Best in Mental Health (2/29/16 – 3/13/16)

Mental Health Roundup

This contains some of the latest news in social work, healthcare, private practice and more!

This week’s wrap-up has 5 main themes:

• Advocacy/Cultural Sensitivity
• Education/Technology
• Therapy
• Career/Private Practice/NonProfit
• Self-Care/Inspiration

Advocacy/Cultural Sensitivity

• The 2016 Nonprofits, Leadership and Race Survey – the Building Movement is asking for your participation in its confidential survey about your experiences and perspectives on diversity in the sector.
• The Anti-Racism Project – inSocialWork podcast interview with Dr. Ashley Davis and Dr. Allyson Livingstone about the development of their Anti-Racism Project and the need to include equity work in social work doctoral education.
• A Collection of Essential Notes for Social Work Practitioners – Relando Thompkins has put together a roundup of key posts from the archives… including Treat Others How They Want To Be Treated, Talking About Microaggressions and more.
• NASW Social Justice Brief urges social workers to advocate to end solitary confinement and provides guidance on how social workers can help inmates who are currently in solitary confinement or have experienced it.
• What White People Need To Know About #BlackTwitter – video recording of Mike Langlois’ interview of Kimberly C. Ellis, PhD. a.k.a. “Dr. Goddess” in which “BlackTwitter” is discussed, as well as ways for us to increase our understanding of Black Culture such as reading books written by Blacks for Blacks.
• Women, Trafficking & Forced Migration – free half day conference Mar 18 at Fordham University… current challenges and best practices…  Human Trafficking – What Social Workers Need to Know – free webinar on Mar 21 from the Center for Financial Social Work and Blanket Fort Hope… How to identify and help human trafficking victims…”

Education/Technology

• Digitized Student Development, Social Media, and Identity – Paul Gordon Brown shares the results of his dissertation research… “one’s level of sophistication in navigating digitized development impacts how one chooses to present one’s digital identities and how one understands these digital identities in relation to their sense of self…”
• TaskExchange – is calling for people who have the time and expertise to help others who are working on Cochrane Reviews.
• A few toolkits to assist with improved patient care – Behavioral Health Integration – to create a culture of whole health,  Consumer Engagement Toolkit  incorporating health info management, and Access to Safety – LGBTQ Youth Health, Substance Use, and Treatment Experiences.
• HIMSS16 Live Blog provides a complete summary of key events that took place at the conference of healthcare IT professionals.

Therapy

• Creating Healthy Habits – SoundsTrue with Lisa Wimberger – The secret is not that we have to conquer our bad habits, but rather we need to train our brains to create, new healthy ones that will take their place.”
• How to Help Kids and Parents Reconnect after Divorce and Remarriage – Patricia Papernow – “In stepfamilies, children of all ages need time alone with their parents and often experience stepparents as interlopers. Successful stepcouples don’t rush children into acceptance, nor do they privilege the couple relationship over parent–child ties. They honor both…”
• Is Stabilization Necessary? – Trauma Institute – “The standard of care in trauma therapy includes a stabilization phase prior to engaging in the trauma resolution work… destabilization is the result of traumatization…”
• Music: A powerful ally in your counseling sessions – Courtney Armstrong –  “secret to making a playlist healing instead of heartbreaking is to start with one or two songs that reflect the client’s current emotional state, then add three or four songs that gradually move the client toward his or her desired emotional state…”
• Parenting interventions for children with severe attachment problems – The Mental Elf – “children in the intervention group fared better than those in the control group…confusion and inconsistency about definitions of attachment…”
• Unconscious Stories That Undermine Therapy – Ben Ringler – “the primary unconscious story of hurt, imprinted from childhood, which you carry to each relationship. This tale underlies the therapeutic process and, if not understood and addressed, can undermine it…”

Career/NonProfit/Private Practice

• 69 Empowering Questions to Improve Your Social Work Money Mindset – Eva Forde – “What do I want for myself when it comes to the subject of money?… What messages did I hear about money when I was growing up (from family, church, community, etc.)?…”
• How-to Find a Job in the Social Services Field (Part 1) – Sara Dietrich – “Every clinic, every health center, every shelter… every place you might be able to find a position for your education/experience has a different title for the same role…”
• Real Connection Requires Courage – Allison Puryear – “Great copy is made up of three qualities… Great copy is full of empathy… It’s your empathy that makes the deepest impression on clients… Great copy sounds like you…”
• Transitioning from Private Practice to Consulting – Selling the Couch interview with Jackie Flynn about setting clear boundaries between the roles of private practitioner and consultant, the value of a visionary road map and more.
• What should be in your clinical notes? – Cathy Hanville recommends including date of service, start and end times of each session, service code or type of service… client’s current symptoms-justifying medical necessity of treatment…”

Self Care/Inspiration

• Dear Social Worker – A letter of thanks to social workers, by Brad Bender, MSW student at Michigan State University.
• A Simple, Breathing Exercise Reduces Stress – Arley Hoskin demonstrates a breathing exercise to restore calmness.
• Social Change, One Person at a Time – SJS/Family Care Network – ““SOCIAL” relates to the broader collective community; and “WORK” originates from the relentless efforts of “worker” bees and ants. Principles of social justice, human rights and dignity, collective responsibility and respect for diversities…”
• #SWMonth Heroes! #MacroSW – archive of twitter chat celebrating and promoting social work.

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