Social Media and Counseling

There are many pros and cons when it comes to thinking about the use of social media in counseling. In regards to advertising and making your presence known as a mental health professional it could be advantageous in bringing in clients and collaborating with fellow mental health professionals. It is also helpful in being able to access resources for yourself as a professional and for your clients as well. It helps in building an online community and networking with other professionals and potential employers.

Linked In, twitter, blog posts/etc could be a great resources for clients to access when at home. If they are experiencing anxiety or depression, etc they can access these sites and perhaps use a deep breathing exercise or an article that can help them cope in the moment (of course in a crisis you would have already established a course of action to be taken).

Having a twitter or face book, etc to promote your practice could be a great way to reach out to people suffering with mental illness. Someone who is apprehensive about seeking out services may feel comfortable at least looking into services through the anonymity of the internet.

The cons I see with using social media while in the counseling field are various. It is possible that clients with boundary issues can seek out your personal information or perhaps tag you in inappropriate posts. It is imperative to maintain a separation between you counseling self and your personal life.

On Twitter for instance you could have issues if your account is on auto-follow and your professional account could post about subjects that are inappropriate.

Facebook also poses a threat in regards to having a business page. Depending on the setup of the page if someone follows you they may be able to post on your page. This also opens you up to inappropriate posts. There is also the issue of clients seeking out your personal page.

You also have to take confidentiality into account. You have to take ultimate care never to reveal information about your clients. Doing so can lead to serious legal issues. It is also imperative to be careful about what you advertise as the subjects you are a expert in.

Sources:
http://www.mastersincounseling.org/three-ways-social-media-can-benefit-you.html
http://www.mastersincounseling.org/four-major-drawbacks-to-social-media-use.html
http://www.mastersincounseling.org/what-therapists-need-to-know-about-facebook.html
http://www.mastersincounseling.org/what-therapists-need-to-know-about-twitter.html

Top Ten Twitters

1. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (****)
@NIMHgov
This twitter is a great resource! They cover issues from Binge Eating Disorder to Depression and Anxiety. They have 756K followers and provide a user friendly platform for discussing mental health issues.

2. Buddhist Meditation (***)
@FindInnerPeace
Regardless of your religious affiliation this twitter can provide insight and support when working towards having peace and loving kindness in your daily life. It focuses on positivity and different meditation techniques that can help in managing stress, anxiety, and depression. They also post thought quotes from various Buddhist monks and meditation instructors.

3. Health Body Mind (***)
@GlasgowPsych
Glasgow is an independent psychological service based in Glasgow, Scotland. This twitter focuses on looking at what happiness means and ways to process your daily life and stay optimist about the future.

4. Mindfulness Project (**)
@LondonMindful
This twitter focuses on the here and now and self-compassion. They also post tips, videos, and articles about mediation, stress management, and setting a good example for others.

5. Teen Substance Abuse (****)
@ASKDrugAbuse
This twitter focuses on providing education about the prevalence and consequences of adolescent substance abuse. It provides resources for seeking treatment and outlines the signs of substance abuse for friends/family members who are concerned about their loved ones.

6. Substance Abuse
@Substance_Abuse (**)
This twitter account focuses on the physical effects of substance abuse and the health issues that come about with prolonged abuse. It also provides information on the history of substance abuse and the development drug use throughout the 20th century.

7. Centre for Suicide Prevention (*****)
@cspyyc
This twitter provides information, resources, and facts about suicide and suicide prevention. This is a place where you can post for support and receive updates on the most recent research.

8. WomenYouShouldKnow (***)
@WomenYSK
This twitter is catered to sharing stories of dynamic and strong women who have overcome tremendous odds. Issues covered are ones such as anorexia, bulimia, sexism, accomplishing marathons, etc.

9. Battling Bulimia (***)
@Prettyinthin
The hashtag is #NoBingeNewYear and details the struggle and mindset of someone struggling with bulimia. At first glance I thought it was a pro-bulimia twitter but upon further reading I realized it was just an honest depiction of the struggle, the most shocking of which are the maladaptive self-attacking thoughts that accompany the mental illness. This girl’s twitter shows her struggle with depression, anxiety, and perfectionism.

10. EH Depression
@depression (****)
This twitter focuses on depression awareness and tips for daily coping. It also covers issues such as eating disorders, perfectionism, anxiety, and anger. It provides information on signs of depression and strategies for improving physical and mental health.

Dealing with ADHD in Children and Adolescents

Hello everyone! I realize my log has been a little eclectic; I find it helpful each week to write about subjects that I have have learned something substantial about. I am interning as a substance abuse counselor for adolescents, and thus far it has been a wonderful clinical experience. In dealing with teenagers I have come into issues with trying to decide the best approach when forming treatment plans for teens who are dealing with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It has only come up with a handful of my clients, but I have been doing research and discussing ideas with my supervisor, in order to have the best approach to providing the best care possible.

In general the typical symptoms associated with ADHD are: inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These symptoms contribute to issues with behavioral/grades at school, issues with peers, problems with following rules at home and school, and issues with parental relations. It is though by the Center for Children and Families that three factors shape how a child/adolescent with ADHD will function as an adult:
(1) Effective parenting skills
(2) How the child/adolescent gets along with others their age
(3) School success

The Center for Children and Families advocates behavioral treatments for children/adolescents with ADHD, as opposed to medication. Behavior modification looks at the ABC's: Antecedents (events that occur before the behavior that has influence on the behavior), Behaviors (the things the child/adolescent does that are what parents/teachers want to modify), and Consequences (the events that occur after the behavior).

In a behavioral modification program the agent of change is educated on how to modify the antecedents and the consequences. Modifying the antecedents can help to change/eliminate the behavior. Modifying the consequences can also work to change/eliminate the behavior by removing or adjusting the reinforcers that are holding the problem behavior in place.

Typical Forms of Behavior Modification

Parent Training: In this approach you focus on parenting skills. This includes establishing rules and routines and having them reinforced at home. In treatment this can consist of weekly sessions (8-12 sessions) and then after the treatment has been implemented for the 8-12 weeks there are monthly sessions to continue to evaluate progress.

School Intervention: This focuses on behavior in the classroom, grades, and peer relationships. Teachers are educated in class management skills. On average this training lasts 2-10 hours. The clinician would record a baseline of the problem behaviors and then educate the teacher on how to implement an effective intervention. The clinician would evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention and then decisions would be made from there on how to proceed.

Child Intervention: With this the child/adolescent would be taught academic/social skills. This is aimed towards decreasing aggression, how to build friendships, and how to appropriately monitor themselves. These would typically be weekly sessions, sometimes group sessions in order to facilitate practice in social skills. This part of treatment is intertwined with the school and parental treatments.

ADHD treatment goes into much more detail, of course. These are just the basic overview of approaches.

Sources:
http://ccf.buffalo.edu

Top 10 Blogs/Podcasts

1. http://thehappyguy.com ***(3 stars)

This is a blog written by David Leonhardt. I would recommend this blog because it covers several different aspects of self care and explore the definition of happiness, which is something everyone seems to be looking for. He describes his blog as writing about “the good life” which he breaks down into: being happy and self fulfilled, at peace with oneself and the world around; protecting and enhancing one’s health; Efficiently using one’s monetary resources; Other stuff that might be fun or that we just want to share.

2. http://pattyspathtohealing.wordpress.com ** (2 stars)

This blog I would recommend to anyone who is recovering from childhood abuse. She posts honestly about her experiences going through therapy and dealing with anxiety and depression related to these experiences. For people struggling with these issues Patty provides honest insight to moments of strength and moments of suffering, and the things that help her cope every day.

3. http://www.mentalhealth.gov/blog/ **** (4 stars)

I recommend this blog because it works to raise mental health issues awareness and promote services. This blog covers a wide variety of mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, depression, ADHD, etc and works to De-stigmatize mental illness.

4. http://ribbonsbowsandhospitalbracelets.blogspot.com/ ***** (5 stars)

I am a little biased on this one because it is the blog of one of my cohort members. I recommend this blog because it covers growing up with a chronic illness. Kara writes a great blog that will provide comfort and reliability to anyone whop has a disability.

5. https://mentalhealthinmilitary.wordpress.com/ ***** (5 stars)

I am also a little biased on this one bc it is also a blog of my cohort member. This however does not take away from how well written and thoughtful it is. Kaylyn has passion for working with veterans and provides insight into mental health issues and the struggles that veterans experience after they return to civilian life, This blog is uplifting and comforting to anyone experiencing these issues, to those who love a veteran, and to mental health professional.

6. http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22 **** (4 stars)

I recommend this podcast because it provides weekly podcasts of free guided meditations regarding a variety of subjects. This podcast includes guided meditation subjects such as: standing kindness and meditation, sending kindness to the world, new year’s intentions, and mindful willingness to be what is. Tune in for a free meditation podcast.

7. http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/podcasts/ ** (2 stars)

This podcast is helpful. It is helpful because it provides a wide variety of different mindfulness practices to help with mental illness issues. This podcast explores different types of healthy diet and exercise in regards to mental health.

8. http://www.adaa.org/podcasts-ask-learn **** (4 stars)

These podcasts are helpful because they provide information about disorders such as hoarding, PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression, etc. Each individual podcast is by a professional and provides helpful insight and resources.

9. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/anger-management-institute/id205110845?mt=2 *** (3 stars)
Here you can prescribe for free to tune in to Podcasts regarding anger management from the Anger Management Institute podcast by Lynette Hoy, NCC, LCPC. She covers subjects such as anger and relationships, anger and divorce, how to talk out your anger, etc. This podcast can help anyone trying to manage their anger and become more peaceful.

10. http://www.cancer.net/coping-and-emotions/managing-emotions/grief-and-loss/understanding-grief-and-loss ***** (5 stars)
This podcast is aimed at helping those with cancer and friends and family members cope with the challenges and grief. They provide several podcasts regarding the anxiety, uncertainty, anger, and fear related to this serious illness and can be informational and comforting.

Anger and Forgiveness

Hello everyone! I hope all is well and you are getting proper sleep and managing stress well. The subject I would like to reflect on today is forgiveness.

I recently have experienced a theft from a roommate who moved out. Having dealt with lots of previous issues with her, this sent me over the edge into intense anger and resentment.

So where do you go from there? What do you do when you feel wronged and find the anger resulting from issues consuming and having a negative impact on your emotional health?

The first thing that is helpful: deep breathing exercises. I personally find it helpful to light a candle first. Sit in a quiet place and breath deeply from your diaphragm. In for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, out for 8 counts. Repeat a few times until you feel more calm. This helps to clear you head space. If you are involved in any sort of spirituality it will help with meditation or prayer.

Repeat a calming or relaxing phrase to yourself, such as "relax." Keep repeating this while breathing deeply.

Stay focused on your goals. Yes, this situation is infuriating, but what responsibilities do you have to take care of. Pour you energy into spoiling your pets, completing assignments, or cleaning to help create a peaceful environment.

This is one of my favorite anecdotes regarding anger:

It is said that one day the Buddha was walking through a village. A very angry and rude young man came up and began insulting him, saying all kind of rude words.

The Buddha was not upset by these insults. Instead he asked the young man, “Tell me, if you buy a gift for someone, and that person does not take it, to whom does the gift belong?”

The young man was surprised to be asked such a strange question and answered, “It would belong to me, because I bought the gift.”

The Buddha smiled and said, “That is correct. And it is exactly the same with your anger. If you become angry with me and I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you. You are then the only one who becomes unhappy, not me. All you have done is hurt yourself.”

Do not forget to love yourself and forgive yourself for the anger you have felt. And work towards letting that anger go and forgiving the person who has hurt you. 

To quote Ted Mosby from the wonderful show "How I Met Your Mother":

"You may think your only choices are to swallow your anger or to throw it in someone's face. But there is a third option, you can just let it go. And only when you do that is it really gone, and you can move forward."

Sources:

http://beingraluca.com/someone-doesnt-accept-gift-gift-belong/

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/controlling-anger.aspx

http://www.celebquote.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/buddha-best-quotes-5.png

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep rivals food in terms of being necessary for health and survival. How much sleep a person needs depends on their stage of life and the hormones that are influencing their body.

An adult on average will sleep about 8-8.5 hours per night if given the opportunity. The amount of sleep necessary for adults can vary by person however, with some people operating best with 7 hours per night and others operating best with 9 hours per night.

New born babies require 16-18 hours of sleep per day. Pre-school aged children need 11-12 hours per day, with school-aged children needing about 10 hours per night. Hormones really come into play when dealing with teenagers. Teens tend to fall asleep later and struggle more with early rising (also needing 9-10 hours of sleep per night). This brings in the issue of school starting early and few teens getting an adequate amount of sleep.

Although it does not erase the sleep you have lost, trying to catch up on weekends can be helpful. It is also recommended if possible to work in naps throughout the day.

Tips for a good nights sleep:
1. Keep a solid sleep schedule. It's difficult to do this (especially if you are in school or have children) but going to bed and waking up at the same time each day does wonders for regulating your body.
2. Exercise! Aim for a minimum of 30 min of exercise per day and try to avoid working our 2-3 hours before you want to fall asleep.
3. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
4. Try not to nap after 3pm
5. RELAX! Take a nice bath or dim the lights.

Sleep Disorders:

1. Insomnia: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
2. Sleep apnea: breathing temporarily stops or becomes very shallow during sleep.
3. Restless Leg Syndrome (ALS): there is an unpleasant prickling/tingling in the legs (especially in the calves) that is relieved by moving or massaging the legs.
4. Narcolepsy: extreme and overwhelming daytime sleepiness, regardless of adequate nighttime sleep.

Sources:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf
https://catchingsomezzz.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/sleepdeprivation.jpg