Why roses aren't so great

 

I am sure you have heard the famous saying "Stop and smell the roses." This is a reminder to take time to appreciate the positives in life and not let the hard things get us down.

But what if there are no roses around? Do you just wait until you find some?

I would challenge you to stop and smell wild flowers and what ever is growing right where you are.

 

 

It can be such a challenge to find the positives in every day, let alone every moment. I have made plans to take time each day to find 1 positive. Days like yesterday in my life would make it seem that this is not possible each day. That is a normal reaction to stress, but if you really can't find one thing a day to be glad about or grateful for I would challenge you to MAKE A CHANGE!

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your weekend... and tell me what was great about today?

 

Combatting Stigma Among Adoptees

Original Post Here

Source: Microsoft.com

Many families come into existence through adoption both domestic and international. As a former adoption worker and social worker this is a joyous and happy occurrence. This view is not a universal one, as some view children brought into families as “adopted children” (Wolf-Small, 2013). Though it is accurate that these children joined the family through adoption the definition of the “adopted child” as described by Wolf-Small has a negative connotation.  According to Wolf-Small’s (2013) work the “adopted child” takes on a touch of strangeness or differentness (p.1). This is associated with a list of problems to be expected from such a child. Working in the adoption field it was common place for potential adoptive parents to begin an inquiry asking what the child’s problems were (bed wetting, sexual acting out, Reactive Attachment Disorder).

Knowing that such beliefs are out there for children what can social workers, parents, teachers, and other concerned citizens do to combat this? Based on the study of Wolf-Small (2013) power and recognition are the keys to defeating stigma. Those with power have the ability to stigmatize. Adoptees should be encouraged to speak out against stigma and be living proof that they cannot be labeled based on the prejudicial thoughts of others. Many children that are in the process of being adopted, and those post adoption, attend therapy individual and family. The therapeutic process is a great opportunity to build self-esteem in youth which can help to buffer and prepare children for what they are to face. Much in the way that children of minority ethnic groups are prepared for discrimination by the adults in their lives children brought into families through adoption can also be prepared.

There are many opportunities to buffer the effects of stigma with this group. The education system is a great place for reducing stigma. Including educational materials with diverse family make up normalize this for children. Including activities to build self-esteem, reduce bullying, and discussing family is also important. Social workers and other professionals can encourage children to discuss their families and show pride in their story, this can be done in the therapeutic relationships and with educators.

References

Wolf-Small, Joanne. Adopted in America: A Study of Stigma (June 17, 2013). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2280517

A LIFE WELL SPENT

HOW TO WAKE UP EACH MORNING READY TO CONQUER

 

In a world that is always pushing you to get somewhere, at times your true NEEDS are hidden. In our rush to complete assignments, complete applications, get projects done, or meet our work quota we forget. There is something we enjoy doing that gives that energy back to us. For me that energy giving source is dance.

Last night I decided not to suppress this side of myself any longer. I won't even wait until tonight when I get to Zumba to relieve my stress. A better more fulfilled and happy me starts NOW.

While it is great to meet goals that will get you passing grades, into college, or  that promotion at work this is not enough if you don't receive energy from these actions. There is no more important person involved with your goals than YOU. So give yourself what it is you need.

Whether it be:

• Painting
• Drawing
• Soccer
• Singing (singing badly)
• Harry Potter
• Listening to music
• Reading
• Writing

You OWE it to yourself to take time EACH day to do this wonderful YOU thing.

Will you accept the challenge?

Music credit: "Broken Reality" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

 

What is Dance Movement Therapy and How Can it Help?

Original Post Here

Dance has been a part of the human experience for centuries. Whether it be traditional folk dancing, recreational dancing, or formal training people dance around the globe daily. If you have ever known a child who began taking dance lessons you may have noticed a change in their confidence and/or outgoing behaviors. Having taught dance for several years I often noticed radical changes in children I taught. It is no wonder that dance and movement have been intentionally applied to bring about therapeutic change.

Dance Movement Therapy or DMT is defined as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration of the individual” (American Dance Therapy Association, 2013). Jeong, Hong, Lee, Park, Kim, and Suh (2005) show that DMT has been a recognized form of therapy since the 1950s. Prior to this musical movement or dance was used to affect change in feelings for centuries (Jeong et al., 2005). DMT is a form of therapy that requires special training and certification/registration to be appropriately used.

A picture from Kinections with Director Danielle Frankel, my DMT instructor/mentor.
http://www.kinections.com/

In their study of the effectiveness of DMT with depressed youth Jeong et al. found that DMT was useful with a wide variety of populations and issues. According to Jeong et al. (2005) “DMT aids recovery from the psychosocial and psychophysical effects of physical trauma and diseases such as cancer, heart disease, neurological impairments, systemic lupus erythematous, chronic pain, and after surgery.” (p.1713). DMT was found to help in these situations by: Redefining and strengthening body image; clarifying ego boundaries; providing an outlet for relief of physical tension, anxiety, and aggression; reducing cognitive and kinesthetic disorientation; increasing the capacity for communication, pleasure, fun, and spontaneity; and support for therapeutic medical goals. (Jeong et al., 2005 p.1713)

Given the many applications for this treatment type further study is implicated. In Texas there are few providers of DMT. An increase in available options for DMT could benefit many.
Stacia Barrett, LMSW

References

American Dance Therapy Association (nd). About dance movement therapy. Retrieved from http://www.adta.org/About_DMT
Jeong, Y., Hong, S., Lee, M. S., Park, M., Kim, Y., & Suh, C. (2005). Dance movement therapy improves emotional responses and modulates neurohormones in adolescents with mild depression. International Journal of Neuroscience, 115(12), 1712-1713. doi:10.1080/00207450590958574

Antipsychotic Use in Foster Children

Original post here

Those that have followed the foster care system in the last decades are likely well aware that a substantial portion of youth are prescribed antipsychotics. In a study on antipsychotic use among Medicaid-Insured Children and Adolescents Burcu, Zito, Ibe, and Safer (2014) found that this use is often off label and for a longer duration than children not Medicaid-insured. As children in foster care are eligible for and more times than not Medicaid-Insured this information is applicable to this population.
Burcu et al. (2014) found that the reasons for antipsychotic use among Medicaid- Insured youth was often for non FDA approved uses (approved uses: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and irritability associated with autism) such as behavior issues, ADHD, and other disruptive behaviors/ disorders. A quick survey of those children in foster care would likely show that many of these children have one or more of the issues listed above. Burcu et al. also found that Medicaid-Insured youth with externalizing behavior issues were the largest set of youth prescribed antipsychotics medication (2014).

Source:Microsoft Word

The clinical significance of this is the potential risks for long term use. Those risks include: weight gain, risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke also referred to as cardiometabolic risk (Burch et al., 2014). Children and youth receiving antipsychotic medications require regular monitoring of the potential risks. It is also of importance to note that long term use in those using this medication for off label use has not been studied.
Those who have experienced trauma and abuse often may experience behavioral symptoms of emotional pain. This is noted because this could be a cause for concern for relatives or foster parents caring for these children who then relay these concerns to primary care physicians. Children in foster care also receive more psychological testing and evaluation that children not in care which can again result in a higher likelihood of psychotropic prescription.

References

Burcu, M., Zito, M.Z., Ibe, A., Safer, D.J. (2014). Atypical antipsychotic use among Medicaid-insured children and adolescents: Duration, safety, and monitoring implications. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 24 (3), pp. 1-8. doi: 10.1089/cap/2013.0094

Tips from a former adoption worker

For a little over two years I worked as an adoption prep worker, which means I prepared children for adoption, selected homes for children waiting for adoption, monitored adoptive placements, and really had to get to know my children so that I could find appropriate homes for them. This work for me was very stressful because families can often look like a good fit and then for some reason the placement disrupts or breaks down. From my experience an adoptive placement disruption is harder on children than initial removal from their families of origin as their birth families rarely gave them up of their own free will. All together I worked in the child welfare arena for 5 plus years, I initially worked with family facing permanent removal of their children from their homes.

I learned many things during this time about all sorts of subjects including basic human nature. One of the things I never really got over was how seemingly easy it was for potential adoptive families to give up on children they wanted to make a part of their family initially. So here are some tips for those considering adopting especially those considering children that have been in foster care for several years.

• Don't get so caught up on diagnoses. Ask about the child's behavior from the caseworker and foster parents. Diagnoses are good information but don't automatically disqualify children from your search just because of a certain "unfixable" diagnosis.
• Whatever your ideal picture of the child/family after adoption is, let it go. The child will not meet these expectations, even if you have had children before you have not had a child with this child's story. Accept the child for exactly who they are and they will eventually do the same.
• Don't give up too easily. Try everything you can when things get difficult with your new child. Try radical things even, try everything. If you give up after a few hard times the child will feel they were right to have reservations and will be that much more resistant to ever trying again.
• Think about your birth children and their reactions to the new child. This sounds simple but you would be surprised at how many families fail to think of how they would handle this situation. You have a stronger bond with the children you have had longer, naturally, and if the "new" child causes them some sort of distress your natural instinct may be to protect your birth child from the adoptive child.
• Believe the history of a child. If you are made aware that a child has sexualized behavior due to their past and you are told what this looks like, don't be surprised if you see this same behavior. Again it sounds simple but you would be surprised at what it feels like to see this in your home with people you know.
• Be prepared to grow and change. Just like having a child naturally you will learn new things, be tested, and have to change. You need to be prepared for this even though you can't completely prepare for every eventuality.
• Remember the child is not a pair of jeans. You should enter into this with a no return policy. Just like the way marriage used to be. Think of the commitment from day one, for better or worse. Can you handle the worst of what the child has displayed in the past? If not this is not the child for you.
• Expect the worst. Children/teens, often subconsciously, will push you away and resist bonding with you. Allow them this room, give them space, but also make yourself available.
• Celebrate the small accomplishments. Did they come home and tell you about their day? Did they not curse you out today? Did they initiate healthy physical touch with you? Hooray!
• Involve the child's birth family from month 1 or 2. If the child is allowed contact with their birth family, don't fear this. Encourage this, be a part of it, discuss it in therapy, have some therapeutic phone calls with the therapist as well. You don’t want to be seen as a boundary to their past/ family.
• Attend therapy. As a family, a couple, and maybe individually. You are undergoing a MAJOR change and feelings you hadn't expected are surfacing, don't be afraid to address them.
• Take time for yourself (selves). This is vital maintain your independence and romance. You don't want to get to a place where you blame the child for a change in your freedom/ coupledom.
• Throw out the time table. Some families are perfectly bonded and adjusted in six months; some don't reach that point until after the adoption is finalized. What's really important is getting to that place that is right for your family.

These are just a few tips that came to mind when I considered this topic. I hope that they can help those thinking of adopting, awaiting a placement, or adjusting as a family. Adopting a child is such a noble and amazing thing to do and it is one of the hardest things I think as well.

Social Work the Protected Title

As a social worker I feel a great amount of pride about what I do, but that doesn't make me a social worker. I often hear people describe the profession of social work with a job description. That's like saying a doctor is someone who listens to your lungs and looks down your throat. Though those are things a doctor may do as part of an exam, those things do not make one a doctor. In the same thought a social worker is not someone who assists with food stamps, or works at CPS. Though social workers can hold positions doing those things that is just the job.

Let me explain. Social work is a protected title much like a doctor, nurse, or attorney. To call oneself a social worker requires a license in social work, to get a license in social work you must have a degree in social work from an accredited university. So if you work at the food stamp office and have a degree in English you are a person who works in the social services industry but NOT a social worker. See this from the State Board of Social Work Examiners

Licensure is required if you identify yourself as a social worker by using titles initials that create the impression that you are qualified or authorized to practice social work. This includes using any title containing the words "Social Worker" or initials such as LSW, or LMSW. The board may impose a civil or administrative penalty of not less then $250.00 or more then $5000.00 per day for each day an unlicensed individual holds them selves out to be a social worker.
You are exempt from licensure if you do not represent yourself to the public - directly or indirectly - as a social worker and do not use any name, title, or designation indicating authorization to practice social work. More Here

There was once a time when many of the social services jobs that now employee those without social work licenses, required that employees be social workers. I believe this has something to do with the public belief that those are "social work" jobs. When I tell people that I am a social worker I often here "So you help people apply for food stamps/Medicaid/Medicare/TANF?" or " Oh so you are mean and make people fill out forms" or "Oh you take people's children away?". These are jobs that social worker's can do but not things we are necessarily taught to do in our degree programs. I believe I spent one or two days in undergrad on how to assist people with applications for public assistance. That was several years ago before everything was computerized, when I help clients with forms now I simply read the application and assist the client in answering what is asked. I also was not taught how to take people's children away. I was taught how to assess family functioning, to acknowledge child development including warning signs of delay, I was taught the etiology of mental illness and who this affects, I was also taught the demographics of which people abuse their children, I was taught methods of rebuilding families, ways to navigate systems, ways to pull communities together, how to affect change and assess for a client's willingness to do so, I was taught about chemical dependency, empathy, grief, therapy, and so many other things.

So forgive me if I stand up for my profession.

I am a social worker because I have the education, training, experience, and ethics to call myself a social worker. As a licensed social worker my clients can rest assured that if I do not follow my ethical code and for example talk about their situation to others without their express consent, I could face severe repercussions. If I fail to follow the Values and Ethics of my profession I could be fined, lose my license, be put on probation, or a combination of those three, as well as other sanctions. I am forbidden from having dual relationships with my clients or in having a personal relationship with them following our work together under many circumstances. Ethical Code

I am also required by my licensure to maintain a certain degree of education as long as I am a practicing social worker. This means I must continue to learn and grow professionally so that I can use the most up to date knowledge in helping my clients. This includes ongoing training in ethics which helps protect clients.

Though I did work at CPS that did not make me a social worker, in fact many things I did at CPS were not in line with what my social worker brain would have had me do. I am a case manager now, but I am a social work case manager. I function out of a social work framework, I pull upon theories and evidence when I work with my clients. In a few years when I am done with clinical supervision I will work as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Meaning that I have the professional skill to offer psychotherapy to my chosen client population.

A part of being a social worker is advocacy: for human rights, clients, and the social worker profession. For that reason I felt it was necessary to clarify these things here. I am a proud social worker and I want others to know what a social worker is and what they can do.