make sure we get it right. We can freely make use of the valuable tools with which she provides us in order to attain the wherewithal to improve our lives. She gives her heart and soul to lift up our community so that each can find happiness and peace. Thank you for this, Crissan!

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Coping with the HOLIDAYS

2018-12-19T16:00:00.000+02:00

Click to read article

DECEMBER 2018

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

COPING WITH THE HOLIDAYS

Action plan

In her November Mental Health Column post, Crissan focused on stress management, the effects it has on the body and mind, and techniques for stress management. Now in her December Mental Health Column post, she addresses the challenging yearly issues sufferers of chronic odor/PATM experience during the Holiday season, including being socially active with family and friends, usually sharing a meal, or staying home alone, etc.

The Holidays can also cause the rise of alot of emotions. This period of time can cause feelings of anxiety and depression to arise. Some might also feel lonely due to lack of contact with families and friends. It can be a sentimental time for many people. Especially if you are spending the Holidays alone, you have lost a relative or have cut-off all contact with family and friends...

Action plan What are you going to do? How do you want to spend your Holidays this year? Planning ahead and thinking of an action plan can lessen the stress and help you prepare. – Take some time to decide how you want to spend the Holidays. – Decide if you're going to spend the Holidays with family or if you'd rather take some time to yourself if possible. Also decide if you're going to follow the protocol. Do you want to stick to your diet or are going to indulge in Holiday foods?

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Five effective Stress Management exercises

2018-11-13T04:54:00.000+02:00

Five effective Stress Management exercises

NOVEMBER 2018

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Five effective Stress Management Exercises

In her October Mental Health Column post, Crissan shares her insightful perspective and professional views on how sufferers can enrich their lives with meaningful relationships. She points out that there are many potential sources of fulfilling relationships that we can tap into. Now in her November Mental Health Column post, she focuses on stress management, the effects it has on the body and mind, and techniques for stress management.

In earlier articles we discussed the effects that stress can have on the body and mind. Stress is a big issue for most malodor and PATM sufferers. The fight-or-flight response can trigger a lot of physical symptoms, it increases tension in the body and stress hormones to soar. When this inborn system is turned on continuously, it can be very damaging and can even cause malodor or PATM symptoms to increase. Relaxation and stress management are thus very important for malodor and PATM sufferers. This is easier said than done of course.

Crissan's indepth article covers the following topics from the perspective of a sufferer and Mental Health Professional:

By increasing your awareness of your breathing patterns and shifting to more abdominal breathing, you can balance the oxygen and carbon dioxide blood levels in your body, normalize your heart rate, and reduce the muscle tension and anxiety present with stress-related symptoms or thoughts...

Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that reduces stress and anxiety in your body by having you slowly tense and then relax each muscle...

Mindful- Self-compassion exercise...

Autogenic training (AT) has been found to be effective in the treatment of muscle tension and various disorders of the respiratory tract (hyperventilation and bronchial asthma), the gastrointestinal tract (constipation, diarrhea, gastritis, ulcers, and spasms), the circulatory system (racing heart, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, cold extremities, and headaches), and the endocrine system (thyroid problems)...

Autogenic Formulas for Calming the Mind.

Crissan also recommends a workbook that depicts many more relaxation and stress management techniques. Click on icon to get information on this workbook. Shop around for lowest price. Our MEBO Mental Health Director, is already planning her December column paper! She gives her heart and soul to lift up our community so that each has the wherewithal to find happiness and peace in life. Thank you, Crissan!

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Starting and Maintaining Meaningful Relationships

2018-10-21T21:24:00.000+03:00

Starting and maintaining meaningful Relationships

OCTOBER 2018

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

RELATIONSHIPS

Starting and Maintaining Meaningful Relationships

In her July, August and September posts, Crissan offers us an indepth discussion on Anxiety management. Now in her October Mental Health Column post, she shares her insightful perspective and professional views on how sufferers can enrich their lives with meaningful relationships. She points out that there are many potential sources of fulfilling relationships that we can tap into. Now in her November Mental Health Column post, she focuses our attention on stress management, the effects it has on the body and mind, and techniques for stress management.

Thus there are several types of relationships. A positive relationship is based on balance, support, mutual understanding, respect, honesty and openness...Many malodor sufferers lead very isolated lives due to the devastating and socially-impairing symptoms.

Crissan's indepth article covers the following topics from the perspective of a sufferer and Mental Health Professional:

What are the consequences of not having positive and meaningful relationships?

Isolation

The hormone of love and connection

Different types of relationships

How can you meet and maintain friendships?

To tell or not to tell about malodor conditions?

Benefits of having friends when you have a malodor condition

Dating with a malodor condition

Online dating and online relationships

Dealing with long term romantic relationships and marriage

Raising children

Harmful relationships

Other ways to form meaningful connections,

and many more topics of significance for persons suffering from uncontrollable malodor conditions. Our most sincere gratitude goes out to Crissan, our MEBO Mental Health Director, for her ongoing dedication to our community. She gives her heart and soul to lift up our community so that each has the wherewithal to find happiness and peace in life. Thank you, Crissan!

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Crissan Rosalia Mental Health Column: Anxiety Part 3

2018-09-07T16:42:00.000+03:00

Anxiety Part 3

SEPTEMBER 2018

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc.
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org
takecharge@re-charge.org

ANXIETY

Part 3
Prevention, Coping and Treatment
for Anxiety

In her July and August Mental Health Column, Crissan introduced and defined anxiety, stress and distress in malodor/PATM conditions. In her August issue of Part 2 of 3 topics on anxiety, Crissan spotlights the various manifestations of anxiety in the life of a malodor and PATM sufferer, and she portrays factors contributing to the development and intensity of the variety of anxiety disorders. She discusses in a very relevant manner the development process and expression of anxiety in sufferers of these conditions, which include Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Generalized Anxiety Disorders.

In Part 3 of this series, Crissan discusses the prevention, coping and treatment for anxiety, indicators of when to seek treatment, how to manage anxiety, and prevention and coping techniques.

Beck Anxiety Inventory

Burns Anxiety Inventory

In addition, Crissan provides us with the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Burns Anxiety Inventory to assist us in determining the level of anxiety we experience. By clearly seeing and understanding these concepts, we can better understand ourselves, what drives us and what we can do to modify it so that we are more in control over our own lives.

Our most sincere gratitude goes out to Crissan, our MEBO Mental Health Director, for her ongoing dedication to our community!

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

MEBO's Mental Health Director - Interview with FOCUS, Netherlands

2018-08-29T22:29:00.000+03:00

RAISING AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

The show will air on Dutch television on Wednesday September 19th. Herewith the link of the show: https://www.npostart.nl/focus/VPWON_1289481 the link is accessible internationally.

Our very own, Crissan Rosalia, MEBO Mental Health Director, Health Psychologist, MSc., has participated in a TMAU raising awareness short documentary in a scientific show in the Netherlands, FOCUS on NRT. NTR is a public broadcaster that makes special documentaries for targeted groups on nature, culture, health (especially misunderstood and misdiagnosed conditions), education, youth and diversity. Mr. Dirk de Bekker, Director NRT, was very moved by Crissan's portrayal of life with TMAU, and offered to do a short documentary with her, which she consented to.

...will be in Dutch without subtitles. However, the producer has promised to make a short compilation of the TMAU parts and they will provide this with English subtitles.

The show will air on Dutch television on Wednesday, September 19th. The link to the show is accessible internationally, https://www.npostart.nl/focus/VPWON_1289481, and although it will be in Dutch without subtitles, the producer has promised to make a short compilation of the TMAU part with English subtitles.

This short film, will also be made available to distribute online in order to raise awareness.

We are most grateful to Crissan for putting herself out there to raise awareness!

The following is Crissan's story of how this whole event came to fruition:

So a couple of weeks ago this was posted on Rareconnect and on Facebook:

Dutch film-maker seeks TMAU sufferer

Dirk de Bekker would like to contribute to raising awareness about Trimethylaminuria in The Netherlands, by making the story of someone dealing with TMAU in a very respectful way. Please contact the film-maker at the address below if you're interested: Dirk de Bekker Director NTR Dirk.de.bekker@ntr.nl 0031 6 28 14 27 53.

Dirk de Bekker is the producer of a scientific show in the Netherlands called Focus. This weekly show covers several topics which vary from nature, culture and health conditions (especially misunderstood and misdiagnosed conditions). The program is short, around 25 minutes but it is very informative.

Around the same time that the message was posted on Rareconncect and Facebook, the Dutch metabolic patient organization, VKS, arranged a meeting between me and this producer. After meeting mister De Bekker I have agreed to participate in this short documentary.

De Bekker has told me that he has received many emails from people all around the world who want to share their stories and contribute to the documentary (which is amazing :-). He was blown away and touched by the amount of people suffering from this condition and the difficult and isolated lives they lead. He was also saddened to hear about the the lack of acknowledgement and support from the medical community for this condition. He really wants to help raise awareness for this condition by making several documentaries.

In the future mister De Bekker hopes to produce a longer documentary solely on Trimethylaminuria, which is exciting. He also told me that he has been contacted by several international radio shows as well for interviews about Trimethylaminuria. So in the light of raising awareness for this condition, this is very promising.For the upcoming show they have interviewed a person with Anosmia (lack of functioning olfaction, the loss of a sense of smell) and a Trimethylaminuria sufferer (me) :-).

After a couple of interviews, August 27th was D-day, film day. Even though the show is only 25 minutes and they will cover many topics with regards to odor, filming took over 5 hours!!!! The presenter of the show seemed very moved by my story. The crew treated me well and they were very respectful and kind towards me. The shots will be edited and compiled shortly before the airing of the show (I haven't seen anything yet and also have to wait till the air date), so I'm very curious and excited about it. Hope they do a good job of portraying the core message of the story.

The show will air on Dutch television on Wednesday September 19th. Herewith the link of the show: https://www.npostart.nl/focus/VPWON_1289481

This link is also accessible internationally. Unfortunately the show will be in Dutch without subtitles. However, the producer has promised to make a short compilation of the TMAU parts and they will provide this with English subtitles. This short film, will also be made available to distribute online in order to raise awareness.

Even though this has been an emotional roller coaster ( it feels like i'm bearing my soul to the world). I'm very happy to be able to do this and I also feel very strongly about the importance of "coming out" to raise awareness. I hope I did it justice and that I can encourage others to come forward and break the cycles of silence, shame and isolation. The more we can speak, share our stories, video's, articles and information on TMAU, the more awareness can be raised. In addition, I also hope that this will lead to more research in the future, the discovery of a cure and the development of suitable treatment plans for TMAU and malodor patients.

Kind regards,

Crissan

Crissan Rosalia
Mental Health Director

A Public Charity
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)

In addition to raising awareness for our community, Crissan also write her Mental Health Monthly Column in this MEBO Blog. She is always available to sufferers in her very loving and compassionate way. We are so very appreciative and thankful to have you with us, Crissan! We are most blessed with you being among us as a fellow-sufferer and a true leader.

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

get New Posts by EMAIL : Enter your email address :

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

MEBO Mental Health Program Videos

2018-08-29T18:15:00.000+03:00

CLICK ON 'READ MORE' TO SEE ALL VIDEOS

Crissan Rosalia Mental Health Column: Anxiety Part 2

2018-08-04T12:12:00.000+03:00

Click on icon to see paper

AUGUST 2018

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

ANXIETY

Part 2
Causes, symptoms and diagnosis of the different types of anxiety in malodor and PATM patients

Misdiagnosis is very common, due to the incorrect focus and observations of the professional. They discount or have not been able to detect the odor symptoms which can lead to diagnosis with a wrong label.

In her July Mental Health Column, Crissan introduced and defined anxiety, stress and distress in malodor/PATM conditions. In this Part 2 of 3 topics on anxiety, Crissan spotlights the various manifestations of anxiety in the life of a malodor and PATM sufferer, and she portrays factors contributing to the development and intensity of the variety of anxiety disorders. She discusses in a very relevant manner the development process and expression of anxiety in sufferers of these conditions, which include Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Generalized Anxiety Disorders.

Her most interesting conclusion, which is very specific to our community, is that these psychological symptoms of anxiety are not solely based on psychological component, but rather due to the presence of a medical and metabolic condition. She adds, "Misdiagnose is is very common, due to the incorrect focus and observations of the professional. They discount or have not been able to detect the odor symptoms which can lead to diagnosis with a wrong label."

It is also possible that anxiety symptoms are not solely based on a psychological component, but that these symptoms may arise due to the presence of a medical and metabolic condition such as Trimethylaminuria. More research is needed in this area. Some patients have also reported having other conditions, such has heart disease, Diabetes, Asthma, Sjogren’s syndrome and IBS besides Trimethylaminuria which are also correlated to anxiety. Professionals should be careful when diagnosing patients, a more suitable diagnosis might be anxiety due to a medical condition. This implies that the medical condition is the primary condition and the mental symptoms are secondary.

...This implies that the medical condition is the primary condition and the mental symptoms are secondary.

Our most sincere gratitude goes out to Crissan, our MEBO Mental Health Director, for her ongoing dedication to our community!

María
María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)
MEBO Brasil - Blog (Portuguese)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Crissan Rosalia Mental Health Column: Anxiety

2018-07-02T18:16:00.000+03:00

Click on icon to see paper

JULY 2018

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

ANXIETY
Part 1

In June column post, Crissan discusses with us good coping techniques for traveling with malodor/PATM conditions. She has now chosen the topic of Anxiety (Part 1) for her Mental Health Monthly Column for July. In this Part 1 article, she addresses significant questions, such as, "What is anxiety and what is the difference between stress, distress and anxiety? What are the signs of stress and what are the symptoms and consequences of anxiety?"

Stress is a response that is part of our systems as humans. It has a protective goal in short term situations, but can be harmful when it is long term. Long term stress is called distress. This distress can lead to anxiety. Ongoing anxiety can influence many bodily functions. Anxiety can effect many bodily functions, organ function and can trigger and maintain several health conditions. Furthermore in malodor and PATM patients, anxiety can disrupt their lives and influence their quality of life.

Our most sincere gratitude goes out to Crissan, our MEBO Mental Health Director, for her ongoing dedication to our community!

María
María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)
MEBO Brasil - Blog (Portuguese)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Traveling with malodor/PATM condition

2018-06-14T23:31:00.000+03:00

Click on icon to see 9 page paper

JUNE 2018

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health Director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

Traveling with a malodor condition

A practical guide for

patients with body odor, bad breath and TMAU

Vacation time / holidays are here, and many of us would like to get away and travel somewhere nice. Our Mental Health Director, Crissan has written a paper for the MEBO Community with tips on how to best handle and enjoy the trip as we look for solutions to malodor/PATM conditons with research.

In Crissan's May 2018 Crissan wrote 2 posts, "A step closer to the right diagnosis", which is a great tool for sufferers to use to prepare a doctor's visit and to present one's case most effectively and a continuation to her previous post, "Copying with Bullying and Harassment". We thank Crissan for the wide range of topics she discusses and will be discussing in her Monthly Column in this MEBO Blog.

María
María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)
MEBO Brasil - Blog (Portuguese)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Coping with Bullying and Harassment

2018-06-10T18:41:00.000+03:00

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column.

April 2018 (continue)

By Crissan Rosalia, MEBO Mental Health Director

Tips for Coping with Bullying

A practical guide for

patients with body odor, bad breath and TMAU

Crissan Rosalia, MEBO Mental Health Director, Health psychologist, Msc.
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org or takecharge@re-charge.org

In addition to the write-up on 'Crisis Prevention Plan', 'Work and Trimethylaminuria', and 'Tips for a stress-free doctor's visit', our MEBO Mental Health Director, Crissan Rosalia, Health psychologist, Msc., shares with us some helpful guidelines on 'Coping with Bullying'. It is a well thought-out process that can serve sufferers to organize thoughts and feelings so they can be more manageable in order to develop a good coping strategy.

Don't show your feelings, avoid the bully, act confident, respond neutrally.

Thank you Crissan for your ongoing support and contribution to our community!

How to cope with Bullying

Bullying Worksheet

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Mental Health: A step closer to the right diagnosis

2018-05-19T22:03:00.000+03:00

A step closer to getting the right diagnosis The difference between Trimethylaminuria, PATM, Other Malodor conditions and Olfactory Reference Syndrome

Author: Crissan Rosalia

MEBO Mental Health director

Health psychologist, MSc. c.rosalia@meboresearch.org takecharge@re-charge.org

Disclaimer: Please be aware that the information shared in this article is not a replacement for advice, diagnosis and treatment from a professional, such as a health practitioner, therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. If you want to talk and need support from a professional, I would recommend you to contact your doctor for a referral or find licensed professional in your country.

"...feelings of shame, social rejection, depression, anxiety and isolation"

Our MEBO Health Director, Crissan Rosalia, Health psychologist, MSc., is always thinking of ways to help us cope with the emotional consequences of the overwhelming uncertainty that comes with the absence of diagnostic possibilities for malodor and PATM conditions around the world. We realize that this is due to the lack of research resulting in the lack of knowledge and understanding on the part of the scientific and medical communities around the world.

"Are the symptoms caused by a physical or psychological condition?"

Crissan has written the following 13 page paper in order to help us put into perspective the events and resulting emotions facing sufferers on a daily basis, from the, "feelings of shame, social rejection, depression, anxiety and isolation" to the lingering question sufferers, families, and health providers ask, "Are the symptoms caused by a physical or psychological condition?" The following are excerpts from the Introduction section of Crissan's paper:

Finding out what the cause is can help sufferers take the right steps to get adequate diagnosis, treatment and support. However for people suffering with symptoms of body odor and social isolation, it can a very difficult and long road to find out what is causing their symptoms. Some people may have doubts, because they are not able to detect the symptoms themselves and are dependent on the reactions, social cues and comments of people around.

Families and friends might deny the symptoms because they are not able to detect the odors either. Sufferers are then judged to be mentally unstable and are not believed by their families. However, strangers and people on the street might comment on odors, coworkers might harass, complain or isolate the person who is suffering. All of this can lead to a lot of distress and an increase in frustration and isolation for the sufferer who is very aware that something is wrong but is left alone in his or her search for answers.

When sufferers consult a professional they are quickly labeled with having a mental illness such as Olfactory Reference Syndrome (ORS), Delusions or Depression. This might inhibit sufferers of consulting a professional and this can also delay the process of taking the necessary steps.

In this article, we will discuss different malodor conditions, PATM and a couple of psychological conditions, such as ORS. The aim of this article is to illustrate the causes, similarities and differences of these different conditions and the importance of getting the right diagnosis, which can lead to an adequate treatment plan and alleviation of malodor symptoms, whether the nature is psychological or physical.

PART 1: Different physical malodor conditions, symptoms and diagnosis includes Primary and Secondary Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), Other Metabolic conditions, Bromhidrosis, Fecal Body odor, Halitosis, Diagnosis, Psychological impact.

PART 2: PATM, What is PATM and how is it diagnosed?

PART 3: Psychological malodor conditions, Olfactory Reference Syndrome (ORS), psychological effects of ORS, Phantosmia, Cacosmia and Hallucinations.

PART 4: How do you know if your condition is physical or psychological? Steps to take.

See all of Crissan's posts in this blog (scroll down and click on Older Posts to see them all) with thislink.

I'm certain I speak for our whole international community when I thank Crissan for her volunteer work to our community with the countless hours she dedicates to writing papers such as this one for our benefit and well-being. Thank you, Crissan!

María
María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)
MEBO Brasil - Blog (Portuguese)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

MEBO Mental Health column for May : Tips for a stress-free doctor’s visit

2018-04-30T03:43:00.000+03:00

MEBO Mental Health Monthly Column.

May 2018

By Crissan Rosalia, MEBO Mental Health Director

Tips for a stress-free doctor’s visit

A practical guide for

patients with body odor, bad breath and TMAU

Author: Crissan Rosalia, MEBO Mental Health director, Health psychologist, Msc.
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org or takecharge@re-charge.org

A lot of patients with malodor conditions have had negative experiences at the doctor’s. Consultations with doctors can be quite stressful. However doctors are needed because they can help clarify symptoms, refer patients to specialist and they can prescribe treatments.

So why is it so difficult for doctors to understand malodor conditions and provide adequate help? Sometimes it’s a lack of knowledge, many doctors have never heard about Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), because it’s so rare. Because the symptoms tend to be intermittent, stress related and not always present, doctors might not be able to detect the odors at time of the visit. In order to get the doctor to understand and refer the sufferer to the right specialist, the sufferer might have to prepare and provide the doctor with elaborate information. This information can help to convince the doctor to refer for testing, referral or treatment.

Sometimes the doctor might get the indication that the symptoms are related to a mental condition. Patients might be considered to be delusional, depressed or anxious. Doctors might also suspect a psychological condition called Olfactory reference syndrome and might refer the patient to a psychologist or even a psychiatrist. This is not helpful at all, especially If sufferers really has a physical condition.

Finding a supportive and understanding doctor is very important. The diagnostic and treatment plan should be developed in accordance with you, the patient. Both the patient and doctor have to feel comfortable with the action steps. The goal is to find a balance between the doctors professional opinion and finding the best treatment for you.

Overall, in order to have a successful consultation with your doctor, preparation is key ! This article gives a couple of practical tips to help malodor patients prepare for a doctor’s appointment.

Before the appointment

1) Try to plan the appointment on a day and at a time that is a good and relaxing moment for you. – Try to choose a quiet moment during the day, when the waiting room is not busy with a lot of patients. - Good options are at the end of the day (the last appointment of the day) or early in the morning (the first appointment of the day). After the doctors lunch break is another good option. You can ask the assistant to plan the appointment at one of these times for you.

2) Book a double appointment with your doctor. You will have more time to talk about everything you need to discuss. 20-25 minutes is a lot better than 10- 15 minutes.

3) Print out information about malodor conditions

- Print information about Trimethylaminuria, bad breath or other malodor conditions such as Bromhidrosis, so that you can provide your doctor with information. He/ she might have not have heard of TMAU or Bromhidrosis.

4) Visit buddy : Ask someone, you trust to accompany you to the appointment - This can be a family member, a partner, a friend, even a coworker or a social worker. - It would be very valuable if this person can confirm/validate your story and the odors. - This person can help support you and be an extra set of eyes and ears. - This person can also take notes and remind you of what you have to ask

5) Prepare the visit by writing down what you want to discuss.

- What kind of symptoms do you have ?

- How long have you been experiencing these symptoms ?

- And how do these symptoms impair your daily functioning ?

- Why have you decided to see the doctor now ?

- What do you think is causing the symptoms ?

- A good way to gather information is to keep a symptom dairy and to write down what medications and supplement you take daily.

6) Goals: Think about the goal of your visit.

- What do you want to achieve with the doctor’s visit ?

- Do you want the doctor to perform a physical exam or refer you to a lab for blood work ?

- Do you want a referral for further research with a specialist, a metabolic specialist, a gastroenterologist or ENT specialist ?

7) Rehearse your story, prepare for the appointment by rehearsing what you want to discuss with your doctor and keep your goal for the visit in mind. How can you explain your symptoms in a clear and rational way ? Unfortunately some doctors can misinterpret the information depending on how you tell your story and how come you across, so choose your words carefully.

8) The TMAU/odor symptoms can be difficult to explain, especially because these are so rare and mysterious at times. Include tangible evidence, like comments from other people. Things you have noticed etc. Take the ‘evidence’ you have collected with you to the appointment

9) Avoid mentioning “vague” words, like “I think I smell”, “I see people rubbing their nose and think it’s because of me”.

At the doctor’s office

1) Take notes so you remember what you discussed.

2) You can also record the visit with a recording device. Most phones have an audio recording app. Just make sure that your doctor is onboard and is aware that your recording the conversation, sometimes the doctor might object to the conversation being recorded.

3) Be assertive. You want to convince the doctor, so you have to be assertive.

4) So check your body language, sit up straight, act confident, look the doctor in the eye and speak confidently and firmly. You want to make sure that your story and your goal for the visit come across loud and clear.

5) There is no need to feel ashamed. Doctors are used to discussing “embarrassing” topics and symptoms with patients.

6) Ask your doctor if he notices an odor from you or in the room.

7) Next explain the reason and goal of your visit, check your notes if you need a reminder.

8) Show the doctor the documents. information about MEBO, the TMAU diagnostic test.

9) You can also mention the support groups, like Facebook, and the experiences of other members.

10) It is okay if you get emotional. If you feel sad and want to cry it’s okay. Explain how much the condition is hurting you and has impacted your quality of life.

11) Describe the impact that the symptoms have on your daily life. -Talk about the stress and the emotions - Talk about the steps you have taken to try and control the odors

12) If a buddy has accompanied you to the visit, let this person confirm the story and explain their experiences

If the doctor has questions about your symptoms:

1) Avoid mentioning “vague” words. The TMAU symptoms can be difficult to explain, especially because these are so rare and mysterious at times. Try to avoid words and descriptions like these: I notice people sniffing, coughing, pointing and laughing. Unfortunately these are not signs that doctors might take seriously.

2) If you have received direct comments from people around you mention this and mention a couple of examples.

3) Describe the odors that people have mentioned.

4) Avoid words like : I think people comment behind my back, but say “People next to me comment on odors. People have told me that I smell”.

5) The observations have to be tangible. So also mention other things you have noticed, like smelly clothes or a certain smell in the room, people at the office are always opening windows when you’re around etc.

6) If the doctor says that he does not notice an odor. You can mention that the odors are intermittent. Explain that other members in the support group have experienced and confirmed this.

What if you suspect that you smell, but people have never commented on a smell ?

1) If you have not received any direct comments, but you have other proof, describe your observations as clearly as you possible can.

2) Sometimes you are not sure if your symptoms are real.

3) If you are not sure about the cause and of the existence of the odors, be honest with your doctor.

4) Ask him/her if he/she notices an odor.

5) Also ask your doctor about Olfactory Reference Syndrome.

6) Going through diagnostic testing to exclude TMAU and other physical issues might help you get reassurance and can also help to find the adequate treatment if the symptoms are purely psychological.

The Next step: The action plan

1) So when you have agreed on an action plan: Ask for details. A lot of times doctors have a tendency to speak quickly and in professional terms. So if something is unclear, just ask:

- Can you repeat this in a simple way so I can understand ?

- Why are you referring me to this specialist ?

- What are you looking for with this diagnostic test ?

- What are the costs for testing ?

- Will my health insurance cover the costs ? (also a good question to repeat at the pharmacy when picking up your meds)

- When will the test results be in ? Or can you check how long the procedure will take ?

- Why are you prescribing these medications ?

- Are there alternative treatment options ?

- Are there any side effects (good question for the pharmacy too)

2) Schedule a follow-up appointment, especially if you are not assured and have more questions.

3) Another option is to ask another doctor for a second opinion.

4) And finally, thank your doctor for his time and tell him/her that you appreciate his/her efforts for finding a solution for your health issues.

5) Work on keeping positive relationship with your doctor, this will only lead to positive benefits for you in the future

6) Finally, If you don’t feel support from your current doctor, find another doctor!

Crissan

Crissan Rosalia
Mental Health Director

A Public Charity
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Mental Health Director's Topics: Crisis Prevention, Work & TMAU

2018-04-14T21:00:00.000+03:00

The following are papers the new MEBO Mental Health Director has written for our community:

CRISIS PREVENTION PLAN

We all have been there, some of us admit it and some of us are ashamed to admit it. Fact is that a lot of us have experienced thoughts about suicide. Feelings and thoughts of suicides can occur when you feel hopeless, helpless and feel that there is not solution for your problems. The anguish, distress and pain is becoming bigger than your ability to cope with the situation. The only way out might seem like committing suicide... (Click on icon to see paper)

Work and Trimethylaminuria

Valuable tips for finding and keeping a job with Trimethylaminuria Author: Crissan Rosalia Mental Health Director, MSc. Health Psychology Having a job when you have a malodor condition like Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), is not always easy. For people with TMAU, working can be very stressful. This is because sufferers are worried about offending their coworkers, they also worry constantly about getting fired due to their symptoms. Sometimes sufferers are bullied and harassed, which can create a tense work environment in which they feel powerless, depressed and anxious. Despite all of these factors, having a job can be very beneficial. These benefits can actually be regarded as protective factors which can increase the health and wellbeing, even of patients with malodor conditions...(Click on icon to see paper)

Worksheet 1.1 Working conditions

This chart is an overview of several possible work conditions you might consider when applying for job or when you already have a job and want to evaluate or negotiate with your supervisor. Each column has a color, Green= YES, ideal job condition, Yellow= Maybe or negotiable, these are conditions you might consider or are optional, Red= NO or deal breaker, these are conditions that are not favorable. You can add your own conditions as well! What type of work would you like to do? Do you have the necessary qualifications (diploma’s, certificates and work experience) to apply for this job? If you don’t, what steps can you take to become eligible for the job you want to apply for? On a scale of one to ten how motivated are you to keep working or start with a new job? Are you willing to talk about your health condition at work ?

Crissan

Crissan Rosalia
Mental Health Director

A Public Charity
c.rosalia@meboresearch.org
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

Announcement: MEBO Mental Health Director

2018-04-14T20:00:00.000+03:00

As part of the 2018 Annual MEBO Conference and Meetup currently being held at Savannah, Ga , it is my pleasure to introduce to our community the new MEBO Mental Health Director, Crissan Rosalia, Health Psychologist, Msc., coach and counsellor. Crissan has approached me numerous times asking for opportunities for her to reach out to our community, whom she would love to uplift and guide them towards helping them become more empowered and stronger emotionally and mentally to face the trials that result from living with an odor condition and/or PATM.

Crissan is a TMAU1 sufferer and member of the online MEBO Support Group, PATM Group, and RareConnect. She has opened many avenues for sufferers to get in touch with her, so feel free to do so. She’s truly a lovely person. Below is a list of topics she would like to write articles and do audio podcasts about for our community:

Crissan Rosalia's Bio

I was thinking about doing monthly topics. So every month we could pick a topic and I can post articles and audio (podcast) about the topic of the month, e.g. how to cope with bullying and harassment. I could also provide other relevant information, such as articles, video material, and worksheets with mention of the sources of course.

List of possible topics

Work - Work and Tmau (several subcategories: finding a suitable job, keeping a job, dealing with conflicts at work)

School, college and Uni - Going to school with TMAU

Bullying and harassment - Coping with bullying, harassment, comments and gossip

Talking about TMAU - Breaking the silence: How to talk about TMAU - Talking to family and friends - Talking to your doctor - Talking to strangers

Emotional and mental health - How to cope with anxiety - How to cope with feelings of depression - How to build resilience - Self-esteem - Coping with Shame - Trauma - Emotion regulation - Stress management - How to stay healthy - Coping with suicidal thoughts and feelings

Diagnosis - How do I know what I have, do I have TMAU, PATM or Olfactory reference syndrome? - Getting a diagnosis (before, during the process, after) - Negative TMAU diagnosis, but I still have symptoms. How do I proceed?

Relationships - Having and maintaining meaningful relationships - Dating with TMAU - Raising children

Thank you, Crissan for being the kind-hearted, compassionate and intelligent person that you are, and for being so willing to put your skills to uplift our community. I'm looking forward to reading all the information you plan to share with us.

email Crissan :c.rosalia@meboresearch.org or takecharge@re-charge.org

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

A Public Charity
maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com
www.meboresearch.org
MEBO's Blog (English)
El Blog de MEBO (español)
MEBO Brasil - Blog (Portuguese)

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization

MEBO MENTAL HEALTH

Freedom from Shame

LOVINGKINDNESS MEDITATION TRANSCRIPT

LOVING KINDNESS MEDITATION FOR A LOVED ONE

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays at no extra cost to you. MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Coping with Isolation and loneliness

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

JUNE MENTAL HEALTH: TRAUMA, Part 1

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Guidelines for Anxiety and Coronavirus COVID19

March's Mental Health Column: Coping with Coronavirus Pandemic

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Breaking the patterns of shame

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Moving from Denial, Anger and Depression

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Online Live Group Session on Anxiety Report

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Resilience

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Coping with the HOLIDAYS

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Five effective Stress Management exercises

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Crissan's Mental Health Column: Starting and Maintaining Meaningful Relationships

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Crissan Rosalia Mental Health Column: Anxiety Part 3

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

MEBO's Mental Health Director - Interview with FOCUS, Netherlands

RAISING AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

MEBO Mental Health Program Videos

CLICK ON 'READ MORE' TO SEE ALL VIDEOS

Crissan Rosalia Mental Health Column: Anxiety Part 2

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Crissan Rosalia Mental Health Column: Anxiety

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Traveling with malodor/PATM condition

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Coping with Bullying and Harassment

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Mental Health: A step closer to the right diagnosis

A step closer to getting the right diagnosis The difference between Trimethylaminuria, PATM, Other Malodor conditions and Olfactory Reference Syndrome

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

MEBO Mental Health column for May : Tips for a stress-free doctor’s visit

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Mental Health Director's Topics: Crisis Prevention, Work & TMAU

CRISIS PREVENTION PLAN

Work and Trimethylaminuria

Worksheet 1.1 Working conditions

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

Announcement: MEBO Mental Health Director

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidaysat no extra cost to you.MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION:
Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online
for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.

SUPPORT THE MEBO MISSION: Click Amazon button at right sidebar of this blog when shopping online for the holidays
at no extra cost to you.
MEBO gets small commission from Amazon.