Let us speak for a moment about Mercury Retrograde, shall we? Mercury went into retrograde on Wednesday, 26 June 2013. What does that mean? Rather than totally type it all out again, I refer you to John Marani's first post on the topic back in 2011. Suffice it to say, all kinds of communication goes sideways. Things do not happen as planned. People get screwed. Electronics die. It blows.
My brother John eloquently described Mercury Retrograde and its fuckery thus far, or at least how it has impacted him, J Sunny, and their beautiful Momo.
Allow me to share some of my joyful experiences. First, let me say that I was born with Mercury in retrograde in my natal chart. This means, typically, that I am not quite as impacted by the hell that is Mercury in retrograde. Typically.
Let me be clear. Mercury rules the sign of Gemini (my sign). I have the utmost respect and affection for Mercury. He can kick some serious ass when He goes into retrograde. You can't *not* respect that. Day one of Mercury Retrograde was not pretty. It was especially not pretty because I spent it at work, where we do nothing but communicate all. freaking. day. Half the staff couldn't access Outlook, which isn't good because we do a lot of coordinating with outside treatment providers via email. Phone calls got disconnected, group was chaotic, and staff ran around like chickens with our heads cut off as we tried to figure out WHAT THE FUCK was going on.
First we're scrambling to get a refill of a medication. We ask the treating psychiatrist to fax prescriptions to the pharmacy. Excellent, got that done. The pharmacy calls to get the insurance info. Fantastic, check that off. Then the client comes and says that she doesn't want the medication filled at our pharmacy, because she doesn't like the medication that comes from our pharmacy, because it doesn't work.
I'm sorry, say what now?
Yes, we actually had to call and have the refills cancelled. Then we had to call the psychiatrist back and explain the situation, so that the psychiatrist could call the refills in to the client's preferred pharmacy. That was like an hour of telephone tag and voice mails and cursing at the sound of the call being dropped.
Day one, people. Day one.
::headdesk::
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
28 June 2013
27 May 2013
Mental Health Monday: Boundaries, Relationships, and Loss
Today's topic is a Mental Health Monday topic.
Therapists are taught the importance of boundaries when we develop therapeutic relationships. A therapeutic relationships is not like any other. We share in the joys and sorrows of the individuals with whom we work, but it's fairly one-sided. Our role is to reflect empathy and provide an environment of validation and provide a framework within which the person is able to build on his or her own strengths. Typically, that means very little of our own experiences are shared with these individuals, unless it provides a therapeutic benefit.
Having said all of that, we become attached to these individuals. We are gifted with the opportunity to see them grow - through their own strength and choices - and we are fortunate enough to support them in these endeavors. So when one of these individuals passes, we mourn.
Last week, an individual with whom I was fortunate to work, over the course of multiple stays over many years, passed away. She had a sweet disposition, a quiet smile, and a strong love for animals. She was tormented by her illness, but had a good support network. Her primary treatment team had worked for a very long time to get her into a group home and, after a week there, she passed away from medical complications.
We grieve when one of these individuals, who has left their own indelible stamp on our lives and experiences, leaves this world. Whether by natural causes or by an individual's choice, the passing of a former client leaves a different kind of mark. There is a sadness that we won't see them again, hear how they've accomplished something else or tried something new. There's, in some cases, a sense of quiet acceptance or even relief that the individual is no longer in pain (whether physical, emotional, or mental, or some combination of the three). And there's a reflection on the gifts that the individual gave us through the therapeutic relationship, which we'll cherish always.
I hope you find peace. I hope there was little pain. I hope you know that your loved ones will be supported. I hope you know that you will be missed. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. Bright Blessings.
Therapists are taught the importance of boundaries when we develop therapeutic relationships. A therapeutic relationships is not like any other. We share in the joys and sorrows of the individuals with whom we work, but it's fairly one-sided. Our role is to reflect empathy and provide an environment of validation and provide a framework within which the person is able to build on his or her own strengths. Typically, that means very little of our own experiences are shared with these individuals, unless it provides a therapeutic benefit.
Having said all of that, we become attached to these individuals. We are gifted with the opportunity to see them grow - through their own strength and choices - and we are fortunate enough to support them in these endeavors. So when one of these individuals passes, we mourn.
Last week, an individual with whom I was fortunate to work, over the course of multiple stays over many years, passed away. She had a sweet disposition, a quiet smile, and a strong love for animals. She was tormented by her illness, but had a good support network. Her primary treatment team had worked for a very long time to get her into a group home and, after a week there, she passed away from medical complications.
We grieve when one of these individuals, who has left their own indelible stamp on our lives and experiences, leaves this world. Whether by natural causes or by an individual's choice, the passing of a former client leaves a different kind of mark. There is a sadness that we won't see them again, hear how they've accomplished something else or tried something new. There's, in some cases, a sense of quiet acceptance or even relief that the individual is no longer in pain (whether physical, emotional, or mental, or some combination of the three). And there's a reflection on the gifts that the individual gave us through the therapeutic relationship, which we'll cherish always.
I hope you find peace. I hope there was little pain. I hope you know that your loved ones will be supported. I hope you know that you will be missed. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. Bright Blessings.
13 May 2013
Mental Health Monday
Today's Mental Health Monday post is about getting help if you need it. Often, people find themselves in a crisis and they don't know where to start. There are tons of resources out there for finding treatment providers, or just finding someone to talk to about what's going on in your life.
SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is a national agency whose purpose is to "target effectively substance abuse and mental health services to the people most in need and to translate research in these areas more effectively and more rapidly into the general health care system. Over the years SAMHSA has demonstrated that - prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover from mental and substance use disorders. Behavioral health services improve health status and reduce health care and other costs to society. Continued improvement in the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment and recovery support services provides a cost effective opportunity to advance and protect the Nation's health." (SAMHSA website)
SAMHSA has several tools to help individuals in need. One is their Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator. This website's sole function is to help a person find mental health or substance abuse treatment programs throughout the country. SAMHSA also has a toll-free, confidential Treatment Finder hotline, available 24/7 in English and Spanish: 1-800-662-HELP (4357), 1-800-487-4889 (TDD).
Another tool is their Disaster Distress Hotline at 1-800-985-5990. You can also reach them via SMS by texting 'TalkWithUs' to 66746. This hotline provides 24/7, multilingual crisis counseling and intervention for individuals who have experienced a disaster (think Hurricane Sandy). Know someone who has been impacted by a disaster? There's a great list of warning signs that the person may need some extra support.
Well, that's all the SAMHSA links.
Next up is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (see the badge over on the right?) This is another 24/7, toll-free, and confidential helpline. You call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) and you are connected to the nearest crisis call center in their network (which spans more than 150 centers). This hotline provides crisis counseling and mental health referrals.
For the Northern Virginia area, there's the more local Crisis Link (which is our regional provider for National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). Their number is (703) 527-4077. Crisis Link started as a teen hotline and quickly expanded the services it provides. They have a great flyer for how to help someone in a suicidal crisis and another one about suicide warning signs.
Need support? NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness often has lists of support groups in your area. This agency is a huge advocate for individuals experiencing mental illness. There's also DBSA, the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance. They run support groups all over the country. Having a substance abuse crisis? You can try to find an AA meeting close to you, you can call the Coalition against Drug Abuse's hotline at 1-800-943-0566, or you can look into SMART Recovery (866-951-5357).
Hopefully these links will help you, or someone you know, get the help that you or they need. The hardest part is asking for help!
17 April 2013
O is for...
It's day fifteen of the A to Z Challenge!
Today, I plan to bore you with the subject of occupations. As in jobs. As in, mine.
Yesterday, I gave you a glimpse into the night shift. I realize it was pretty vague, but I was trying to give you a snapshot of working overnight.
I am a mental health therapist (among the many other hats I wear in life). I work at a short-term residential program that provides crisis stabilization services. My program serves as an alternative to psychiatric hospitalization. Yeah, a lot of big jargon-y words, I know. Basically, we help people who are in extreme psychological distress. People are psychotic (hearing voices, hallucinating - and not because of drugs), suicidal, manic, in need of social detox (need to get clean from alcohol or drugs but don't need medical supervision to do so) and they come to the program to get better. We don't "fix" anything, but we do provide a safe environment and significant structure so that people can get a little more stable and be better equipped to cope with whatever brought them to the program. Sometimes that's achieved through medication, sometimes just with therapy, sometimes it's a combo deal.
We do groups, individual sessions (but no laying on a couch), supervise taking medication, teach skills, drive to appointments, do family meetings for discharge planning, get people connected to services. It's kind of a catchall place, in some ways. We do a lot of different things depending on the needs of the individual.
We use all kind of treatment models - again, depending on the needs of the individual seeking services. My coworkers and I run quite the gamut of ideology and perspectives, which typically benefits the individual because they get a lot of different references/ideas/things to consider. It can be chaotic, too, with so many cooks in the kitchen but we usually make it work.
Days, especially during the week, are whirlwinds of activity. We keep the day pretty structured, because that kind of structure is beneficial for someone in distress. We run groups throughout the day and residents are expected to attend, because the groups are part of what gets them well.
I have no idea if this is helpful for some of you who have been wondering what it is I do. Hopefully, this gives you a frame of reference when I start into my mental health jargon later on down the road. :-)
Yesterday, I gave you a glimpse into the night shift. I realize it was pretty vague, but I was trying to give you a snapshot of working overnight.
I am a mental health therapist (among the many other hats I wear in life). I work at a short-term residential program that provides crisis stabilization services. My program serves as an alternative to psychiatric hospitalization. Yeah, a lot of big jargon-y words, I know. Basically, we help people who are in extreme psychological distress. People are psychotic (hearing voices, hallucinating - and not because of drugs), suicidal, manic, in need of social detox (need to get clean from alcohol or drugs but don't need medical supervision to do so) and they come to the program to get better. We don't "fix" anything, but we do provide a safe environment and significant structure so that people can get a little more stable and be better equipped to cope with whatever brought them to the program. Sometimes that's achieved through medication, sometimes just with therapy, sometimes it's a combo deal.
We do groups, individual sessions (but no laying on a couch), supervise taking medication, teach skills, drive to appointments, do family meetings for discharge planning, get people connected to services. It's kind of a catchall place, in some ways. We do a lot of different things depending on the needs of the individual.
We use all kind of treatment models - again, depending on the needs of the individual seeking services. My coworkers and I run quite the gamut of ideology and perspectives, which typically benefits the individual because they get a lot of different references/ideas/things to consider. It can be chaotic, too, with so many cooks in the kitchen but we usually make it work.
Days, especially during the week, are whirlwinds of activity. We keep the day pretty structured, because that kind of structure is beneficial for someone in distress. We run groups throughout the day and residents are expected to attend, because the groups are part of what gets them well.
I have no idea if this is helpful for some of you who have been wondering what it is I do. Hopefully, this gives you a frame of reference when I start into my mental health jargon later on down the road. :-)
16 April 2013
N is for...
Hello, and welcome to day fourteen of the A to Z Challenge!
Today's topic is Night Shifts. Specifically, 12.5 hour overnight shifts.
I work three 12.5 hour shifts a week at my job; the remaining 2.5 are filled by a *thrilling* staff meeting. One of my shifts spans the night. It's interesting, for several reasons.
First, night shifts start off hectic and frenetic and scrambling to get everything done that needs to get done in a four hour span from 7p to 11p. Of course, it really ends up being from 7:30p to 11p, because we're in shift change for the first 30 minutes. So, what happens in this incredibly small window of time? Group, snack, medications, individual sessions, sometimes transport to an AA meeting, an intake… That can be a lot.
Once the residents go to bed for the night, the program takes on this quiet, somber note. We do bed checks hourly, we do assorted administrative tasks, we prep the breakfast stuff and make coffee for the morning (for the residents). If it's a good, Q-U-I-E-T (SHHHHH DON'T SAY IT… Geez. You could be jinxing a night shift somewhere!) kind of night, then we can watch movies, read a book. I've been known to edit or knit on a night shift. We (the staff on shift) can also get into these really deep and philosophical discussions about the meaning of life and other stuff. Deep, I know.
Then there are those, other kind of nights. Multiple calls from Emergency Services, intakes galore. Residents who can't sleep and are up, roaming the building. Those nights, by the time the morning shift change is over, make you feel like you work twice as long as you actually did.
If you're lucky, you got a decent amount of sleep prior to working. I seem to be in the rare minority that can actually sleep during the day before to ensure I am rested and energized for my shift. If you're really lucky, you don't have a rapid turnaround for going from night to day. I am currently not so lucky there.
Working a night throws off all kinds of rhythms, circadian and otherwise. There are all kinds of health-related problems that are attributed to this kind of schedule. I do my best to combat it by getting plenty of sleep, exercising, and eating healthily.
What about the rest of you with night shift experience? What are some of your favorite parts? What do you struggle with most?
I work three 12.5 hour shifts a week at my job; the remaining 2.5 are filled by a *thrilling* staff meeting. One of my shifts spans the night. It's interesting, for several reasons.
First, night shifts start off hectic and frenetic and scrambling to get everything done that needs to get done in a four hour span from 7p to 11p. Of course, it really ends up being from 7:30p to 11p, because we're in shift change for the first 30 minutes. So, what happens in this incredibly small window of time? Group, snack, medications, individual sessions, sometimes transport to an AA meeting, an intake… That can be a lot.
Once the residents go to bed for the night, the program takes on this quiet, somber note. We do bed checks hourly, we do assorted administrative tasks, we prep the breakfast stuff and make coffee for the morning (for the residents). If it's a good, Q-U-I-E-T (SHHHHH DON'T SAY IT… Geez. You could be jinxing a night shift somewhere!) kind of night, then we can watch movies, read a book. I've been known to edit or knit on a night shift. We (the staff on shift) can also get into these really deep and philosophical discussions about the meaning of life and other stuff. Deep, I know.
Then there are those, other kind of nights. Multiple calls from Emergency Services, intakes galore. Residents who can't sleep and are up, roaming the building. Those nights, by the time the morning shift change is over, make you feel like you work twice as long as you actually did.
If you're lucky, you got a decent amount of sleep prior to working. I seem to be in the rare minority that can actually sleep during the day before to ensure I am rested and energized for my shift. If you're really lucky, you don't have a rapid turnaround for going from night to day. I am currently not so lucky there.
Working a night throws off all kinds of rhythms, circadian and otherwise. There are all kinds of health-related problems that are attributed to this kind of schedule. I do my best to combat it by getting plenty of sleep, exercising, and eating healthily.
What about the rest of you with night shift experience? What are some of your favorite parts? What do you struggle with most?
Also, I apologize for the last two posts going up so late. I promise we'll be back on an early schedule starting tomorrow! See you then!
15 April 2013
M is for...
It's day thirteen of the A to Z Challenge!
We've made it halfway!
Mindfulness is the focus of awareness and attention, based on mindfulness in Buddhist meditation. D is for DBT post? Well, Mindfulness is one module in DBT. It's also a major component of Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Essentially, he took research on the efficacy of mindfulness as a healing technique a step further. You can read more about Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction here.
Mindfulness is being fully present in the moment, to live fully in the moment to have a higher quality of life. You can eat mindfully (by chewing each bite slowly and thoroughly before swallowing), clean mindfully (by focusing wholly on the task), or breathing mindfully.
Here's an easy, mindful breathing exercise you can try:
Sit comfortably, relaxing your posture. Take a deep breath, in through your nose and out of your mouth. Feel your belly expand as your breath expands your diaphragm.
Now, count as you slowly inhale: 1......2......3......4.......
Hold your breath for the same 4 count: 1......2......3......4.......
Exhale slowly, doing your 4 count: 1......2......3......4.......
Hold your breath again for a 4 count: 1......2......3......4.......
Repeat the pattern for 2-3 minutes.
This is a simple and easy way to start to develop a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness will relax the body, reduce stress, boost your immune system. You'll think more clearly and feel more present in your life.
Disclaimer: This is such a skimming of the surface of what mindfulness is and how it benefits. If it seems interesting to you, I strongly encourage you to read Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tara Brach, and Thich Nhat Hanh.
04 April 2013
D is for...
Welcome to day four of the A to Z challenge!
Today's topic is DBT. DBT stands for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. It's a treatment modality used in counseling that was designed in the 80's by a psychologist named Marsha Linehan. She created DBT as a means to treat individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. Linehan was trying to help these individuals, who were often prone to dramatic mood swings, frequently viewed the world in a black and white fashion, and seemed to be experiencing either perpetual or a cycle of chronic crises; Linehan sought to provide these people with skills to better manage their own emotions and safety.
Today, DBT stands as one of the most prominent and popular evidenced-based practices in counseling. Most community services boards offers their employees some kind of DBT training program to introduce them to the basics, so that they may begin to (with training and support) use this effective treatment method with consumers.
DBT has been found to be an effective treatment for not only Borderline Personality Disorder, but also for a multitude of other mental health or substance abuse needs - depression, bipolar, addiction. It's a complicated program, comprised for four modules (Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance, Effective Communication) that are reviewed in group format, with concurrent individual therapy and homework. Time and again I have seen its effectiveness in improving an individual's quality of life by giving them skills to manage their own world more effectively, communicate more effectively, and respond more effectively.
If you or a loved one are seeking mental health treatment and willing to work for change, ask your treatment provider about DBT. See if that is on the table for your treatment plan.
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