Man to Man with Greg

Men Talking

Hello and Welcome. Let me introduce myself.

My name is Greg. My wife and I have 3 adult children, one of whom was severely disabled.  Among other things, we have lived with and suffered from Tourette’s Syndrome, OCD, and Depression. Either directly, or indirectly, we have all been touched by the trauma of childhood sexual abuse, and we have lots of experience in working through trauma and its aftermath. We have also all been traumatically impacted by the Watchtower Organization, its teachings, and it’s members.

 

Accompanied by my wife and daughter, I have been privileged to work with parents and families and to help them learn and develop skills in Compassionate Parenting. It has also been my privilege to work with the Faculty Staff at the Local Waldorf School to help them learn how to more compassionately interact with parents, children, and other staff members using empathy, compassion, and Nonviolent Communication.

 

For the past 10 years, I have also been active as a Peer Support worker and am very busy helping support, encourage, and mentor other men to heal from their childhood sexual abuses. I specialize in Active Listening using compassion, empathy, and Nonviolent Communication.

 

And for the last couple of years, I’ve been using my skills and experience to actively help and support persons who have been deeply hurt and traumatized by the Watchtower Organization and other religious organizations.

 

Most importantly, I’m here because I care very deeply about people.

 

26 Responses to Man to Man with Greg

  1. jacqueline says:

    Greg, I just did a dry run with Nubby Tope and all went okay except I couldn’t hear him although I say the mic pulsing. He could hear me well and he could type.
    Did I mess up a setting or something? Are you able to tell why I couldn’t hear him?
    If you answer here Nubby will see it also. His camera worked just fine also. Thank you.

  2. jacqueline says:

    So Greg by Saturday I shall know what happened to the temple utensils, hopefully. I didn’t know it would be so difficult.
    But I am seeing that the altar has been rebuilt and could we see another temple built and someone stands in the Holy of holiest again?
    Matt. 24 is a future prophecy it seems.

  3. Marjo says:

    Yes there is many things in 22q. Also we have to follow our calsium levels each year. Our hearts has been checked with ultrasound and everything is fine. Unfortunately some babies need surgery after birth if they have hole in the heart. It is not nice syndrome at all.

  4. Marjo says:

    That 22q syndrome is something that people don’t talk about in public. Here in Finland it is very common syndrome. You could have it without knowing it. When that was discovered in me, I had learning difficulties at school. Math was hard for me to learn. I guess my son will have difficulties at school also. But now I can help him with that struggle, he doesn’t need to be alone with it.

    • jacqueline says:

      Marjo for our readers I found this: DiGeorge syndrome. I love your small talk. I told a guy about your page and he wants to talk about his car. I said Marjo has a page for just Talk. It is how we heal.
      Overview
      DiGeorge syndrome, more accurately known by a broader term — 22q11.2 deletion syndrome — is a disorder caused when a small part of chromosome 22 is missing. This deletion results in the poor development of several body systems.
      The term 22q11.2 deletion syndrome covers terms once thought to be separate conditions, including DiGeorge syndrome, velocardiofacial syndrome and other disorders that have the same genetic cause, though features may vary slightly.
      Medical problems commonly associated with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome include heart defects, poor immune system function, a cleft palate, complications related to low levels of calcium in the blood, and delayed development with behavioral and emotional problems.
      The number and severity of symptoms associated with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome vary. However, almost everyone with this syndrome needs treatment from specialists in a variety of fields.

  5. Greg says:

    Hi Marjo.
    I had never heard of 22q syndrome before today. I am so glad you introduced me to this term and condition. There is certainly much yet for me to learn about so many things. The phrase “We don’t know how much we don’t know,” comes to mind.
    And yes, my wife, myself, and all 3 of our (now adult) children have Tourette’s Syndrome. Our individual symptoms range in severity and impact, with our middle son having the worst of it.
    While there are days I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, there are also many other days when I believe we have been richly blessed to have been so afflicted and to have had so many wonderful learning opportunities extended to us as a result.
    Reading about 22q-DS does leave me with more questions than answers, but I found it to be completely consistent with my experiences and understanding of our family genetics and challenges.
    Thanks again! Glad to hear your son is getting some helpful care. Yay!!
    And if you ever want to talk with someone who understands, I’d be happy to listen, care, and share.

  6. Marjo says:

    Jacqueline woman in the picture is my mother. It would be great to have that kids could talk too. Im trying to encourage my older one to speak online because she is having great numbers from english exams. Her dream is to become teacher one day.

  7. Marjo says:

    I was suppose to write this earlier, but I’m writing now when I have time lol. My husbands son has this Tourette syndrome. That we don’t know does it come from his side or is it from his ex-fiance side. Me and my son have 22q syndrome. When I was gene tested by that syndrome they told me that there is only 1% chance for my children to have this. Only my boy has this not my two girls. Our journey with this joyful little man has been hard. When he was born he barely could move himself properly. With the help of physiotheraphist we were able to get his reflex working like it should be. We had to go every 4th month to next town to visit doctors. They made heart scans and other scans too to make sure there is nothing wrong. But I’m glad our little man is healthy in that area. Now we are working on with walking to get his legs stronger. There might be learning difficulties at school when he is that age. We often wonder what is this little man going to be because he seems to be so clever to his age.

    Another good news. My husband can have his son to visit in our home for 2 days in a next month. He hasn’t have that chance ever before.

    • jacqueline says:

      Marjo, I think Greg has had similar experience with a child that was more than challenging. Thanks for sharing. I saw your pictures and I absolutely love your location. It seems to be rural. I live outside the city near the beach and it has dangerous deer overload. Your son will do just fine in this more tolerable world now. Now people don’t make light of persons with disabilities. Things are coming together it seems with your husband be able to see his daughter at least for 2 days that is a start! Your two girls are just darling standing by the water. Is that your mother in law?
      I am just so glad to have gotten back in touch with you. You were always such an asset with your comments. I still giggle at all the babies sticking their heads in the picture and your husband trying to be invisible in the background on the BBB.
      Pharnicia called today and want to do a girls only show with the kids able to say something to each other. I will get with Renee, Denise and her to see if we can match your hours. Sunday for that hour was great last time and I can go to Facebook to find a Finnish xjw female or two. That should be fun.

  8. Greg says:

    I’m replying. 🙂
    And hopefully that means it’s working properly. I’ll be surprised if this reply doesn’t show up right away. I’ll let you know if there’s a problem, but I don’t expect one.

  9. jacqueline says:

    Greg if you see this would you reply yes or something so I can make sure you are posting right away also. I think I fixed the glitch of moderating the posts.
    There are a number of persons reading your forgiveness article. So if someone replies I want to make sure they post immediately.

  10. Marjo says:

    Thank you Greg. I think I got it what you are after on this. Flame doesn’t have a shadow because God parted the light from the darkness. But I never thought that verse 3 in that way that this earth has been filled with light all over. I wonder how bright earth must have been then.

  11. Greg says:

    Marjo, I really appreciate your expression. I like to add a couple ideas to what you’ve said, not to replace, nor correct, but only to share and maybe supplement.

    Verses 3-5 in the RVIC read: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

    A great many thoughts fill my mind with awe when I read that passage. I like to let my mind just wander here a bit and try to soak it all in.

    Here you have God creating Light. So this isn’t just talking about His own natural state of BEING light. No, that was pre-existing. Here we have the heavens, the universe, the sun and stars, the earth, and even the waters already existing. But there wasn’t any light yet. And then, after God created light, now there was light. Everywhere. All the time. And then God “parted the light” and made it possible to still have conditions (or “islands”) of “no light”.

    To me, this is very similar to how Marjo speaks about a candle’s flame casting no shadow. Later, in Genesis 1:6, and again in verse 9, God “parted the waters”, too, and this allowed for breathable air, and for dry land to exist within pockets of the waters.

    So until there was light, you couldn’t have the possibility of having “no light”. And rather than leave it so that there was light and water everywhere, God made places where there was a conspicuous and useful absence of light, and a conspicuous and useful absence of water. Not a TOTAL absence, just a very perceptible difference in the amount of light and water.

    Moreover, I see that the possibility of abundance, or of absence, of both life-giving light and life-giving water is both a literal and a spiritual condition. I like to just let my mind wander here for a bit and soak in the sights. (Did you notice the references to Water and Light in that expression?)

    Both light and dark are necessary for growth. Both water and drying out are necessary for life. And so even in these few verses, I can appreciate “The Divine Plan” as an object, a Plan, and yet also as an experiential condition, something we are in the middle of, something that will help us become healthy and fully-grown.

    I could go on and on. I’ll limit myself to sharing one last thought: Every single one of us on the planet are trying to grow and become the best “potato” we can be. Some of us have been born into conditions of very low light, so our growth and our foliage is straggly, thin, sparse, spindly, and leggy. Some of us are currently barely recognizable as potatoes (human beings), but all of us are reaching towards the light, trying to send down roots to find and draw in water and nutrients needed for growth and survival. Some of us get trampled down, choked out, broken, withered, and very sickly. Some of our fruitage isn’t healthy.

    And yet, in the coming peaceful kingdom, there will be far more favourable conditions which will allow us to grow and flourish. There will still exist places of greater light, and places of greater darkness, but the darkness won’t be so consuming, and the division between the two won’t be so deadly.

    -greg

  12. Marjo says:

    In Genesis 1: 1-5

    Verse 2: Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

    Verse 3: Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

    Verse 4: God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.

    Verse 5: God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

    Apostles understood in that time that God is light and His Word too in 2. Cor 4:6: For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

    He loves being in light because light is good. So now God is giving us that light to understand His word better. All kind of religions are making shadows for us not to see the true light in His Word. Now we have found that inner peace so we can accept the light too. When we pray understanding He will give it to us. Then we will shine the light of the knowledge which Jesus was preaching on the earth. We are not living in the shadows anymore.

  13. jacqueline says:

    Greg in an email you mentioned that Genesis 1:1-3 bears a revisit.
    Well I have many times and here is just my brain on fire:

    Genesis 1:1-3 1″ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

    Only the earth was formless and empty now. The heavens didn’t seem to have changed. But did something happen between verse 1 and 2?
    Did he start something new on the earth after he had created it and the heavens in verse one?
    Some say this is our heavens that we see and the following verses break down this creating in verse 1. That could be correct but It could be outer heavens that are still intact from the creating of them. The still-expanding heavens, not our sky, heaven.

    But I also see that something could have occurred and time passed that made the earth now empty. And he was doing something else new to the earth. Thus verse 2 and 3 is a new work on the earth. I also found out the first verse tells the whole history of God’s plan end to beginning.
    So you see my brain on fire see more than I ever did when I was guided toward the belief of one or a few persons. But I can be completely wrong on what I am seeing, but at least I can think without being afraid of being labeled. I am training my brain to listen to Holy Spirit guidance in little steps.
    Now why did you suggest I visit these verses? lol

  14. jacqueline says:

    Hello everybody, Greg needs our prayers for illness in his immediate family. Thank you

  15. Greg says:

    I really really really appreciate everyone’s expressions and contributions on our Testimony Meetings. Sometimes I can hardly keep up with all the wonderful things being shared and expressed. There are nights when I sit reflecting on all the missed opportunities, all those little gems that flew past so fast we didn’t even get to comment on them.

    I thank EVERYONE from the bottom of my heart for helping to make it such a beautiful time together.

    -greg

  16. jacqueline says:

    Good morning Greg, what an encouraging faith strengthing breakout session last night on the Testimony meeting.
    I think you took us through every emotion as you moderated out different views on “second death”. Those that couldn’t speak had scriptures and comments moving fast on the sidebar.
    Then we began to turn on our cameras and the laughter broke out as we saw each other, some for the first time.
    Kent had a bit of fun, I noticed playing with the positioning of my image.

    Now They see what we do! That was a typical group healing session!! Emotions, crying, laughter. That’s how you heal.

    Ariella has moved on and formed a “Coffee Time” with Ariella. She is moving forward, not stuff crying over spilled milk. Hooray for her. I will join her and friends from around the world if I can get up early enough. lol

    Jeff is just faithful! We can depend on him being there, quietly but there. His Catholic church stepped right up when he left the witnesses and gave him comfort and a physical house to live in as he attends the grounds.
    WHAT A BLESSING THAT WAS FROM JEHOVAH!

    Henry has moved on and called this morning excited about choosing a name for his “watching the world” (I just put stuff there until he got his together)

    CC is seriously thinking about buying a new computer to get a nice set up, her equipment doesn’t work, no camera etc.

    Ted was just a powerhouse of support with his fast posting of scriptures and comments as we talked. We need to thank him for that. He can’t speak but he sure can post some scriptures really fast.

    I need to find out how to keep the screen big so the scriptures don’t move up so fast before we read them.
    ALL IN ALL Greg, me think we had the LORD and the Lord’s blessing. Praise HIM!
    jacqueline

  17. Greg says:

    OK, thanks for the informative suggestions and ideas!
    -greg

  18. Greg says:

    Jacqueline,
    I had wondered about briefly introducing myself so individuals would know just a little bit about me and why I’m here. So I had hoped to move this article to a page by itself, and put my introduction here. I figured it might seem more natural, intuitive, and less cluttered that way. 🙂
    What are your thoughts?
    -greg

    • jacqueline says:

      Yes Greg your introduction Page should be the static page the one that never changes on man to man. Then all other articles will fall under man to man and they will be clickable. Or the meet the team page issupposed to have your bio on it below your photo. (1)So think about if you want to change your static page and let the article now be a clickable. (2)In addition or in place of insert a bio where your show is mentioned. I just put some stuff.

  19. jacqueline says:

    Okay Greg so this is back up, now isn’t there another article you posted before?

  20. jacqueline says:

    Greg, I never thought about why one disaster will totally take you out emotionally and another one has minimal effect.
    It depends on how it happened and if it was personal or an act of “nature”.
    Thanks for this perspective.

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