Culture or Common Sense?

Posted by: Farah Lodi on October 9, 2014 11:24 am

How do you help people with dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors, if they are driven by deeply entrenched cultural beliefs? A father brought his depressed 17 year old son for counseling, to “make him study for his final exams”. The son had experienced a series of peer related problems, displayed oppositional behavior, and even attempted suicide. His diagnosis included clinical depression. The parents were in denial about the seriousness of his condition, and attributed his behavior to attention-seeking. Their complete focus was on the need for him to study – so he gets into a good college – so they can be proud of him – so they can enjoy the social status of having a son in college. They were blinded by this cultural expectation.

When I suggested a gap year, or delaying exams so that intensive therapy could happen, they stopped bringing him to see me – until the next incident of suicidal ideation. The cycle repeated itself: they thought he was seeking attention and wanted me to focus the sessions on persuading the boy to study. I was up against a brick wall. When I pointed out what I saw as the problem (a complicated mix of social issues and cultural identity confusion), they turned a deaf ear.

The pursuit of education is a good and noble value. Culture enriches, enhances, and brings a kaleidoscope of color to life most of the time. But when we start interpreting things through a black or white cultural lens only, our senses become blind and deaf to reason. Sound mental and emotional health depend upon keeping that balance between our culture and our common sense.

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

New Conversations about Suicide

Posted by: Dawn Schell on September 30, 2014 3:41 pm

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September 10^th is World Suicide Prevention Day and this year the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first report on global suicide prevention.[1] The WHO calls suicide prevention a global imperative. The stats certainly bear that out. We need to be doing something different.

This past year has seen some significant changes in the North American suicide prevention field. What has changed?

In January 2014 the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) launched a new blog titled – What Happens Now? Life After Suicidal Thinking…What’s Your Story?”[2]

It makes for powerful reading.

The reason the AAS has done this? “Few voices of attempt survivors have emerged in the national conversation about suicide, and few resources exist online. We’d like to change that.”[3]

After all, having attempted suicide is not something people commonly talk about. The sense of shame and stigma is strong. “While some progress is currently being made to address the issue of stigma, suicide attempt survivors remain a stigmatised and neglected group”[4]

And yet – who better to tell us how we can best make a difference in suicide prevention?

There are many suicide attempt survivors who are “out to change the landscape of suicide prevention”[5]. They want their voices to be heard at the table when it comes to discussing how best to prevent suicide.

One such person is Craig A. Miller, author of “This is How it Feels a memoir of attempting suicide and finding life”. The video clips and interviews on his website are compelling and deeply thought provoking. In one of his blog posts he talks about the world of difference between the phrases not wanting to die and wanting to live. Words matter.

http://www.thisishowitfeels.com

Another powerful advocate is Kevin Hines. You may have heard his story of surviving a jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. His book, “Cracked Not Broken” and clips of his talks about suicide prevention can be found here.

http://www.kevinhinesstory.com

For the past four years Dese’Rae L Stage has been working on an amazing ongoing portrait and oral history series on suicide attempt survivors. According to the website, “Live Through This inspires compassion and underscores the fact that suicide affects us all—no one is immune. It encourages the viewer to look into the eyes of the subject, to fill their shoes and meet them in their humanity.”

http://livethroughthis.org

There is so much we can learn from those who have survived. If we are willing to listen.

Dawn M. Schell, MA, CCC, CCDP is an affiliate of Worldwide Therapy Online Inc. http://www.therapyonline.ca

[1] http://www.who.int/mental_health/suicide-prevention/world_report_2014/en/

[2] http://attemptsurvivors.com

[3] http://www.suicidology.org/suicide-survivors/suicide-attempt-survivors

[4] http://suicidepreventionaust.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SPA-SuicideAttemptSurvivors-PositionStatement.pdf

[5] Craig A. Miller about a documentary on his website

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Creating Change with Anger

Posted by: Reena Sandhu on September 9, 2014 9:16 am

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Anger is a “signal” that informs us of when we are being hurt, violated, or that our needs and wants are not being met. People usually fall in two categories when trying to manage their anger: 1)The Avoiders- try to avoid the anger and the conflict it may bring. 2) The Fighters- fight, complain or blame others. Both styles are ways of managing anger that serve to protect others, and not themselves.

“Avoiders” avoid making clear statements about what they think and feel in order to make the person they are conflict with feel comfortable. Psychologically, they may become anxious to expose differences between themselves and the person they are in conflict with due to a fear of being rejected, abandoned, or punished by them. Over time, by preserving the harmony in the relationship, they may loose clarity in themselves. As a protective measure, the avoiders put effort into reading other people’s reactions, and consequently less energy into understanding their own own thought, feelings, and wants. Ultimately, they block the feeling of anger with guilt and self-doubt. Although society rewards compliance behavior, the personal cost is high and affects every aspect of their emotional and intellectual life.

Conversely, “Fighters” vent their anger ineffectively, and can easily get into a downward spiral of negative behavior. When they voice their anger ineffectively, without clarity or direction, they allow themselves to be written off, as others may not take them seriously. Blowing up does offer temporary relief, however, when the argument is over no real change will have occurred.

Continue reading →

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

A Calling

Posted by: Dawn Schell on July 24, 2014 3:48 pm

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I was having one of those days. You know the kind. Nothing seems to quite go right. The toast is burnt. You are late for a meeting. All the traffic lights are red. An online session takes longer than you expected. You’ve forgotten to do something you promised someone you would do. Minor things really but it all feels a bit much at that moment in time.

Then I turn on the radio and I catch the end of a program and the woman is saying…

“We are all called to a certain way of interacting with the world….Fulfilling our calling then, has to do with being faithful in those myriad ways in which we engage with the world, whether in our personal lives, our economic lives, our social lives… To be faithful, to live with integrity, to bring healing in all of those places. That’s a calling that all of us share.”

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Colours of the Rainbow Are the Same, Everywhere

Posted by: Priya Senroy on July 24, 2014 3:37 pm

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June and July have been vibrant months in the city of Toronto, colors are not only showcased by the nature but is found regularly on the streets- World Pride was one of them. This summer has also been colorful for a LGBTQ group that I sometimes facilitate workshops for. The group is mixed in ages, sexual orientation , ethnicity and cultural upbringing. There were many differences, many similarities and the diversity was overflowing. They all had one thing in common- they wanted to use the summer months as a way to symbolize the process of coming out-some of them are already out, some of them can never ever while some are contemplating. Whatever their stages of ‘coming out ‘are, the group shared a sense of struggling with their identity.

So delving in suing creative arts, the group explored some creative art therapy interventions which they could relate to , especially the ones who were struggling with identity. I have used these activities with clients with disabilities, clients with gender abuse etc.

The activity “Inside Me, Outside Me” is one example, in which the client creates two self-portraits—one of the publicly presented self, the other of the private, internal, self. For the clients in the early phases of coming out, these may be two very different portraits. The idea of creating self-portraits has been used by many clients in art therapy as a means for externalizing feelings and qualities of the self that are too delicate to expose verbally This activity may use a variety of media or take different forms, such as a mask or box (using the inside as well as the outside). These portraits were used as a gateway for discussion and reflection. Another activity involves puppet making, in which the created puppet “speaks” for the client. When the process stopped, there were sighs of relief and a sense of letting go, which some felt were equivalent to coming out in a safe and non threatening environment. Taking a step forward, the group felt that their personal journeys that they had explored during the workshops could be showcased or just simply shared with other groups. So role plays, movement and embodiment were used to create plays which the group are working on for informal and private sharing in the future.

Articles:

http://www.plumeriacounseling.com/coming-out-through-art-a-review-of-art-therapy-with-lgbt-clients/

http://www.lianalowenstein.com/article_gender.pdf

BY: Priya Senroy

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Using Intuition Within Sessions

Posted by: Jaclyn Trecartin on June 17, 2014 4:35 pm

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Intuition is the knowledge within us. Look at the word: INtuition ->INside. To use intuition, we have to trust ourselves and follow our feelings. In general, as a society, we spend so much time focusing on logic and what “makes sense in our heads,” that we neglect our gut feelings. Research is showing the body has neural fibers associated with communication and memories located OUTSIDE of the brain. This makes sense! We are not just heads hovering around, but whole people with whole bodies! Research has also shown vertical integration, listening to feedback from our bodies, is vital for brain development and is a function of secure attachment. With all this, there is no way I am able to ignore my intuition, least of all during sessions. Continue reading →

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

The Beauty of Children

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on June 17, 2014 12:00 pm

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“The soul is healed by being with children.”
~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I was completely unaware of the absolute beauty of life until I became a father. Fatherhood has opened my eyes beyond my own imagination. As a father, I have learned more about myself, life, and the meaning of life; simply by viewing the physical beings gifted unto me. Children are the window to our futures and a beacon of light in a sometimes dark world.

As a father, I have learned to appreciate each moment that I am granted to spend with my children. Whether they are happy or sad, full of energy or laying down for a nap; I am amazed by the life that radiates out of their little bodies.

THE GIFT

“With children the clock is reset. We forget what came before”
~ Jhumpa Lahiri

As a father, we need to actively listen to our children. Fathers who actively listen will be the recipients of an unbelievable education, going well beyond one’s wildest of dreams. The gift of a child goes well beyond that most descriptive of words. Children are the essence of life. They are capable of proving resilient in the most troubling of times, and rebounding from the greatest of falls. They have an ability of bringing a smile on the gloomiest of faces. It is awesome how the very life of a child is capable of resetting our thought patterns, our mindsets, and our very outlook upon the world. The gift of a child is capable of completely changing our worldview and perceptions of life. Continue reading →

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

SLCHG Project: SIMPLY HOLDING HEALING SPACES

Posted by: Linda AK Thompson on June 17, 2014 8:48 am

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SLCHG may be a small study, however, it provides a glimpse into the experiences of health care consumers regarding the ‘status quo’ of our health care system and use of collaborative teams in both the private and public health care systems. In my practice, I have been privy to work in both. One old controversial example that persists and noticeable at Intake is that candidates expressed reluctance to disclose historic and current use of CAM to their family physicians for fear of judgment, rejection and/or refusal to participate in their care plan, plus minimization of CAM beneficial effects including no discussions on the ‘placebo’ effect or mystical healings. I searched the net and found a great study on trends in use and attitudes from 1997 to 2006 concerning CAM written by Nadeem Eismail of the Fraser Institute

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/complementary-alternative-medicine-in-canada-2007.pdf.

I witnessed professionals within the ‘traditional, publically funded medical health care system’ resistance to serve informed consenting patients [clients], who are self-directing their healing-to-cure programs utilizing choice, collaborators and blended treatment options. Some reasons for refusal to collaborate were:

1) Receiving reports via email is a violation of ‘physicians/surgeons’ code of ethics (?),

2) The physician in ‘independent practice’ can refuse to provide publically funded health care to a person, if he does not want to collaborate (?), and

3) The physician does not have to read reports submitted from professionals who operate outside of the publically funded system (?). This project has a fee schedule and the client pays for this collaborative service.

Continue reading →

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

SLCHG Pilot Project: COLLABORATING

Posted by: Linda AK Thompson on June 4, 2014 3:45 pm

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This project [3] spans 4 years [September 2013 to November 2014 or 50 months] and 9 months [18%] of the time-line has lapsed since launched. The motivating factor was based on client psychotherapeutic needs expressed by the target population: a small sub-group of clients, who despite many years of traditional/publically funded health care treatment, plus concurrent use of privately funded complimentary/alternative medicines/therapies [CAM], continued to struggle and suffer from high degrees of dis-ease or treatment resistant, thwarted trauma responses. The impact [depth of suffering] upon their overall health/wellness and functional abilities was noteworthy in their activities of daily living [ADL], and familial plus work-related relationships.

The project hypothesis is that the target population, who meet criteria proposed for C-PTSD [1], may benefit from a practical, clinically coordinated and collaborative team approach of healing-to-cure health care design as mentioned in previous articles http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/?p=3192 . Additionally, the co-investigators are searching for 16 more research control subjects http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/?p=3436 in order to complete comparative analysis of the selected trauma [research] test instruments administered to the target population for the purposes of the project. My primary practice role[s] and function[s] remains and continues to focus on engaging [research, advocacy, healing] with heroic survivors who are capable of self-directing their recovery and healing-to-cure programs/journeys. Being the eternal optimist I am, as evidenced by my own healing-to-cure journey plus 50 years of service delivery in the helping professions [trauma nursing/trauma counselling]; I know my greatest clinical psychotherapeutic skill set is patience with active listening [content analysis] in the depth-of-“it”-all. I am willing to work creatively with people, who are internally motivated and embarked on healing-to-cure journeys. They are the experts, no matter what “it” represents at the depth of their own core sense of being. I am able to stand firm with them, in the now, for I remain anchored by faith, hope and love at my own core.

Continue reading →

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Good Conference? IAC/CCPA 2014

Posted by: Dawn Schell on May 16, 2014 3:45 pm

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What makes for a good conference? The definition varies for everyone. For me, if there are one or two things I learn that I can apply directly to my work, and if I can make one new connection with a colleague I feel quite satisfied that my time and money has been well spent.

Sometimes there are so many fabulous sessions and the schedule is so full there is little opportunity to connect with others. Other times I have walked away feeling I didn’t learn anything I could use though I met amazing people and felt re-energized by my connection with the counselling community.

The latest IAC & CCPA conferences in Victoria, BC were a balance of learning and connection.

A few of the highlights for me:

Meeting and talking with counsellors from so many different countries. Particularly in the final panel session when many of them shared their perspectives about the IAC’s vision and mission.

Andrew Samuels’ thought-provoking keynote address (and this will be an oversimplification of the topic) on Therapy and Politics. He talked about “good enough” leadership, economic inequality, therapeutic responsibility and the politics of intimate relationships. I am still mulling over what he said. Check out his website – http://andrewsamuels.com

Learning about the University of Malta’s inspiring programme in Transcultural Counselling. It is a “collaborative degree programme offered by the University of Malta and the University of New Orleans…The mission of the M.A. in Transcultural Counselling is to train world counsellors who are able to serve diverse populations worldwide. Graduates of this programme are global citizens who, as counsellors, possess a sense of social responsibility and global civic engagement, as well as global competence.”

http://www.um.edu.mt/imp/courses/ma-counseling-counselling

Stephane Grenier’s honest, humourous and compassionate keynote address on Mental Health in the workplace. He spoke about his own experience with PTSD and how workplaces need to be sources of social support for those who struggle with mental illness. Hear! Hear!

Hearing about exciting new research in Technology and Counselling. Avatars, augmented reality, and applying Erikson’s stages of development to adoption of technology. I look forward to hearing the end results of the work these students are doing.

Several sessions gave me fresh ideas that I can use with my clients. Yeah!

Participating in a panel discussion with Paul Jerry, Simon Nuttgens, Lawrence Murphy and Dan Mitchell on the topic of Online Counselling. A subject near and dear to my heart.

There is so much more I could say here about what I gained. I’ll have to save it for a future blogpost.

What makes for a good conference?

Spending time with old and new friends, sharing ideas, resources, strategies, research and learning, learning, learning.
IAC/CCPA 2014 was indeed, a good conference.

See you in Niagara Falls next year at the 50^th anniversary of the CCPA.

Dawn M. Schell, MA, CCC, CCDP is an affiliate of Worldwide Therapy Online Inc. http://www.therapyonline.ca

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA