PAU Student Leaves Lesson, Legacy After Passing
A meaningful celebration of life took place this past February to remember the life of Dr. Tony Masini, a former PAU student.
The service also celebrated the commitment Tony had to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), meaning to accept individuality and living a life in line with personal values. As a student of a school focused on engaging minds and improving lives, an important lesson is left behind after Tony’s passing to impact future decisions positively in the hopes of preventing another family from the unbearable heartache of loosing a child.
In the days leading up to Tony’s passing, he was studying for the very difficult and stressful Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). Unfortunately, while studying for the examination Tony tried synthetic marijuana, or commonly referred to as “K2” or “Spice”. The American Association of Poison Control (AAPC) describes the drug as having the capability to cause severe anxiety, seizures, and many other dangerous side effects. It is believed that the synthetic marijuana was the direct cause of Tony’s unfortunate passing.
Palo Alto University (PAU) strives to create a community of wellness and education accessibility – if you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed with stress there are many resources to take advantage of:
- Free webinar – “Wellness for Helping Professionals”
- Wellness Initiative for Therapists in Training
- PAU Running Group
- i4Health.com – a PAU Faculty-led research organization with a mission to providing mental health resources online.
If you or someone you know is suspected of ingesting synthetic marijuana, please contact the AAPC toll free at 1 (800) 222-1222.
Additional Helpful Websites:
2. U.S. Senator, Amy Klobuchar’s effort to propose legislation against synthetic marijuana