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Monthly Archives: June 2014

HomeWestern State Hospital Internship Program   Blog   2014   June
June 06 2014

Friday Factoids: Bullying and Risk for Suicide

Author Susan Vaught Categories Current Interns, Friday Factoids, General Information, Mental Health and Wellness, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

 

 

One of the most common concerns that arise in counseling with children and teens is the aspect of bullying. Bullying can have lasting effects on a person’s self-esteem and view of himself.

 

Dr. Susan Swearer, bullying expert, discussed in an article on the APA website (2010) how bullying is not a new issue. She discussed how a researcher in the early 1980s began studying bullying as a result of three boys ages 10 to 14 that committed suicide in 1982 due to being bullied. Dr. Swearer stated that where in the past bullying could only occur during face-to-face encounters, now with the widespread use of technology, bullying can occur seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

 

Dr. Swearer (2010) discussed that parents and teachers must intervene when they see bullying take place. The student(s) who are doing the bullying must be told to stop. The bullying behaviors need to be documented and be kept as records. One of the most important steps to take is for the victim to feel that they have a support network of students and adults. The student who is being bullied should feel connected to school and home. Students who are being bullied may also benefit from either individual or group therapy in a place where they are able to express their feelings.

 

Researchers have attempted to look at a student’s risk factor for committing suicide as a result of bullying. Every story has been found to be different but the one thing that is known is that depression is a risk factor for committing suicide; therefore, symptoms of depression in students should be taken very seriously and properly treated. Dr. Swearer discussed the importance of parents monitoring their child’s behavior online in order to ensure their child is not bullying others or a victim of bullying. Bullying is a real problem for children and teens and any psychologist who works with young people, who are being bullied, should assess and treat any signs of depression or anxiety and provide the proper support that the young person needs. (Swearer, 2010)

 

Swearer, S. (2010, April 2). Bullying: What parents, teachers can do to stop it. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/04/bullying.aspx

 

Cindy A. Geil, M.A.
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

 

 

June 06 2014

Friday Factoids: What is Play Therapy and Why Does It Matter?

Author Susan Vaught Categories Current Interns, Friday Factoids, Mental Health and Wellness, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

 

 

Play is a child’s job when they are young. The natural medium of communication for children is play and activity. Play is the way children learn what no one can teach them.

Children’s play represents the attempt of children to organize their experiences and may be one of the few times in children’s lives when they feel more in control and therefore, more secure.

 

The philosophy behind child-centered play therapy considers play as essential to children’s healthy development and that play gives concrete form and expression to children’s inner worlds. Emotionally significant experiences are given meaningful expression through play. One of the major functions of play is changing of what may be unmanageable in reality to manageable situations through symbolic representation, which provides children with opportunities for learning to cope by engaging in self-directed exploration.

 

When a child is given complete freedom in her play, she can act out aspects of her life that are emotionally significant to her. A child can show through the use of toys how the child feels about herself and the significant persons in her life. When a therapist gets on the child’s comfort level through play, the play provides a means through which conflicts can be resolved and feelings can be communicated. Due to these reasons, play therapy is one of the most beneficial interventions with children with emotional and behavioral issues. (Landreth, 2002).

 

Landreth, G. L. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship, 2nd ed. New-York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.

 

 

Cindy A. Geil, M.A.
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

 

 

 

June 06 2014

Friday Factoids: Therapist–Or Hypocrite?

Author Susan Vaught Categories Blog, Continuing Education, Current Interns, Friday Factoids, Mental Health and Wellness, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

 

 

askstephanNo one wants to be called a hypocrite. A hypocrite means you are a fraud. You say one thing but live in a different way. How many times are we hypocrites as therapists?

 

We tell our clients that they need to spend more quality time with their spouse or children but we stay at the office late into the evening and are too tired and worn out to spend quality time with our families once we get home. How many times have you recommended an exercise regimen to a client while you hit the snooze on the alarm skipping your workout time?

 

We, as therapists, often disregard our own advice by ignoring the messages we say day in and day out and fail to implement them in our own lives (Kottler, 2003). If we believe the advice is so important for a healthy life, why do we not take our own advice? When we fail to take care of ourselves and our personal lives it can lead to burnout and the inability to be good therapists to our clients. One of the most important things for our clients might be for us to leave the office and spend time with our family, replenishing ourselves so we are better equipped to work with them the next time we see them.

 

In summary, take your own advice!

 

Kottler, J. A. (2003). On being a therapist. 3rd ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 

Cindy A. Geil, M.A.
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

 

 

June 06 2014

Friday Factoids: Trust and Caring are Keys to Clinical Supervision

Author Susan Vaught Categories Blog, Continuing Education, Current Interns, Friday Factoids, Resources for Interns 0 Comments

 

 

As psychologists, we will most likely supervise practicum students, interns, or postdoctoral students at some point in our careers. Campbell (2006) explains that the key to a successful supervisory relationship is to create an atmosphere of safety and trust, promote shared understanding and agreement about the tasks and goals required, and be fair, respectful, and empathic toward the needs of supervisee.

 

One of the most important things a supervisor can do is to show the supervisee that you care about them on a personal level. The supervisee also needs to know that the supervisor genuinely cares about them on a professional level and is invested in their development as a psychologist. If a supervisee feels that the supervisor views them as a burden or another task to check off on their list of “to do’s,” a trusting relationship will never be developed. If a trusting relationship is never developed, the supervisee and his or her clients both suffer. A supervisee in this type of relationship will not feel that they can go to their supervisor for consultation without feeling that they are going to be brushed off quickly. Thus, the supervisee will stop going to the supervisor for advice.

 

Some personal attributes that have been identified as essential to effective supervision include trustworthiness, authenticity, genuineness, openness, tolerance, respect, empathy, flexibility, an ability to confront, a concern for supervisee’s growth and well-being, and sense of humor (Campbell, 2006). Often times, a supervisor will be the driving force that provides confidence to a training psychologist. What an amazing and influential responsibility! We might not always know the best answers as future supervisors but this can be easily forgiven when a supervisee and supervisor have a supportive and trusting relationship with each other.

 

Campbell, J. M. (2006). Essentials of clinical supervision. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 

Cindy A. Geil, M.A.
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

 

 

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