Portland observer., June 13, 1984, Page 3, Image 3

Portland Observer June 13, 1984 Page 3
METROPOLITAN
7 SLICES
OF TO A S T
k
Clinical psychologist
earns doctorate at UO
by Lamia Duke
G R ASSR O O T NEW S, N. W. —
The cap and gown o f spring gra­
d uation has produced the firs t
Afro-Am erican female to receive a
doctorate from the U nive rsity o f
Oregon in Clinical Psychology.
Dr. Leslie W estfield G unn, a
psychologist at the North/Northeast
Mental Health Center, has spent 16
years working towards this dream.
“ When I was growing up, I had
compassion for students in special
education. I was interested in why
some children were that way.”
With cultural insight from her own
experience as a Black woman in
w hite Am erica, D r. Gunn im ­
provised an innovative method to
help those under mental duress.
She explained, “ M inorities have
not benefited from tra d itio n a l
psychotherapy because the basic
needs (financial, food, shelter and
clothing) have not been taken care
o f. I u tilize b rie f, short-term
therapy where you get to the issue,
deal w ith those needs and let that
person get on with their life .”
To receive a Ph D ., D r. Gunn
wrote a dissertation on community
crisis care. Those who are experien­
cing mental conflicts are placed in
private homes rather than in a
hospital.
“ We follow ed them there,
medicated them and used it as an
alternative to being hospitalized,”
Dr. Gunn elaborated.
She stated the results were a
decrease in the number o f involun­
tary comm itments. “ It prevented
those who were experiencing their
crisis from getting hooked into the
mental hospital dependency.”
Dr. Gunn said she had observed
that the force that is disarming the
' com m unity m entally is drugs.
“ Alcohol is the most detrimental of
all drugs and it is not even viewed
tra d itio n a lly as a drug. It is
physiologically and psychologically
addictive. It comes to a point where
you have got to have that drink. It is
like a heroin a d d ictio n . I ’ ve seen
more families destroyed, more job
loss and spouse loss related to
alcohol abuse.”
Another drug which wreaks men­
tal havoc is cocaine Dr. Gunn in ­
dicated her concern for those “ free-
basing” or smoking cocaine. “ It ef­
fects the cen-tral nervous system
d ire ctly and destroys brain cells
which are not reproduced ” She ad
ded that she was surprised at the
number o f professional people in ­
volved with cocaine. “ Besides the
physical and mental problems
cocaine is also detrimental to one’s
financial resources.”
Library restores
five-day schedule
I he Albina Branch Library w ill
return to a five-day schedule on
I uesday, July 3rd Albina and four
other branch libraries have been
operating on half-tim e schedules,
fu n d s w ill be provided from the
( o u n ty's general fund and also
from the nine m illion dollar special
levy for a three-year period which
was decisively approved by the
voters on May 15th.
Responding to a large number of
telephone calls asking when the
Central Library w ill again be open
on Mondays and when Sunday
hours w ill be instituted, the Library
Board has authorized a survey o f
library users to help select the best
schedules Survey responses w ill be
reported at a public hearing where
there will be further opportunity for
input from library users.
The L ibrary Board has also en­
dorsed a book budget to ta lin g
$875. (MM), an increase o f 40
This
w ill allow the Central Library and
branches to purchase more books in
all fields, to add new periodical and
serial titles, new film s , and it is
hoped, to introduce video cassettes.
In ligh t o f the active drive to
legalize the home consumption o f
m arijuana. Dr. Gunn said even
smoking pot has its drawbacks. “ It
effects memory and m otiva tion
levels. In the long run, it can bring
on depression from being inactive
and not as productive as one could
have been.”
To be an effective psychologist.
Dr. Gunn stated listening skills are a
must. “ But I'm a talker so I talk af­
ter hours.”
Does she ever take the problems
o f her patients home? “ We all say
we are not going to take our work
home but we do. I do not see
anything wrong w ith professional
people seeking out treatment them
selves. I f a professional has a
problem, then deal with it.”
Her advice to others with a dream
that may take 16 years to accom ­
plish: “ I f you have the drive and
w ill you can do it. I had two
children and worked fu ll time No
matter what the barriers are, there
are ways to overcome.”
PGE e le c t r ic it y w o r k s a r o u n d
t h e c lo c k . W h e n y o u c o n s id e r
a ll i t d o c s f o r y o u , it*s
“
s till a m ig h ty g o o d b u y .
L_
Let Portland Observer
7
i
S'. '4
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