June/July 2008 Newsletter
June 1, 2008
Most people will tell you that people resist change, explaining that in general people are inflexible and fear the unknown. Recently, I concluded quite the opposite. A quick look at our language reveals a host of ordinary expressions about change. Reading through the list, it occurs to me how often we seek change. We love and crave variety and change.
For A Change
A change of scenery
A change of heart
A change in the weather
A change for the better
Changing channels
A change of mind
A change in perspective
Changing our ways.
A change of pace
Change horses midstream
Changing times
Changing our ways
Change hands
A change of course
Change your tune
Change the music
“Change partners and dance.”
Keeping up with the times
Out with old and in with new
Blow out the cobwebs
Get a fresh start
Trade places
A new lease on life.
New blood
Shake things up
Breathe new life into . . .
Like a breath of fresh air.
~ Susan Reuling Furness
Metaphor for seeking counseling outside times of crisis…….
technology can help us make “deposits,” or cause us to
make “withdrawals,” in another person’s emotional bank account.
A deposit would be keeping a promise, being kind and
courteous, clarifying expectations, making apologies,
being open to feedback and being loyal to those who are absent.
-Stephen Covey
As I was thinking of writing something on transitions, I opened the newspaper this morning and read a couple of articles that illuminated the huge problems facing two groups of people faced with mind numbing obstacles dropped into their laps by life’s circumstances. Forced adaptations. The first was an article on a gap between reported and actual suicide attempts of returning Iraq and Afghanistan war vets. The VA reported 800 a year, while the actual number of attempted suicides was found to be closer to 12,000! That is one thousand returning soldiers trying to take their own lives every month, in their frustrated attempts to transition back into this culture and lifestyle. The strain on the mental health programs for these veterans is overwhelming. It is mind boggling to hear our government try to portray the war as going well, when we are faced with mainline media reports of this staggering mental health reality.
The next article I read was about hundreds of children taken from a polygamous religious sect, and forced to settle in foster homes away from their families, parents, and former lifestyle. “These kids don’t know who the president is. Don’t know we are at war. Don’t know who Elvis was; don’t know who the Beatles were…” This is what the media is writing as a major frustration facing these children! They are said to be exceedingly polite, kind and well mannered. They have never seen TV, gone to public school or hung out at a mall. Wow, just think what they were missing! They are being dropped into another culture and lifestyle, placed in strange homes and being force fed a new culture in one big gulp. The transitional issues facing these children are staggering from a psychological point of view. The individual experiences in these changes will be profound contributors to their life stories, and their ability to cope and adapt.
Just stopping for a moment to imagine what is facing the two very different, but in a way similar groups in terms of having to change to meet others expectations and values, customs and environments, can put in perspective our prejudiced, knee jerk reactions and assumptions. One group coming out of the hell of war the other coming out of extreme isolation and ideological indoctrination. Both to adapt to “mainstream culture.” Transitions indeed.
~ Randy Meenach
What’s New on the Web
If you haven’t checked it out, Jefferson Street Counseling & Consulting and each of the therapists now have their own website.
Our shared website jeffersonstreetcounseling.com lists our complete calendar of events, including many low-cost and no-cost groups and presentations. Look here for the summer ADHD group topics, and for fall offerings that will post in late summer. The ADHD presentations will continue on the second Monday of the month at 7pm, and may cover topics on recognizing ADHD, treatment options, medication safety, and individual/family strategies for managing ADHD in the workplace and home.
From the main website you can access more information on each therapist, from professional background to specialties to our individual style in counseling. If you, a friend or loved one is shy about starting services, this private, online introduction may give a better idea of what counseling or consulting with one of us would be like.
Finally, on Dr. Hill’s website, stephenhill.netfirms.com you’ll find your personal guide to the best psychological information available on the internet. For years Dr. Hill has combed the internet for quality websites, audio programs, research and self-tests, saving you the time and footwork. Each resource is described in detail and leads you to information on symptoms, medications, current research, and management strategies for a wide variety of issues. Some sites offer printable pamphlets you can give to teachers, extended family, friends and loved ones. Others host online support groups and scheduled Q&A chat sessions with leading authors. Some of the most popular links include:
- NPR Audio Programs featuring in-depth interviews with leading researchers and authors, including listener questions. Audio topics include
- Depression in Teens & Adults
- Successfully Managing ADHD
- Toxic Worry & Anxiety
- Parenting Battling Siblings
- Living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Screening tests for ADHD, Depression, Anxiety and Bipolar
- Controlling Your Healthcare Costs
- How to Interview Therapists to find the best match
- Comic Relief of the Week: hilarious and amazing videos, photos and puzzles
Out of its infancy, www.writepath.org is nearly 2 years old now. As things happen, we’ve learned a thing or two about formatting on the Web. When you drop in at the Write Path Web Site, follow the side-bar menu to NEWSLETTER. There you will discover color photos, writing selections by group members, playful prompts for young and old, and ideas to spark imagination and make your journal-writing enjoyable and fun. We also added a convenient navigation bar at the top of the newsletter, Welcome to the Write Path.
Weekly Mental Health Tip
Brought to you by: Idaho Mental Health Counselors Association
ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS
We all know the old saying, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” But for the nearly 57 million affected by a mental health disorder, getting a good night’s rest is no easy task. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep disturbances figure prominently in many psychiatric disorders. In fact, of the estimated 30 million Americans who have chronic insomnia, 40 percent also have a psychiatric disorder, most often depression or anxiety.
Did you know sleep problems are a common symptom of depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders? Did you know there is evidence that sleep disorders can be a contributing cause of mood and anxiety disorders?
If you have been feeling anxious or depressed lately and as a result, have been experiencing difficulty sleeping, visit IMHCA’s website at www.idahomentalhealthcounselor.com and click on the link for mental health screenings in the right hand column to complete a simple online questionnaire. You will receive immediate, customized feedback as well as the opportunity to schedule an appointment for further evaluation if necessary. Our website contains a user friendly database with profiles and contact information for IMHCA member Counselors located in your community.
Attention Deficit Disorder Association
is providing teleclass/webinar series. Classes will be held bimonthly on Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm. Topics include: marriage, workplace, medication, ADHD in the family and organization/time management. For more information and a complete schedule of classes go to www.add.org. These classes are free to ADDA members.