Best in Mental Health (6/15/15 – 6/27/15)

Below is a round-up of some of the latest news in mental health (and more) in a new format that I hope you’ll find easier to enjoy!

This wrap-up has the following main themes:

• Biases/Racism
• Advocacy/Disabilities
• Therapy
• Relationships
• Technology and Social Work
• Career
• Self-Care

Biases/Racism:

• My Coming Out Story: The End of a Phase – Moving account by Danna Bodenheimer of how she is able to feel more free and joyful now that same sex marriage is a nation-wide right.
• What is Identity Anyway? – Anthony Heard describes the different components of one’s identity and the challenge of managing it.
• Caitlyn Jenner and a Whole Lot of Questions – Joseph Burgo PhD raises some questions about what is gender identity and how much of it is biological vs. socially determined.
• “I Will Try Again Tomorrow” – The death of black men and the long battle against institutional racism are taking a toll. Relando Thompkins-Jones is feeling it and sharing some resources for others to read/take comfort in during these trying times.

• Implicit Bias in Social Work: #MacroSW Chat – June 25, 2015 – [Pat Shelly] find out what implicit bias is, where to take an assessment and how/where you can work to improve your biases (we all have them).
• Challenging negative stereotypes to narrow the achievement gap – research demonstrates that a simple writing intervention in which you write a short essay expressing values important to you reduces anxiety and improves academic performance.

 Advocacy/Disabilities:

• Girls and autism – in this All in the Mind podcast, you can learn what are the different symptoms that girls often have which cause them go undiagnosed.
• Living with Disabilities…Struggling with Exclusion – Joan Beckwith, PhD shares the many ways we as a society tend to exclude those with disabilities and asks for us to support change.
• Winning My 8 Months Battle Against Social Security – Vilissa Thompson shares her personal battle with SSI and lessons learned.

Therapy:

• Biological Markers for Combat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder – Harry Croft, MD explains how the biological markers may allow clinicians in the future to predict who is likely to get combat PTSD if they enter a combat zone.
• CBT for school refusal – As per the National Elf Service, CBT interventions result in improved school attendance but not reduced anxiety levels.
• Don’t Wait. Private Practice Advice from Jessica Richards – Joe Sanok advises mental health counselors to enter private practice right out of grad school. (Could this apply to social work with the LCSW licensing requirements?)
• Evidence-Based Practice: Guideline or Limitation? – Patrick Bryant stresses how effective therapy includes both science and the human/spiritual experience and therefore asks for us to be given the space to use yoga, mindfulness, art therapy etc.
• How to Find a Good Trauma Therapist – some good guidance on what to look for and what key questions to ask by the Trauma Institute.
• PTSD Myths That Interfere with Trauma Recovery – Michele Rosenthal dispels some of the most popular myths about PTSD.

Relationships:

•  Creating An Amicable Divorce – Michelle Farris provides guidance on how to end the blame cycle and minimize the negative impact of divorce on children.
• Fostering Dad’s Relationship with Kids – Dr. Christina Hibbert explains how moms are key to dads having close relationships with their children and what are some things they can do to help.
• On the Loss of a Patient to Suicide – contrary to the belief of some, therapists are profoundly affected by the loss of a patient.
• What About Now? – Jeff Levy provides wonderful examples of the way in which the relationship evolves between the therapist and client provides opportunities to hypothesize and improve the client’s other relationships.

Technology and Social Work:

• Social Media and Healthcare: Creating a Healthy Relationship – there has been a 25% increase in the use of social media for healthcare in the last 2 years.
• appImpact, Guide to Integrating Mobile Technology into Behavioral Healthcare – helps providers cut through the clutter to use the best tool in the right program to effectively treat patients.
• Crisis Counseling Through Text Messaging – Rachel West describes the 24/7 crisis text line that is available.
• HIPAA security compliance made easy (or at least easier) – Roy Huggins provides some valuable guidance related to the safety of digital info in this interview.
• Digital Citizenship Activities – Cyberbullying Research Center shares 10 ideas that social workers or advocates can use to teach digital citizenship to children.
• Reflections on #DHSI2015 #C32 – Kimberly McKee, PhD shares her learnings on how to evaluate and improve your online professional profile.
• The Future of Social Conference – Beth Kanter and her colleagues share their predictions of the future of social good.
• How Social Media Sparks Career Growth/Innovation – Not sure about the value of social media? Check out Pat Shelly’s interview of me for the InSocialWork podcast.

Archives of Some Twitter Chats You May Have Missed:

• ‪#WeCATS Critical Appraisal Twitter Session on Mindfulness & Depression – archive of twitter chat lesson on how to appraise a journal article on the effectiveness of mindfulness for the treatment of depression.
• #CultureFix 6/16: Mental Health: How Can the Arts Help Us Cope?
• #SPSM chats eCards, Memes, and Merch, 6/21/15
• Zero Suicide Academy 2015 – Day 1 – 6/24/15 – #zerosuicide  and Day 2 

Career:

• How To Make The Most Of Idealist And GuideStar – Allison Jones shares both a webinar recording and deck to help nonprofit jobseekers.
• #WorkatVA Social Worker Twitter Chat 6.18.15 – archive of VA twitter chat describing the procedures for applying to the available social worker opportunities.

Self-Care:

• Art Therapy and the Mind/Body Connection – Robert T. Muller describes an art therapist’s technique of asking patients to draw a body that symbolizes how their body feels.
• Boost Focus at Work with Mindfulness – Laura explains how a mindfulness meditation in the AM or during breaks  will help you increase your effectiveness at work.
• Do you or your clients suffer from art injury? – Lisa Mitchell show you how to get through past family rules, expectations, and/or negative feedback and enjoy the process of art making.
• Step to the Side –  Dr Ann Becker Schutte provides a visualization exercise to use when feeling overwhelmed.
• What’s Wrong with Adult Coloring Books – Amy Maricle discusses the idea of coloring in a coloring book vs. outside the lines and how you may benefit more from having no boundaries.

What do you think of new format? (Theme vs categories, one sentence summary vs snippet of text)

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Photo credit: aboutmodafinil.com thanks to Allan Ajifo