Military Spouses often describe feeling invisible. While the military works hard to educate service members in recognizing depression and other mental health symptoms in themselves, there is a disconnect when it comes to the whole family. In fact, during pre-deployment and reintegration training offered to military spouses, we spouses get educated on how to [...]
Even if you don’t specialize in eating disorders, chances are you work with clients who struggle with eating and weight concerns. In our culture, a diet mindset and the pursuit of weight loss are often viewed as positive self-care. Yet this focus sets people up to get stuck in the diet-binge cycle, which frequently [...]
Securing your own professional liability insurance protection is a necessity for any practicing behavioral health professional, in any setting, whether you’re employed full-time or part-time, practicing on your own, supervising others, or volunteering. You won’t want to spend a single day of your professional career without it. Why own your own liability insurance policy [...]
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) was an international epidemic prior to COVID and it has only continued to be as we start to transition back to our new norm. While NSSI is closely correlated with suicidal ideation and attempts, it is not a suicide attempt. It is imperative that a professional not make any assumptions about [...]
I’ve found there are 3 factors influencing whether a client will submit to a trial of psychotropic medication – or any medication for that matter. And though often expressed differently, it comes down to these: Something’s wrong with them Medication is an acceptable option The medication(s) is reasonably safe Then, off they [...]
As professionals who help people every day, we are all too familiar with the measures used for preventing burnout or compassion and empathy fatigue associated with our profession. More than a year into the pandemic, mental health professionals are finding that helping others during a time of loss and uncertainty can be overwhelming. Many [...]
Contact: Dr. Anita Sharma, LCSW, Program Director E-mail: asharma@ulm.edu https://www.ulm.edu/gerontology/ WHO WE ARE AND WHAT DO WE OFFER The University of Louisiana at Monroe is located in Northeast Louisiana in the city of Monroe. Monroe and West Monroe are twin cities that are a business and education hub in this region. The ULM [...]
Experiencing a serious professional complaint is the last thing any mental health professional wants to face during their professional career. This was the case for one social worker in 2017 who found herself having to defend her work to the North Carolina Supreme Court in a lawsuit brought by a client’s family member. The [...]
Stanley, a social worker was consulting with his colleague, Ollie, about a client and a possible dual relationship. Ollie envisioned Stanley with pistols at dawn, like Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. “Dual! Not duel!” bellowed Stanley. As social workers, we must listen carefully! And ask for clarification! And do we really take dual relationships into [...]
I sincerely hope that all of you are staying safe during this unprecedented set of circumstances. In recent weeks, I have received numerous requests about how to best discuss the Corona issue with children. Check out this action plan. In spite of wall-to-wall daily coverage of this virus and its impact, little media attention [...]
