CMULHS alumnus and Golden Jubilarian Awardee, Dr. Vic Ramayan Josue shared his expertise on Mental Health and Wellness during the Balik Alumni Lecture Series, September 13 held at Farmer’s Training Center, as part of the week-long activities of the 108th Unified Foundation Celebration.
Dr. Vic Ramayan Josue was a graduate of CMULHS as class Valedictorian, batch 1968 and a medical doctor residing at the United States of America. He is an attending clinical psychiatrist at Palo Alto Veterans Association Health Care System, San Jose and Fremont Califonia.
He started his discussion by sharing his experience in his first grade at Dologon Kindergarten School. According to him, before their teacher started their class, they were asked to stand up, put their hands on the hips, and then take a deep breath.
Dr. Josue explained that exercise is very important. He added: “I learned that being a student requires a lot of concentration and taking a deep breath is a formula to improve attention.”
Dr. Josue is also a supervising clinical faculty at Stanford Psychiatry and a community/emergency psychiatrist at San Francisco General Hospital and Rehabilitation Mental Health Services.
In his talk, he spoke on Integrative Mental Health and presented Neuroscientific Research Studies. “The brain rewires itself according to one’s thinking and behavioral choices, patterns, and dispositions,” Dr. Josue added.
According to him, he would like to share his blessings of knowledge by letting anyone know the capacity to heal oneself. “We have now the science to show that we can retain wholeness,” he said.
He also revealed the idea that a lot of knowledge base in the world is basically fragmented. Dr. Josue clarified the concept on how to transform data into meaning, content into context, and picture with a frame.
A hundred and thirty-three participants attended the Balik Alumni Lecture Series. It comprised of students (nursing, veterinary medicine, agriculture, and psychology); some family members of the speaker; and alumni.
Dr. Josue also explained the Blue Zone Life Lessons –“The Science of Living Longer.” He pointed out the Blue Zone Power of 9 – (1) move naturally, (2) purpose, (3) downshift, (4) 80% rule, (5) plant slant, (6) wine @ 5, (7) belong, (8) loved ones first, and (9) right tribe. These principles were taken from the lifestyles and environment of the world’s longest-lived people.
He went into a detailed discussion on the activities on enhancing brain reserves – the 5 E’s (nun study): Exercise, Eat healthy, Enough sleep, Energize forgiveness, and Extend hands to others. This principle helped to increase brain reserves and good prevention of depression and anxiety.
Dr. Josue concluded his talk by sharing the powerful metaphor of human existence, the story of the return of the prodigal son. He emphasized it by answering the question of “Will science and spirituality be friends again?”
He stressed out that science is the younger son and spirituality is the older son. Dr. Josue stated that these two could be relatives, both can be united together in the loving arms of the mystery of the very source of science and spirituality. (MJTalisay)