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GARDENIA

The name Gardenia comes from the discovery of wild Gardenia flowers on this island. Upon arrival, there were thousands of wild shrubs in the Gardenian forest. This is why citizens humble Gardenia and feel a special connection with nature. The people of our island make sure to give back and care for Mother Nature as well, sort of like a symbiotic relationship.

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FLAG/SEAL

The flag/seal of our Utopia is a white gardenia. This is because of the significance this flower holds to the island. The symbolism of the gardenia aligns with the core values of the island government and the people's morale: love and purity, which are key in sustaining our system.

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Unity

Nature/environment

Charity

Honesty

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List 10 Rules or Laws that are at the center of your Utopia.

Money has no value

The character of Human Rights (peace, respect,...)

House of Gardens ( set of government officials that make major decisions on the island)

All pesticides and drugs are banned

No overfishing!

Everyone must attend the monthly festival

All individuals under the age of 16 must attend school

We are an ecofriendly community (NO CARS, NO FACTORIES -- all renewable energy)

No hoarding of goods

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Community service hours vary depending on whether the crime is bad (i.e., theft, cat burglary, underage substance abuse, etc.).

If the crime is very severe (i.e. murder, rape/SA, assault, polluting the environment etc.) exile them to the mainland. Five government officials know how to get on and off the island.

HOWEVER ALL PUNISHMENTS MUST BE DECIDED UPON BY THE HOUSE OF GARDENS

Therapy is offered for all criminals (and citizens) free of charge to determine if they pose no threat to themselves or others before being released into society.

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What Is Talk Therapy?

Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, involves a person meeting with a therapist in a confidential environment to speak about their emotions, thoughts, behaviors and anything else that might be causing them emotional distress.

"Once these challenges are brought to the surface through open conversation, a therapist can help their patient understand how these issues may be negatively affecting their everyday lives and work on developing successful strategies to decrease the effect of the symptoms," explains Jennifer Dragonette, Psy.D, a clinical services instructor and licensed psychologist at Newport Healthcare, a mental health treatment program with treatment centers in California, New York and Connecticut.

A typical talk therapy session lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and consists of the client doing a lot of talking and the therapist doing a lot of listening. The therapist looks for patterns in the client's behavior and helps them identify the thoughts and situations they find distressing, according to Laurie Singer, M.S., a board-certified behavior analyst and family and child therapist at Laurie Singer Behavioral Services, Inc. in Camarillo, California. "Individuals talk about their fears, desires and dreams. The therapy process allows people to explore both present and past relationships with others."

Talk Therapy vs. Psychiatry: What's the Difference?

While talk therapy is focused on a client talking about and working through their problems, psychiatry is often more focused on the process of using medication to treat various mental health conditions. "Some psychiatrists do use talk therapy as part of their practice, but typically not to the same extent as a psychologist or therapist," says Dr. Dragonette.

Because there's less of a focus on talk therapy in psychiatry sessions, appointments may be shorter, explains Jenn Hardy, Ph.D, a licensed psychologist with a private practice in Maryville, Tennessee. "The focus during psychiatric appointments is to assess how well your medications are helping with your symptoms and to manage side effects."

Oftentimes, talk therapy and medication are used together to treat a mental health condition. A talk therapy provider will refer a client to a psychiatrist and work collaboratively with them since psychologists and therapists cannot prescribe medication, explains Dr. Singer.

Types of Talk Therapy

There are many different types of talk therapy, all of which have the same premise-a client speaks to a therapist about their emotional state-but different types of talk therapy may be recommended depending on your preferences and symptoms.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): During CBT, a therapist helps you identify faulty and/or harmful thinking patterns that are distorting how you view and respond to situations and relationships, explains Dr. Hardy.

Interpersonal therapy: Interpersonal therapy focuses less on thought patterns and instead helps you identify the patterns in your relationships that aren't working so you can change them, explains Dr. Hardy. Interpersonal therapy can be used to treat anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as certain behaviors exhibited by people on the autism spectrum, says Dr. Singer.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: Another form of CBT therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy "also incorporates meditation and other mindfulness practices to teach individuals how to become aware of their thoughts and feelings to create a non-judgmental attitude," explains Dr. Dragonette.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy: Like CBT, psychodynamic psychotherapy looks at negative behavior patterns and feelings to try and resolve them. "As a psychodynamic therapist, I help my clients contextualize their current struggles within early life lessons that continue to impact how they view themselves, their relationships and the world," explains Dr. Hardy.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR): EMDR therapy is often used for people struggling with trauma. It pairs processing traumatic memories with a type of bilateral brain stimulation, usually in the form of eye movement. Dr. Dragonette notes that while EMDR cannot erase traumatic memories or experiences, it can help patients "unhook from the negative judgments they may be carrying about themselves as a result of trauma."

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT uses a combination of methods, such as mindfulness practices, emotion regulation and distress tolerance approaches, to help individuals learn how to better cope with their emotions. "DBT is highly effective at targeting destructive or disturbing thoughts and behaviors, including self-harm, suicidality, challenging relationship patterns and feelings of hopelessness," says Dr. Dragonette.

Humanistic therapy: Humanistic therapy focuses on an individual's capacity to make rational decisions and develop their maximum potential, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). "In essence, it assumes that individuals all have 'good' in them and works towards helping people become the best versions of themselves," explains Dr. Singer. "The therapist serves as more of a guide than a teacher."

What Do I Talk About in Therapy?

While it may vary slightly depending on the type of talk therapy you choose, you can generally talk about whatever you want during therapy. "Typical psychotherapy sessions may consist of identifying prevalent issues and behaviors that are causing the patient to experience emotional distress and leading them to seek help in the first place," explains Dr. Dragonette. You might discuss intense feelings and emotions, carefully revisit traumatic or painful memories, or talk about events that bring up guilt and shame. All of these things, Dr. Dragonette notes, may leave a client feeling uncomfortable initially, especially if they're not used to talking about their feelings, but it can ultimately help provide healing.

Is Talk Therapy Effective?

While the effectiveness of talk therapy often depends on the individual, about 75% of people who enter psychotherapy experience some benefit from it, according to the APA. Both Dr. Dragonette and Dr. Singer note that talk therapy is most effective if a person is willing to confront and share their negative experiences and emotions with their therapist.

And while the type of talk therapy can also make a difference, the relationship between the therapist and client is often what's most important, says Dr. Hardy. "You need to find a therapist who you can trust, who can repair ruptures in your relationship, who can get on the same page as you about therapy goals and who can be flexible enough with their approach to tailor it to you as a unique, complex person," she continues.

Overall, psychotherapy is effective and can produce long-term health improvements, but despite its growing popularity, it may still be underutilized, according to a 2012 statement from the APA.

Several recent studies analyzing the effectiveness of certain types of talk therapy illustrate its many benefits. For instance, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy appears as effective as other treatments (like medication) in preventing relapse for individuals with recurrent depression, according to a 2016 analysis in JAMA Psychiatry. Meanwhile, CBT is more effective and can have longer-lasting effects than medication after treatment stops for those living with social anxiety, according to a 2014 study in Lancet Psychiatry. And a 2022 review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found talk therapy to be effective and worthwhile for individuals living with dementia who are dealing with depression, potentially improving their symptoms and increasing their quality of life.

How Do I Find a Therapist?

There are many online resources, such as the psychologist locator supplied by the APA, that can help you find a therapist.

Before you start looking for a therapist, Dr. Singer recommends setting an expectation for what you ultimately want to take away from therapy. "Setting a goal, whether it's working through a transitional period, grief, depression, anxieties or any other condition one feels they need help with is the best jumping off point," she says. The more you know what you want, the better chance you have of finding someone with whom you can connect.

As Dr. Singer notes, it's important to consider the following when deciding on a therapist:

The location of the therapist, especially if you are looking for in person sessions

Whether your health insurance covers appointments with them

Whether they're licensed to practice in your state and what licenses they hold

The type of therapeutic modality they practice and any speciality they may have

How comfortable you are with their approach to therapy, and if the relationship feels like a good fit

Asking a friend or family member for a referral, asking your health care provider for a referral or looking through your insurance provider's network of covered therapists are additional methods for finding a therapist, says Dr. Dragonette.

If you're committed to talk therapy or online therapy, it can be an effective way to deal with mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, as well as a host of other emotional issues you might be facing. Finding a therapist you can trust and a modality that works best for you are the first two steps in a positive direction.

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Talk Therapy: What It Is, Types And Effectiveness

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Talk therapy can be an effective way to address symptoms of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Read on to learn if this type of therapy might work best for you.

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Trade system -- people are given monthly rations of food, and gain other assets by working (i.e. wood, fabric, quartz, coffee beans, etc)

Government programs to teach people to become specialized in a specific area (i.e. teachers, therapists, doctors etc)

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The weekly farmers market that is used for trading

Monthly festivals -- which keep morale up and citizens to get to know one another

No currency (we trade goods!)

A chance to restart and disconnect

Ilse of Medusa our only loyal ally

Communist society (in a good way)

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My local farmer's market is one of my favorite places in the city. There's something special about walking through rows and rows of fresh produce - ruby strawberries, papery heads of garlic, slim green-husked ears of corn - manned by the folks who grew it. You can't help but feel closer to your food.

Speaking from experience, it's easy to go to the market and either overspend on bundles and bundles of random vegetables with no real plan for how to use them or (more often in my case) leave almost empty-handed because you feel overwhelmed.

Don't worry - there's a better way to do it! Here are four tips to help you become a smarter farmer's market shopper this season.
Go in with a loose plan
Sometimes, I experience some light paralysis in the face of variety. (I'm not a huge astrology person, but the stereotypes about Libras being indecisive feel like personal attacks in this case.) This happens in places like exceptionally crowded bookstores, vintage clothing shops, the second floor of Ikea and good farmer's markets.

That said, one of the beautiful things about these places - though, admittedly, less so at Ikea - is the sense of discovery one can feel while picking through all of the available options. To assuage my indecisiveness while also maintaining some of that feeling, I find it useful to go to the market with a very loose plan.
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I go in looking for some must-buys: peak-season tomatoes, husks of white corn, a good hunk of cheddar from my favorite cheese stall, a cereal loaf from the bread guy, a bouquet of fresh sunflowers.

This ensures that the trip is worthwhile and any other good things that I find are basically a bonus.
Do a walk-around to see what's on offer
Take a loop through the market to get a sense of what's available and which products look the freshest. This can help you locate your "must buys" but also scope out stalls bursting with in-season produce and interesting foodstuffs.
Know what's in season - and what the freshest products look like
One of the keys to buying better at the farmer's market is actually knowing what's in season. Before heading to shop, take a look at a guide of what produce is best when; this one from the USDA is a fantastic starting point. Also, educate yourself about what fresh produce looks and feels like.

The answer varies from vegetable to vegetable and fruit to fruit, of course. But here are some general guidelines: You want to buy produce with a vibrant color and unbruised exterior skin. It should feel firm to the touch and be free from random soft spots or dents. Often, the more fragrant an item is, the more flavorful it will be.
Try something new
One of the best things about farmer's markets is the variety of products available. Each time I go to the market, I try to pick up something that's new to me - whether that's cheese from a new vendor, locally-pressed olive oil or fresh pastries from a bakery stand. Who knows? You may find a new favorite to add to your weekly "must buy" list.
Bookmark a few recipes that make the most of seasonal produce
When it comes to making the most out of my farmer's market visit, one of the things I find most helpful is to have at least a few recipes in mind I'd like to make where seasonal produce is the star.
Here are a few of our favorites recipes starring seasonal produce from Salon Food:

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Farm to table: How to shop smarter at your local farmer's market

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My local farmer's market is one of my favorite places in the city. There's something special about walking through rows and rows of fresh produce - ruby strawberries, papery heads of garlic, slim green-husked ears of corn - manned by the folks who grew it. You can't help but feel closer to your food.

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Our island is a prestigious environment and welcomes individuals who share our beliefs. The island's location is entirely enclosed and isolated from the rest of the world. This is for safety reasons and to ensure our utopia is safe from the assimilation and influence of the Mainland. To enter a world of peace, unity, and purity, citizens will be asked to leave all currency, or anything that may cause materialistic attachment behind. Five trained government officials know how to get on and off the island. One of them will come to retrieve newcomers.