No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.
– Edmund Burke
Join us at 7pm on Saturday, May 21, when our guest speaker, Dr. Arash Javanbakht M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic (STARC) at Wayne State University, will give us a crash course on the nature of fear, why we experience it, and how it can be, and is, used to manipulate us.
Dr. Javanbakht will deliver a research-based analysis of how fear can be exploited by politicians or religious leaders to encourage tribalism, by rallying us against feared others. Also, how it keeps us frantically consuming the media and social-media products that convey it, thus offering business a financial incentive to keep us afraid in ways that pit us against each other, or to intimidate enemies and subordinates. Lasty, Dr. Javanbakht will explore ways of overcoming fear and how to resist fear-based manipulation. Skills that if learned widely would leave our nation less divided.
Few people confront fear as often as Dr. Javanbakht, an internationally recognized expert on all of its aspects, including its biological roots and cultural influences.
Dr. Javanbakht’s clinical work is mainly focused on anxiety and trauma related disorders, and PTSD in civilians, first responders, law enforcement, and refugees and victims of torture and human trafficking.
His research is also focused on anxiety disorders and trauma. Several research studies at the STARC examine the impact of exposure to war trauma in adult and child Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the US, and biological and psychological factors of risk and resilience. This research examines genetic, environmental, and inflammation correlates of trauma as well. Also, use of art, dance and movement, and yoga and mindfulness in helping refugee families overcome stress.
Please note that this program will be presented live and on Zoom. The live presentation will take place at:
Northwest Unitarian Universalist Church in Southfield
23925 Northwestern Hwy
Southfield, MI 48075
Doors open at 630pm. The program begins at 7pm. Admission: $4 for Mensa Members, $5 for non-Mensans.
Following the presentation, those attending the live presentation are invited to join us for dinner at Buddy’s Pizza, located at 31646 Northwestern Hwy., in Farmington Hills, Just Northeast of Middlebelt Rd.
If you’d prefer to participate on Zoom, you’ll need to pre-register by clicking on the following link: https://tinyurl.com/SEMM-0522-Gathering ,The event’s Zoom URL and instructions for connecting will only be sent to those who are pre-registered. The Zoom room opens at 6:30pm for mingling. There is no charge for the Zoom presentation.