National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day

Ohio Psychological Association Raises Awareness for Mental Health Awareness Month

Association focuses on Bullying for National Children’s Mental Health Day on May 9

The Ohio Psychological Association (OPA) is taking part in Mental Health Awareness Month to bring public awareness to the critical importance of mental health. This Thursday, the association is joining the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in recognizing National Children’s Mental Health Day.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), systematic international research has shown school bullying to be a frequent and serious public health problem.  Psychologists and other mental health professionals are using this research to develop bullying prevention programs that are being implemented in schools around the world.

Current OPA president, Dr. Jim Broyles launched a task force to examine how psychologists may become a part of the solution to prevent and respond to bullying.

Dr. Broyles said, “As a group, psychologists are very aware and concerned about this topic, and the ongoing issues which continue to spring to light associated with it. Many of us work with children and families who are affected by bullying. Our clients can be individuals who are the target of a bully or in some cases may be the bullies themselves, who have their own unique psychological issues and needs.”

Dr. Kimberly Burkhart chairs the Bullying Prevention Task Force whose mission it is to increase awareness about warning signs that bullying may be occurring and to connect families, as well as school staff with resources.

Children who bully may exhibit the following characteristics:

·         Getting into physical or verbal fights

·         Acquiring new belongings that are unexplainable

·         Increasing aggressiveness and competitiveness

·         Blaming others for his/her mistakes

Children who have been victimized may have some of the following characteristics:

·         Unexplainable injuries

·         Destroyed property

·         Changes in eating habits

·         Decline in academic performance

·         Decreased self-esteem

·         Avoidance of social situations

·         Engaging in self-destructive behavior

·         Frequent stomachaches or headaches

·         Sleep problems

Students who experience bullying may feel depressed or anxious. If your child or student is having trouble at school, problems with relationships, or displaying signs or symptoms listed above as a result of bullying, a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, can help your child develop coping skills to manage negative emotions and to respond to bullying.  Mental health professionals can also work with children who bully to help decrease behavioral problems and better manage anger.   

Located in Columbus, OH, The Ohio Psychological Association is a membership organization of approximately 1,600 Ohio psychologists. Its mission is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and to improve people’s lives in Ohio. For more information, or for a psychologist referral, visit www.ohpsych.org.

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Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walks 2013

Please consider participating in one of the Out of the Darkness suicide prevention walks this fall. Participation can include walking as part of a team, volunteering your time, or giving a donation to the effort. Here is the information for Ohio walks that have been scheduled at this time.

Toledo
September 28, 2013

Columbus
October 13, 2013
Join the OPA/COPA team!

Cleveland
October 19, 2013

Cincinnati
October 20, 2013

YMCA Healthy Kids Day -- Cleveland

OPA participated in the YMCA Healthy Kids Day in Cleveland, OH on Sunday, April 7th. 

OPA Members Nancy Duff-Boehm, Wendy Kellon, Cathy Gaw (pictured above) and Kathleen Ashton participated in the event. 

May is Mental Health Month!

Welcome to Mental Health Month. This year's theme is Pathways to Wellness.  For more information, or access to the 2013 Toolkit from Mental Health America, please visit their website.

Key Messages

1. Wellness - it's essential to living a full and productive life. It's about keeping healthy as well as getting healthy.
2. Wellness involves a set of skills and strategies that prevent the onset or shorten the duration of illness and promote recovery and well-being. Wellness is more than just the absence of disease.
3. Wellness is more than an absence of disease. It involves complete general, mental and social well-being. And mental health is an essential component of overall health and well-being. The fact is our overall well-being is tied to the balance that exists between our emotional, physical, spiritual and mental health.
4. Whatever our situation, we are all at risk of stress given the demands of daily life and the challenges it brings-at home, at work and in life. Steps that build and maintain well-being and help us all achieve wellness involve a balanced diet, regular exercise, enough sleep, a sense of self-worth, development of coping skills that promote resiliency, emotional awareness, and connections to family, friends and community.
5. These steps should be complemented by taking stock of one's well-being through regular mental health checkups and screenings. Just as we check our blood pressure and get cancer screenings, it's a good idea to take periodic reading of our emotional well-being.
6. Fully embracing the concept of wellness not only improves health in the mind, body and spirit, but also maximizes one's potential to lead a full and productive life. Using strategies that promote resiliency and strengthen mental health and prevent mental health and substance use conditions lead to improved general health and a healthier society: greater academic achievement by our children, a more productive economy, and families that stay together.

May is Mental Health Month

The theme of this month is "Path to Wellness." For more information, to download the Intro and Media Tools kit, fact sheets, posters and electronic calendar, please visit the Mental Health Month America website. More posts will be coming, so stay tuned!

Stress in the Midwest

The American Psychological Association recently released results from their annual Stress in America Survey. The following is an article from the APA related to those results:

Americans in the Midwest, on average, report lower levels of stress than people in other regions. The majority also say they are doing enough to manage their stress despite reporting that their stress levels have largely stayed the same this year. What’s more, they report fewer unhealthy behaviors as a result of stress.

More Midwesterners say that they are doing enough to manage their stress this year (62 percent in 2012 vs. 56 percent in 2011).

Even still, average stress levels in the Midwest exceed what people living in the region define as a healthy level of stress (4.7 average stress level vs. 3.3 healthy stress level on a 10-point scale).

Midwesterners are more likely than other Americans to say that their stress has stayed the same over the past year (50 percent compared with 45 percent in the South and West and 42 percent in the East), but one-third (33 percent) still say their stress increased during that time frame.

Money (74 percent), work (65 percent) and the economy (65 percent) remain the most commonly reported sources of stress for Midwesterners.

When asked what they do to manage stress, Midwesterners most commonly report exercising or walking (51 percent), listening to music (50 percent) and spending time with friends or family (46 percent). Midwesterners are more likely than people living across the country to turn to friends and family for stress relief (46 percent vs. 39 percent nationally).

The number of Midwesterners who say they have lain awake at night or overeaten, eaten unhealthy foods or skipped a meal because of stress has declined in the past year.

• Thirty-nine percent of people in the Midwest say they have lain awake at night due to stress (compared with 46 percent in 2011).
• Thirty-seven percent say they have overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods because of stress (compared with 44 percent in 2011).
• Twenty-four percent say they have skipped a meal because of stress (compared with 35 percent in 2011).

Despite their desire to live healthier lifestyles, many in the Midwest, on average, appear to be having difficulty reaching their healthy living goals. Midwesterners are also more likely than people in other regions to feel that a lack of willpower is preventing them from making these changes. They are, however, increasingly likely to recognize that psychologists can help with making lifestyle and behavior changes.

Read more of this article

How is your New Year's Resolution going so far?

Steps to New Year’s Resolution Success


By: Nicolette Howells

Fact: In an article published in April 2002 in Journal of Clinical Psychology (Vol. 58, No. 4), University of Scranton psychology professor John Norcross, PhD, noted that readiness to change, or how prepared a person is to enter the action stage of behavior change, is the single best predictor of New Year’s resolution success.



Consider these 6 tips to help you find success in your New Year’s resolutions.



Start small. Resolutions that are attainable are ones you think you can keep. Make resolutions that you think you can keep. If, for example, your aim is to exercise more frequently, schedule three days a week at the gym instead of seven. If you would like to eat healthier, try replacing one night of eating out a week with a meal at home. Once this is successful, you can set your next healthy eating goal.



Change one behavior at a time. Unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time, making replacing them with healthy ones difficult. This will take time. Don’t get overwhelmed by changing your entire routine. Instead, work toward changing one thing at a time.



Rise and sing. Set your iPod or alarm clock to wake you with your favorite song so you start every morning humming a happy tune. Music is a great stress-buster, especially when you listen to songs you really like. Waking in a good mood will help you feel motivated and confident that you can reach your goals.



Take a breather. When your job or kids are driving you crazy, go somewhere quiet, close your eyes, and count backward from 10 to zero, taking one deep breath for each number. Relieving your stress is an important step in keeping to your goals.



Find laughter. Laughter is a powerful stress reliever. It can soothe your mind and keep you in a positive mindset. Calling a funny friend or watching a comedic video or show for just 15 minutes can help soothe your mind.



Don’t beat yourself up. Perfection is unattainable. Remember that minor missteps when reaching your goals are completely normal. Everyone has ups and downs, the key to success is to resolve to recover from your mistakes and get back on track.



Information taken from the following helpful links:



WebMD



APA Help Center

Successfully Empowering Male Survivors of Sexual Victimization to Thrive

Successfully Empowering Male Survivors of Sexual Victimization to Thrive

a guest post by Howard Fradkin, Ph.D.


Male survivors face special challenges to achieve mental health, and the good news is it is possible and achievable to overcome these challenges and help them not only survive and heal, but to actually thrive.  As a Psychologist, we have an incredible opportunity to be agents of change for these men and those who love and support them.


One in 6 men has been sexually victimized by the age of 16, according to social science research (www.jimhopper.com) One in 8 rape victims is a man.  These statistics represent an epidemic of silence that has the potential to severely damage the lives of boys and men who do not get help.  We've all heard about the recent scandals:  Jerry Sandusky, the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, even Sesame Street.  It seems once a week our local papers have yet another article about the crimes being committed against boys and girls.  But often, by virtue of language, "abused children" does not translate to boys in many people's minds; they think about the girls.  Without minimizing the horrendous crimes done to 1 in 4 girls, we must as a society wake up to the huge numbers of boys and men who are also being victimized.


Typically, male survivors face many mental health challenges, including depression and suicidality, anxiety disorders, damaged self esteem, impaired ability to embrace masculinity, difficulty with trust and forming intimate relationships, and engaging in addictive behaviors including alcoholism, substance abuse, sex addiction and gambling.  Many of these illnesses are rooted in the deep shame that male survivors bury deep inside their souls, fearful for anyone to know the truth of what was done to them.  Survivors of course are even fearful of telling us!  And truthfully, many of them do not even know about their own abuse, or have suppressed so deeply in their bodies, minds and souls, that they are not able to connect the dots between their current dysfunction and the betrayal of their bodies years, maybe even decades before.

Treatment is now readily available in many communities thanks to the training efforts of MaleSurvivor.org and 1in6.org, and our own Ohio Psychological Association.   MaleSurvivor and 1in6 are very important resources for any of your clients who do identify as survivors.  They host extensive websites that offer chatrooms, bulletin boards, articles, bookstores, and access to support groups and psychotherapists who can all provide help.  

Have you received specific training in working with male survivors?  There are significant differences, including the most important:  your recognition that men can indeed be survivors of sexual abuse.  I am amazed at how many male survivors I have worked with who have been to therapy for years, but were never asked the right questions that might have led them to uncover their shameful secrets of being abused.  True, some of them were not ready to talk, but I am convinced that many of them were giving lots of signs to their therapists about their histories, but because the right questions were not asked, they chose not to walk down that path either.

Men are especially vulnerable to male socialization which teaches many destructive messages that must be unlearned in order to heal.  The most significant of these messages are: Men must be strong and tough; men who ask for help are weak; men should always be in control and if they are abused, it is a sign of their weakness.  Thankfully, in our profession, we are skilled at helping men who seek therapy learn how to honor their courage and strength in seeking help for their problems.  Men need a great deal of reassurance that it is okay to talk about abuse, and that you will not judge them.  Too often, men are afraid they will hear from their therapist that they should have been stronger, or should have told someone instead of hiding and burying the secret.  And some are afraid they'll be labeled as perpetrators, or presumed they will become perpetrators simply because they were victimized.

I believe that healing is a process of learning to be disloyal to dysfunction and loyal to functionality.  Each of these damaging dysfunctional messages must be challenged, not just intellectually, but emotionally and physically as well.   Men can be helped to be loyal to functional messages such as:  it is a sign of strength for a man to courageously face the truth of his abuse; men who ask for help will become stronger and more effective and more loving; men can recognize they have zero responsibility for the abuse done to them and that the shame of these actions belongs to the perpetrator who hurt them.  Too often, survivors feel loyal to the perpetrator, and hold on their shame instead of finding ways to release it.  Men can learn to stop choosing to be loyal to dysfunctional ways of coping, such as alcoholism, drug addiction and sex addiction.  They need our support, and they need the support of other male survivors and loved ones to help them overcome their blocks to functionality. 

If you work with male clients, think about the real possibility that 1 in 6 of these men are survivors.  How many are we missing?  

Male survivors need to hear a message of hope.  I for one believe it is ethical and responsible to tell survivors they can survive, they can heal, and yes, they can thrive.  Men need to hear this message of hope.  Too often I think therapists are so cautious that the message male survivors hear instead is, this is a life sentence... it will get better, but you will always suffer from the effects of your abuse.  I am not suggesting we be Polyanna, and tell them it is easy and simple to heal.  Far from it...it is a journey, one with lots of bumps in the road; and many brothers and sisters who will identify, who will offer help, and who really will understand.  I hope you will join forces with me and be a beacon of hope for the 1 in 6 men abused as children and the 1 in 8 adult rape victims who is a man.


Howard Fradkin, Ph.D., LICDC has counseled over 1000 male survivors in individual, couples, group psychotherapy and weekend workshops over the course of his 30-year career as a Psychologist. As Co-Chairperson of the MaleSurvivor Weekends of Recovery, (www.malesurvivor.org) he has co-directed 40 Weekends of Recovery since 2001 for over 880 men. Dr. Fradkin has also trained hundreds of professional colleagues. Dr. Fradkin’s first book, Joining Forces: Empowering Male Survivors to Thrive, was recently published by Hay House in November, 2012.  He is the Co-Founder of Affirmations: A Center for Psychotherapy and Growth, in Columbus.

Taking action to improve our resilience

Why do some people recover quickly from traumatic experiences while others go in to a spiral of negative emotions and reduced functioning? Dr. Donald Meichenbaum, one of the ten most influential psychotherapists of the 20th century,  has some answers in his new book "Roadmap to Resilience: A Guide for Military, Trauma Victims and their Families." Dr. Meichenbaum outlines six different areas of resilience and provides ways that we all can boost ours. For example: exercising regularly, giving back and helping others, expressing gratitude, journal writing, establishing realistic expectations and more. You can find a large list of suggestions on this checklist from the Roadmap to Resilience website.

If you'd like to hear more from Dr. Meichenbaum about resilience, particularly after a trauma, you can hear an interview Todd Finnerty, Psy.D. did with him on the first ever Mental Health Day podcast. Dr. Meichenbaum describes post-traumatic growth and the six domains of resilience. He also talks about ways that you can I can improve our resilience in each area. Check out the podcast now.

Coping with Holiday Temper Tantrums

Coping with Holiday Temper Tantrums

The holidays can be a fantastic, joy-filled time; however they also can sometimes lead to stress. This can be true whether you are a parent or not, but parents sometimes have their own unique sources of stress. The American Psychological Association has offered some Tips for Parents on Managing Holiday Stress 


"APA offers these tips to help parents deal with holiday stress:

Set expectations – Talk to your kids about expectations for gifts and holiday activities. Be open with them if money is an issue. Depending on a child's age, parents can use this as an opportunity to teach their kids about the value of money and responsible spending. And be realistic. Take small concrete steps to deal with holiday tasks instead of overwhelming yourself with goals that are too far reaching for a busy time.Keep things in perspective – Try to consider stressful situations in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing events out of proportion and teach your kids how to keep things in perspective, including what type and the number of gifts they receive.

Make connections – Good relationships with family and friends are important. So, view the holidays as a time to reconnect with people. Additionally, accepting help and support from those who care about you can help alleviate stress. Even volunteering at a local charity with your kids is a good way to connect with others, assist someone in need and teach your kids about the value of helping others.

Take care of yourself – Pay attention to your own needs and feelings during the holiday season. Engage in activities that you and your family enjoy and find relaxing. Taking care of yourself helps keep your mind and body healthy and primed to deal with stressful situations. Consider cutting back television viewing for kids and instead, get the family out together for a winter walk. It promotes activity and takes kids away from sedentary time and possible influence from advertisements."

Sometimes parents have additional sources of stress, including children who may act up. It is fair to speculate that most kids have had a temper tantrum at some point in their lives (and so have you).  However, temper tantrums have been in the news a lot this year. You may have heard that daily temper tantrums are not normal for preschoolers based on a recent study (see last Month's APA Monitor for an article on this.) "While 84 percent of parents reported their children occasionally had tantrums, only 9 percent reported daily outbursts." However, when the extra stress of the holidays come around parents may worry about what their family thinks if their child acts up. They may feel stress or worry that they'll be embarrassed if their child has behavioral issues during the family meal or other holiday activities. They may also have reservations about taking their child to the store during all of the holiday sales and promotions; particularly if their child may tend to have meltdowns if they don't get what they're asking for. It's good to remember the tips about managing your own expectations as well as those of your child.

When it comes to issues like temper tantrums the tips from APA are a good starting point. It is important to not just manage your own expectations, but the expectations of your child (or children). Being clear from the beginning about your expectations for them and taking steps to prevent problems whenever possible is key. Preventing temper tantrums and related difficulties is always easier than trying to deal with them "in-the-heat-of-the-moment." That's why another good tip would be to know your child's "buttons" and manage any triggers or other issues which may tend to lead to these behaviors. For example, if they tend to get crabby when they're hungry or tired it makes sense to stay within their reasonable limits and manage your expectations for them. In that instance you may not want to push it too far past lunch time without a healthy snack during the holidays. Some children do well with their usual routines but the holidays can be a time where routines go out the window and lots of unfamiliar faces may turn up. Try to stick to routines when possible and prepare your child when it's not possible.

However, another recent source of news about "temper tantrums" is the recent announcement by the American Psychiatric Association that they will definitely include a new diagnosis in the next edition of their diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals called the DSM-5. The new diagnosis is called Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, it is a mood disorder that originates in childhood that was introduced with the hope of reducing the number of children who currently receive pediatric bipolar disorder diagnoses.  The diagnosis is for kids who don't have classic manic episodes and who tend to be irritable with frequent temper outbursts. You can read a little more about Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder at the Balanced Mind Foundation's blog (they were formerly called the child and adolescent bipolar foundation).

Some critics have argued that diagnosing kids like this takes the "blame" off of parents when parents deserve the blame. On the other hand, some really great parents sometimes feel that the suggestions that they receive from professionals are implying that it is there fault that their child is showing a developmentally inappropriate level of difficulty with regulating their emotions and solving problems in their daily life. They receive lots of suggestions. There are lots of parenting suggestions for managing kids when temper tantrums start to get out of hand. One book that I like for parents is Ross Greene's "The Explosive Child." In addition to the concepts from Dr. Greene's book, an evidence-based approach that psychologists can also use is called Parent Management Training. While medication is an additional option to consider,  approaches from a psychologist or counselor often rely on the parent's help. This is in-part because a psychologist can only be with the child 45-50 minutes per week (and often less than that). In addition, interventions that work at the "point-of-performance" for the child often have the most success. So if your child is having their temper tantrums at home, at school or somewhere in the community, usually being able to intervene directly  in those settings will be most helpful. Parents and teachers are generally with the child during those times and psychologists will help by being a consultant to try new approaches for preventing temper outbursts and other difficulties from occurring and helping your child learn new skills "at the point-of-performance."  While some embarrassment with family members should be expected and some behavioral concerns occur in most kids now and then, when temper outbursts become frequent and severe it may be time to talk to a psychologist. You can find psychologists in your area by using the American Psychological Association's Psychologist Locator  and the Ohio Psychological Association's Psychologist Referral Program



Todd Finnerty, Psy.D. is a psychologist in Columbus, OH. You can also follow Dr. Finnerty on Twitter.