#frontline mental health conference

[nurseeden]

10 Essential Tips for School Nurses: Enhancing Student Health and Wellness

10 Essential Tips for School Nurses: Enhancing Student Health and Wellness

As⁢ teh frontline providers ⁣of health care in⁢ schools, school nurses play⁤ a critical role in promoting student health, preventing disease,⁤ and addressing various health‌ concerns. In a fast-paced school habitat,it is indeed‌ essential for school ‌nurses to be equipped with effective strategies to enhance student wellness. This article outlines ten essential tips that can empower school nurses to optimize their impact on​ student health.

The⁣ Importance of School Nursing

School ‌nurses are crucial advocates for student health.⁢ They not only manage health issues but also facilitate education on​ wellness, promote a healthy ⁣school environment, and collaborate with parents and teachers. Following these ⁢tips can bolster their effectiveness and⁤ contribute considerably to student success.

1. ​Build Collaborative Relationships

Establishing strong,‌ cooperative relationships with teachers, parents, and the community‍ is key. Here are some ‌ways to foster collaboration:

Attend parent-teacher meetings to introduce your role.

Share resources for health ‌education with teachers.

Encourage parents to be involved in health initiatives.

2. Promote Health Education

Empower ‍students with knowledge.Health education should cover topics like nutrition, mental health, and⁤ substance abuse. You can:

Organize workshops⁣ and presentations.

Utilize newsletters for sharing health​ tips.

Incorporate health topics into curriculum discussions.

3. Assess Student Health Needs

Conduct regular assessments to⁣ identify ⁣and address health concerns. Use‍ the following methods:

Implement health screenings for vision, hearing, and BMI.

Distribute anonymous health surveys to gauge⁣ student wellness.

Maintain detailed health records ‌for follow-up and‌ analysis.

4. Advocate ⁣for Mental Health

Mental health is⁤ as vital as physical health. school nurses should:

Identify students at risk ⁣for⁣ mental health ⁣issues.

Provide counseling‍ or referrals to psychological services.

Educate staff and students about mental health awareness.

5. Create a Safe Environment

A safe and healthy environment is essential for learning. Consider these actions:

Ensure compliance with⁤ health regulations.

Facilitate emergency drills and training ​for staff.

Monitor cleanliness⁣ and hygiene protocols.

6. Coordinate Care for Chronic Conditions

Students with ⁣chronic health issues require ‍diligent ​care. implement these strategies:

Develop‌ Individual Health‍ Plans (IHPs) for affected students.

Train school staff in emergency procedures for ‍specific conditions.

Regularly communicate with families regarding health status.

7. Stay Updated with Continuing ⁤Education

Continuing education is crucial for effective practice. School ‍nurses should:

Attend workshops⁤ and conferences ​on⁣ student health.

Subscribe to relevant medical journals.

Participate in online courses for skill enhancement.

8.Implement Healthy School Policies

Advocating for health-focused policies can transform the school environment. Consider the following:

encourage healthy eating options in the cafeteria.

Promote physical activity through structured programs.

Advocate for smoke-free school policies.

9. Engage in Emergency Preparedness

Preparedness for health-related emergencies is vital. Effective strategies include:

Develop and practice ​school-wide emergency response ‌plans.

Educate students and⁢ staff on first aid basics.

Maintain a ​well-stocked⁣ health office with emergency supplies.

10. Foster a Culture of Wellness

Creating a ‍culture of wellness‌ can lead to long-lasting benefits. To‌ promote this:

Host wellness ‌fairs and activities engaging the ‍whole school.

Incorporate mindfulness and⁣ stress-relief practices.

Celebrate health achievements and encourage‍ peer support.

Benefits of Implementing⁣ These Tips

Implementing these strategies can lead to numerous⁤ benefits,‌ including:

Improved overall student health⁣ outcomes.

Reduction in absenteeism due to health issues.

Enhanced​ academic performance through better ⁢focus and participation.

case Study: Accomplished Health Initiative

At Lincoln ⁣High School,a dedicated team‍ of school nurses launched a‍ complete health initiative ⁣focused on nutrition and mental wellness. This program included:

Activity

Description

Outcome

Nutrition Workshops

Interactive ⁤sessions on ​healthy eating.

Increased awareness of dietary choices.

Mindfulness sessions

Weekly classes on stress​ relief.

Reduction in reported⁢ anxiety levels.

Health Screenings

Annual vision and BMI checks.

early interventions for at-risk students.

First-Hand Experiences

manny school nurses​ share their experiences of challenging yet rewarding situations. As an example, Nurse Sarah at ⁤Westview Middle School remarked, “By implementing a mental health awareness program, ‌I noticed many students feeling cozy discussing their​ challenges, leading to increased referrals and support.”

Conclusion

school nurses have a pivotal role in shaping the health⁢ and ⁤wellbeing of students. By following these ten essential tips, school⁣ nurses can⁢ enhance ‍their effectiveness, foster ​a healthier ‍school environment, and make a lasting impact on student health. Investing in student wellness today creates a foundation for a healthier tommorow.

https://nursingcertificationcourses.com/10-essential-tips-for-school-nurses-enhancing-student-health-and-wellness/

[nursingucgconference]

What Is Healthcare Nursing? Why Is Nursing Important In the Medical Field?

Introduction:

The field of nursing in healthcare refers to the profession of giving people—individuals, families, and communities—medical and comprehensive care. A vital part of the healthcare system, nurses' duties include a wide range of activities, such as:

1. Patient care: Nurses provide medical treatments, give prescriptions, and keep an eye on patients' situations in a direct manner. In addition, they support patients with daily living tasks including eating, dressing, and bathing, all while promoting their comfort and wellbeing.

Track 1: Healthcare

Health maintenance and restoration through disease prevention and treatment, particularly by skilled and licenced experts.

#Callforabstract Submit your abstract and findings for the #14IHNPUCG, taking place July 25–27, 2024 in Dubai, UAE, and Virtual, if you have something to present to the worldwide.

Submit your paper here: https://nursing-healthcare.universeconferences.com/submit-abstract/

2. Health promotion and education: To enhance general health and avoid illnesses, nurses instruct patients and their families about medical conditions, preventive treatments, and lifestyle modifications.

3. Advocacy: As patient advocates, nurses make sure that the medical staff takes into account the needs and concerns of their patients while also defending their rights.

4. Coordination: In order to develop and carry out thorough care plans for patients, nurses work in conjunction with physicians, therapists, and social workers, among other healthcare providers.

5. Emotional assistance: During trying times, nurses offer patients and their family emotional support to help them deal with illness, accident, or end-of-life circumstances.

6. Patient monitoring: Nurses keep a close eye on patients' vital signs, symptoms, and reactions to medication, allowing for prompt treatments as needed.

7. Health assessment: To pinpoint health issues, possible dangers, and areas in need of care, nurses carry out comprehensive health exams.

8. Infection control: To stop infections from spreading in hospital environments, nurses must uphold stringent infection control procedures.

Why nursing matters in the medical field:

1. Patient safety and results: As frontline healthcare providers, nurses are essential to guaranteeing both patient safety and favourable health outcomes.

The 14th International Healthcare, Hospital Management, Nursing, and Patient Safety Conference will be held from July 25–27, 2024, in the Holiday Inn Dubai, UAE, and virtually. Registration is now OPEN for Exhibitor/Sponsors, and you are just a few simple clicks away from exhibiting or sponsoring CME/CPD accredited #14IHNPUCG2024.

Register Today: https://nursing-healthcare.universeconferences.com/exhibit-with-us/

2. Patient-centered care: Compared to other medical professionals, nurses frequently spend more time with patients, which makes them crucial in providing patient-centered care and attending to individual requirements.

3. Filling in the gaps in healthcare: By acting as a liaison between patients and other members of the healthcare team, nurses improve coordination and communication.

4. Preventive care: Nurses help reduce the incidence of diseases that can be prevented by promoting and educating people about health.

5. Holistic care approach: Nurses support a holistic approach to treatment by considering patients' emotional, mental, and social well-being in addition to their physical health.

6. Advocacy and empowerment: Nurses support patients' rights and provide them with the tools they need to take an active role in choosing their medical treatment.

7. Assistance for medical teams: Nurses play a crucial role in supporting other medical professionals, which enhances the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.

8. Continuity of care: Nurses are essential to ensuring seamless transitions across healthcare settings and delivering consistent treatment.

Conclusion:

Nursing is an essential part of the healthcare system, and nurses' work has a big influence on patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the general standard of healthcare services offered.

In summary, the capacity of nurses to deliver patient-centred, holistic care guarantees that patients receive all-encompassing assistance, attending to their emotional and social needs in addition to their physical health. By enhancing patient outcomes and satisfaction, this strategy promotes a positive healthcare encounter.

Additionally, by promoting health and providing information, nurses play a critical role in preventive care, which lowers the cost of avoidable illnesses and improves community health overall. The seamless delivery of care is promoted by their coordination with other healthcare professionals, which guarantees good communication and teamwork.

Secure your place for the CME/CPD accredited 14th International Healthcare, Hospital Management, Nursing, and Patient Safety Conference in Dubai, UAE, on July 25-27, 2024. This event will allow participants to share research and gain valuable feedback.

Follow the link for more info and to register: https://nursing-healthcare.universeconferences.com/registration/ Visit to know more: https://nursing-healthcare.universeconferences.com/ Contact us at at nursing@universeconferences.net WhatsApp: https://wa.me/442033222718

#nursing #healthcare #nurses #nursingcare #patientcare #healthpromotion #patientadvocate #holisticcare #nursingeducation #nursingstudents #nursingschool #nursinglife #nursingcommunity #nurseadvocate #nurseleadership #nursingskills #nurselife #nursingheroes #nursingpassion #nursingexcellence

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

The Duchess of Cambridge’s Year in Review: April

April 1st - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spoke to staff at Queen's Hospital Burton on the phone, before calling staff at University Hospital Monklands

April 8th - In her role as patron of Place2Be, Catherine, joined by her husband, this afternoon held a conference call with teachers and pupils from Casterton Primary Academy. They later held a mental health meeting via video call, on behalf of the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

April 14th - The Duchess of Cambridge wrote and posted a number of letters to her various patronages

April 17th - William and Catherine provided a voiceover for the new Every Mind Matters TV campaign. They were also interview by the BBC about their life in lockdown

April 22nd - William and Catherine leant their support to a new initiative run by Mind, Our Frontline. Catherine held a conference call with staff at Kingston Hospital

April 23rd - The Cambridge family joined the country in the weekly Clap for Carers, during the Big Night In BBC TV special

April 29th - Catherine participated in a Roundtable Discussion via video link with charities and organisations supporting pregnant women and new mothers, on behalf of the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The Ford government says it will spend $25 million to hire 200 more Ontario Provincial Police officers following a report on mental health, occupational stress injuries and suicide by members of the force — a move some are criticizing as tone-deaf at a time of mounting calls to defund the police.

The new recruits are meant to provide frontline officers with additional resources they need "to better protect communities, while safeguarding their mental health and well-being," the province said in a news release Thursday.

At a news conference alongside Doug Ford, Ontario Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said decisions on exactly which detachments the officers will be stationed at will be for the commissioner to decide, but she said northern regions of the province have suffered from "chronic understaffing."

The move comes at a time when police forces across Canada and around the world are under heightened scrutiny over anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in particular as well as brutality more broadly.

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada @torontopoli @onpoli

[thesociologicalcinema]

26 Ways to Be in the Struggle

This list is designed to celebrate all the ways that our communities can engage in liberation. For a range of reasons, there are and always have been folks who cannot attend rallies and protests but who continue to contribute to ending police and state violence against black people. People seek justice and support liberation in an array of ways, yet their bodies, their spirits, and their lives may not allow them to be in the streets. We believe that we will win. And we need the presence of everyone in the movement to do so. We affirm that all contributions are political, militant, and valued. By and for those in our communities who can't be in the streets, we offer a list of concrete ways that we are in the movement, and that we are supporting liberation every day. We see you. We are you. See you in the struggle.

1. Host or attend a Know Your Rights Training to educate yourself, your loved ones, and your community on their rights when interacting with the police. Here are a few organizations, mostly in New York City, that host these trainings and/or have resources available on their website you can download and use: - Justice Committee, justicecommittee.org - Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, mxgm.org - Streetwise And Safe (NYC), streetwiseandsafe.org - FIERCE (NYC), fiercenyc.org - CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities (NYC), caaav.org - People's Justice (NYC), peoplesjustice.org - Communities United for Police Reform (NYC), changethenypd.org - Arab Resource and Organizing Center (Bay Area), araborganizing.org - National Lawyers Guild (national), nlg.org 2. Fundraise online, donate business proceeds, or create events for organizations that work on police violence, police accountability, and against the criminalization of black communities. The groups listed above are a great place to start. In addition, national organizations need support, including: - Black Lives Matter, blacklivesmatter.com - Ferguson Action, fergusonaction.com - Ferguson National Response Network, fergusonresponse.tumblr.com - Black Youth Project 100, byp100.org

3. Spread the word on rallies, actions, events, and demands through social media, text, email, phone, and in person. Here are a few orgs and ways to plug in and share info: - Justice League NYC has a list of demands for police accountability at gatheringforjustice.org - Communities United for Police Reform is calling for 11 Days of Action for Eric Garner from Wednesday 12/10/14 until Sunday 12/20/14: thsstopstoday.org - Use hashtags when sharing, and search these hashtags for more info: #BlackLivesMatter #ThisStopsToday #Ferguson #ICantBreathe #EricGarner 4. Offer to be the emergency contact for people attending marches and rallies. Get the person's full legal name and date of birth. Make sure to know the numbers for the National Lawyers Guild (nlg.org), Central Booking, local precincts, and local hospitals. Check in by text once an hour so that you're aware of their whereabouts and current protest conditions. If possible, also try and know whether folks require any medications that can't be skipped in a 24-48 hour time period.

5. Attend planning meetings or strategy calls for anti-police violence and anti-criminalization organizations. In addition to the organizations that we're listed, here are a few anti-criminalization organizations that are great resources: - Critical Resistance (national), criticalresistance.org - INCITE (national), incite=national.org 6. Support or organize healing justice events. Adrienne Maree Brown, Adaku Utah, and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha and Susan Raffo have created a list of healing practices to sustain care in protest here (bit.ly/13dugxA). Create space to facilitate these practices with others. 7. Cook a pre- or post-march meal or pack food for people attending protests, marches, and events.

8. Coordinate or provide childcare for people attending marches, rallies, and events. Be sure to make plans for extenuating circumstances, such as arrests. Keep in mind that it may not make sense to offer childcare support unless there's a strong relationship between the childcare providers and the children whose parents/caregivers are marching. This is important so childcare providers can continue to support if children are separated from their parents for a longer period than expected. Try to plan for childcare to take place in a home, not at the marches/rallies themselves. This will be important should childcare providers need to make arrangements for overnight support. 9. Create and share art, music, poetry, and stories that speak on issues relating to police violence, criminalization of black communities, social justice, stories and images of resistance, solidarity, and resiliency. Create new chants, make signs, reach out to organizers to see what materials they need designed. Share and support the work of black artists and people of color who are impacted by these struggles. Cultural work is resistance!

10. Create a home base for the evening, where folks who are protesting can take physical and emotional breaks indoors with others. A home base can also be a great space to gather people working as emergency contacts or doing other types of remote support for protesters. 11. Continue to reflect on your privilege, power, and identity if you're white or a non-black person of color. Look at the history of racism, race being used as a wedge issue (i.e., API communities), and of aspiring ally-ship or solidarity between your folks and black communities. Find like-identified folks to workshop with, and have conversations with family, friends, co-workers, and community members to hep build awareness and solidarity in the service of ending anti-black racism. Utilize your online media presence to reflect lack perspectives. Be a conduit on social media where black activists are speaking, engaging, agitating, and showing up. Showing up as a non-black POC or white person can mean supporting to multiply the message.

12. Be grounding or self-care buddy: breathe with someone before they leave for the march. Help them create a post-march grounding plan. Give them regular text check-ins from your home, and friendly reminders of support to drink water, eat, ground themselves, etc. Send sweet emojis or whatever else would help the person marching, and ask the person to text you when they're home safe from the march. 13. Offer to help create a safety plan for friends who have physical pain, varying mobilities, and/or mental health concerns and want to participate in the march. This might include: - what they might need before and after the action(s) - self-care boundaries such as pre-determining amount of time spent on the street - being clear about what might help prevent or delay pain or anxiety - what signs to be aware of re: onset of pain or mental health challenges - making agreements ahead of time to give themselves permission to exit early upon first signs of onset - what they will do/where they will go if triggered or hurt and what will be comforting post-march that could be arranged ahead of time. 14. Create intentional spiritual space. If you have a spiritual practice or practice community this is a great opportunity to come together and set an intention for your work together toward supporting the movement. That could look like opening the space up for others join you in meditation, prayer, chanting, singing, centering, Jo Kata, etc. If you have physical space where you practice, this could also include opening the doors to invite in protesters who need rest, water, food, warmth.

15. Volunteer. When organizations on the frontlines are using most of their resources to get people out on the streets, they need volunteers to provide IT support, collect supplies for demonstrations, answer phones, do data entry, upload, organize, and archive documentation. Check with organizations about volunteer opportunities and needs. 16. Work with teachers. If you're an experienced educator, write curriculum and support other educators in talking about these issues. Host a conference call with teachers to strategize on how to talk with students about what's happening and how they can get involved. Especially consider organizing trainings and teach-ins on the real herstory of Black Lives Matter: thefeministwire.com/2014/10/blackliesmatter-2. 17. Share skills. If you are experienced in organizing demonstrations, facilitating trainings on community security or marshalling, being a medic, providing jail support, or being a legal observer, then host trainings, create educational documents, and support people one-on-one in building their skills. For example, if you know how to create medic or care kits for people in the streets, organize a kit-making party or use your resources to put a few together to send out with trained folks during protests.

18. Make space to process. If these are your communities, hold processing moments for black, queer, trans, and migrant community members who are unable to attend protests for any reason, but who are deeply affected and policed. 19. Hold space and/or organize events centering the experiences of black people on probation or parole to talk about their experiences of police violence and surviving state supervision, incarceration, and state violence. 20. Skype, text, visit, and show love for those who are in pain, injured in protest, and/or managing trauma from tear gas, police brutality, physical, and/or emotional violence. Follow up with the community member by affirming their needs and creating support mechanisms. Remember that state violence also impacts our spirit.

21. Help amplify the protests by circulating breaking news visuals of actions, protests, and events from those in the streets to reach a wider audience. If asked, serve as an off-site spokesperson or media contact for protests. Offer to help write advisories and media releases, if needed. 22. Translate documents, media, and support being circulated about protests to international press and other outlets if you are multilingual. 23. Support people with disabilities and multiple cognitive experience by writing captions for images to convey messages in photos and footage. This amplifies these messages and increases information sharing. 24. Attend and/or circulate events/panels that are central to black perspectives and challenging anti-black racism. Promote these events and support those around you to incorporate these issues and experiences into their own events.

25. Start conversations. Bring conversations about the importance of black lives and ending criminalization and state state violence against black communities into your workplace, school, library, church, family. 26. Take care of yourself! Self-care is a revolutionary act. The criminalization of black communities, police violence against black people, and the devaluing of black lives is traumatizing. These instances and the constant deluge of information cannot only cause trauma but also bring up vicarious trauma and sap our individual and collective energy to create change. Step away from the computer or the TV and take time to remember what we're fighting for -- the people we love, and take time to call community. Allowing yourself to feel, express rage, cry and experience joy in these times is not only critical but essential. ------ Contributors: Piper Anderson, Kay Ulanday Barrett, Ejeris Dixon, Ro Garrido, Emi Kane, Bhavana Nancherla, Deesha Narichania, Sabelo Narasimhan, Amir Rabiyah, and Meejin Richart. Design by Alana Yu-lan Price.

[gbuparamedic]

Are Prehospital Acts Of Kindness Losing Their Magic?

Paramedics are well known for compassion towards patients and most of us have gone out of our way to go above and beyond at some point. Everyone loves a story about the acts of kindness we get to provide in such a privileged position. Patients and their families talk about small gestures for decades, remembering how it made them feel at the time. First responders fondly recall those moments of adding value and feeling appreciated, too.

From cleaning an elderly patient’s bathroom so they don’t come home to a gastrointestinal mess, to ensuring the palliative patient’s final journey involves a detour that takes in one last sunset. Or getting an injured groom to the altar (albeit by stretcher) en route to the emergency department, to dropping a lonely pet somewhere safe after their human is hospitalised.

We do these things because we’re naturally inclined, because we enjoy the feeling it gives us and because we care. It may also simply be in everyone’s best interests in helping to get the job done. Just as reassuring words roll off the tongue, acts of assistance come to mind and make all the difference on scene.

The motivation behind it may purely be practical, like the lady who slipped and fractured both wrists while colouring her hair. My colleague and I rinsed out the dye and towel dried her locks, once analgesia and splints were organised. We all laughed together about the specialised salon service, but in reality, the only other option would have been a severely burnt scalp if we’d just let it be.

Perhaps it’s something sad that plucks at the heartstrings and makes it impossible to leave behind, like the damage caused by a collapsed husband in a beautifully tended garden. There was no way anyone on scene would have slept that night if we hadn’t cleared away broken pots, propped up squashed flowers and raked the soil flat before leaving. Any thought of his widow being confronted by the debris after losing her life partner was much easier to wipe from the mind after wiping it from reality.

More often than not, it’s merely a case of obvious need. Dropped groceries beginning to melt in the hot sun? Into the fridge before transport. A dog left home alone? Fill up the water and food bowls as we leave. Elderly patient back into bed, uninjured after a fall? A cup of cocoa while the paperwork is completed, so they settle safe and sound into slumber.

We feel the warm glow, they feel cared for, the paramedic profession remains valued as a whole and ambulance service bills are paid without protest.

Everyone wins.

But what happens when it becomes a commercialised craving for kudos?

Reality TV shows play a big part in educating the general public about prehospital care. Overall understanding of paramedic practice has improved enormously. An increasing number of patients now know that clinical competence comes included with the package, rather than balk at a cost comparison between ambulances and Ubers as a method of transport. Stoic stalwarts are becoming more likely to call when they suffer a STEMI, rather than putting it off until it’s too late. Bystanders are growing to relish the thought of CPR and saving a life now that the concept is less foreign and frightening. Kids are keener than ever to interact inside an ambulance that’s familiar to those they see in their lounge room daily.

Along with increased insight, however, comes expectation.

Patients rarely used to anticipate or even imagine private acts of kindness on top of professional clinical care. Suddenly switching up the scene to focus on helpful additions was (and still is, when unexpected) a handy trick in every paramedic’s toolkit.

That gravely ill patient, reluctant to be transported, may be more easily convinced when a chore that cannot wait is completed for them. A stressed and strung out mental health crisis may be alleviated purely by practical assistance, without need for clinical or pharmacological intervention. Those cups of tea and sandwiches that settle a diabetic hypo, or stave off starvation in young children with injured parents, can make or break a day.

But those memorable moments that first responders have been sharing with patients since the dawn of prehospital time are at risk of losing their magic.

So heavily publicised, all surprise is slipping away.

So widely promoted, evidence exists that expectations abound.

Questions now come up on scene about the kindest things we’ve ever done. Jokes and banter about when laundry will be folded, or how long until dinner become more commonplace. Smartphone footage of thoughtful gestures is uploaded to social media by patients and loved ones, like those “captured in the wild” scenes used to be in the early days of nature documentaries. Bystanders look for it, wait for it and hope for it, that moment of delight when the kindness card trumps the common clinical.

Ambulance services build public relations based on the goodwill of their frontline clinicians. A small number of paramedics photograph or film their acts of kindness, sharing them far and wide for the whole world to see. Online groups with casts of thousands exist to collaborate, confer and congratulate both givers and receivers on gestures that bring smiles during times of crisis.

The more attention we seek through reality shows, organisational PR driven social media platforms and self-promotion of good deeds done, the more attention we gain for doing so. Now that it’s becoming something to hope for or even expect, like an encore at the end of a magician’s stage show, we’re going to disappoint a whole lot of people by failing to meet their expectations.

Educate them to expect professionalism.

Encourage them to anticipate a high standard of patient care.

Enlighten them in understanding what clinical excellence looks like on scene.

But elevating their focus to automatically assume acts of kindness, generosity and compassion from healthcare providers through every long shift, with minimal or no breaks, in all weathers, trying circumstances, continually changing environments, in and out of moving vehicles, without security and creature comforts while under the pressure of KPIs, documentation demands, organisational protocols, regulatory guidelines and media scrutiny is unrealistic and unreasonable.

Not every patient expects, needs or deserves grand acts of kindness over and above compassionate, competent and professional prehospital care. But the more we publicise these acts, the more they become an expected part of the service and the less value they bring. Where does this leave us when we need or want to turn any patient’s terrible day into a slightly less painful memory?

Feel free to share your thoughts below or on social media, I’d love to hear from you, Tammie.

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[askygokindredshipping]

Staying Home Headcanons

Is it horrible of me to want to do Staying Home Headcanons? I think I’m going a bit stir crazy. I’m going to put those feelings to good use and talk about the bois whom I’ve been neglecting. 

I’m actually doing this under a read more. I want everyone to be safe so if mentions of staying home in these trying times is harmful to your mental health, please avoid this post. <3

- Judai is practically safe because he stays at home twenty-four/ seven and/or is in the Spirit World trying to keep duel monsters from starting their shenanigans again. 

- Yusei has a mild chance of contracting anything. He still has to go to the lab everyday but his team is exceptional and jumped very early into the health procedures posed by the W.H.O. 

- Yusei doesn’t stay at work all day. He stays long enough to make sure everything is running properly before he heads home. This usually takes a couple of hours but no longer than noon. 

- He rotates the teams frequently. He, course, gives them full pay and if anyone shows signs of being sick, he immediately gives them sick leave with pay. 

- Johan runs the most risk as he works at the local duel academy. 

- However, the headmaster decides that it is best to do distance learning for a while which means that he ends up at home with Judai for a while.

- Cuddle monster Judai is more than happy with this. 

- Johan enjoys the extra time he has for a bit but then when it becomes clearly apparent that they will not be returning to the Academy for this school year, he becomes a bit depressed. 

- Judai and Yusei do their best to cheer him up. 

- Johan appreciates it and after a while, he does get better. Part of what helps is making and sticking to a schedule. 

- Johan also has digital office hours where he can conference call with his classes and demonstrate the new content that they were going to work on. 

- The kids absolutely love it. Especially because Judai and Pharaoh are usually in frame doing something ridiculous. 

- They also really love when Judai and Johan give exhibition duels to demonstrate said technique. 

- Even more so when Yusei makes an appearance. 

- Yusei does do a lot of work from home but that’s pretty par for the course for him. 

- Yusei was also the one that, as soon as the news broke, made sure that they had their supplies up to date. He didn’t go crazy about it but he did buy enough to make sure that they would be okay for a couple of weeks without too much stress. 

- Judai, when not cuddling one or the other or both, took his sewing skills (something he picked up in his travels and dimension hoping) to make masks for charity. 

- Johan helps him when he gets to his free time by cutting out the pieces and sewing. 

- They manage to make about hundred each week that they clean carefully before shipping out. 

- Pharaoh is irritated at the fact that his humans are home more often than not now. 

- Haou is always irritated but he becomes even more so the longer that Judai is cooped up. Something about not being able to connect properly with the universe and all that. 

- Yubel keeps him in check but even they are getting irritated. 

- This eventually leads to some outings to the spirit worlds just to calm them down. 

- Johan usually goes with him but Yusei passes- mainly because of the trauma. 

- They don’t do much; maybe a picnic every now and then and playing a couple of games with the Kuribohs that pop up. 

- Anything to stave off the insanity of being in the house 24/7. 

- The three of them recognize how lucky they are to have each other to help. However, they do make time to speak to others through video calling. 

- Yusei definitely talks to Aki a lot. He knows she’s on the frontline as a doctor and how stressful the situation is for her. He shows her the tattoo on his arm- the Dragon’s head that he got a couple of years after the Crimson Dragon left- as a sign of support. 

[brainfoodgp]

The Seeds for Wellness Journal is written by Brain Food Garden Project’s Founder/Executive Director Sean Brennan

The Seeds for Wellness Journal is edited by Kira Labinger

“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance” ~Samuel Johnson~

The world has completely changed as we knew it in just a matter of a few short weeks. The once crowded New York City streets are empty, conveying a post apocalyptic feel, as if they were transported into the Will Smith movie Legend, albeit, before Fifth Avenue became overrun with weeds and shrubbery, and zoo animals escaping, reclaimed an abandoned cityscape as their wilderness. The few people out walking in my neighborhood to go to the market, for example, are wearing surgical face masks. This is all extremely reminiscent of the movies we used to pay good money to see at the cinema to have the shit scared out of us, like Contagion. Now, it’s just an everyday reality that we get to witness free of charge.

Not that I have been doing much walking around lately, because 11 days have now passed since I started demonstrating mild symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. Trust me when I say even “mild” symptoms have been no walk in the park. Soar throat, check. Aching body to the point of feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus, check. Low grade fever, check. Tightness in my chest and mild difficulties breathing, check and check.

Speaking with my doctor and finding out from her just how crazy it is out there right now, made the reality of what I’ve been viewing in our Governors televised daily briefings even more real to me. They still don’t have anywhere near enough tests. So, when she told me to stay put, drink plenty of liquids and to keep her posted if my symptoms got worse, I almost felt relieved. I can’t imagine using up a test that could help someone that might really need it. All I can say is that the guilt would have been more overwhelming for me than the virus; trust me.

And yet, through all of this, signs that a majority of the human race is still overwhelmingly kind, generous, compassionate and hopeful, shines forth all around us. And, while our authoritarian, fascist President and Senate majority and collaborating Governors and some other state officials continue to demonstrate their utter cluelessness and ignorance, others have stood out and stood up for ensuring that every life counts, no matter your political party or socioeconomic status. And have stood up for their belief in science, our researchers, medical professionals and first responders. Americans have even embraced our newest heroes: the men and women that stock our grocery stores and the cashiers who check us out. Millions of people who make minimum wage, and who most people look straight through when going about their day checking off their to-do lists, are now wearing masks and risking their own health every day to continue to go to work for us.

Yes, the world has changed. And, while we have no clear idea how long we will have to continue to self-quarantine, self-isolate, and self-distance, the one thing I know and believe to be true during this pandemic is that the Mental Health Peer Advocacy work force will go down as heroes too. We are on the frontlines of this crisis every day, doing what we have always done: providing resources, listening without judgment and using our own lived experience to assist people in putting their fears and anxieties into context and create their own understanding and path to move forward when this is all over. During this great world tragedy arises our moment to shine, like a bright search light cutting through the darkness and bringing hope. When this is all over, no one will ever again be able to doubt the power of our movement, the importance of peer support and the deep and endless well of empathy we supply to our communities all around the world. What I now know for sure is that no one will ever have the right to question our relevance and our place of importance within the psychiatric medical establishment again.

Below you will find the number for the New York State COVID-19 Helpline.

BFGP Feature:

During Difficult Times Finding A Silver Lining Makes The World Seem Less Dark

Living with manic depression is, at the best of times, like riding on a non-stop roller coaster. And, at its worst, like living through a perpetual highway collision. Yet hundreds of thousands of people like myself, all around the world, do live with it and do find paths to manage their symptoms everyday. As a matter of fact, I have written about many of the tools I use personally in quite a few of these Seeds for Wellness Journals.

Whenever my anxiety spikes, so too does the potential for me to tailspin into a depression. One of the wellness tools I’ve come to rely on is looking for a silver lining in whatever is happening in my life, especially those things my mind perceives to be bad or horrific. Applying my “silver lining” rule curtails the perceived threats before they have the chance to pull me down the rabbit hole.

When I started seeing more and more people wearing masks on the train as I traveled each day to meetings for BFGP or to the Baltic Street Community Resource and Wellness Center, I honestly didn’t think much of it. After all, I had lived with suicidal ideation, many suicide attempts, and two long stays in psychiatric hospitals. It wasn’t until more and more of my scheduled work meetings were cancelled and then the call came for me to close the Center until further notice and send all of the participants home, that I started to think, “Oh, this might actually be serious”. However, even then, I thought the world might be held up for a week, two at the most!

After a week in, I knew that I was about to be living in a much different world. My calendar—my lifeline to keeping my incredibly busy life organized—started to look like a blackened, crossed-out mess. It resembled the few attempts I’ve made at filling out the New York Times crossword puzzle in pen! More meetings were cancelled, then Board meetings, then conferences I was scheduled to speak, workshops I was scheduled to facilitate. I found myself staring at an empty calendar, that used to be filled with my well-planned life, and I began to sweat.

When it sunk in that the pilot volunteer garden program, Connect-Garden-Grow, that Brain Food Garden Project was planning to role out in the spring for mental health peers, was not going to come to fruition this spring, with no end in sight for “social distancing”, that nasty, gnarled footed rabbit with talon-like claws for nails and bloodshot red eyes began to stick its head menacingly out of its hole, beckoning me towards it. And I felt myself inching closer and closer.

And then I stopped, I took a deep breath, and asked myself: “What is the silver lining in all of this for me?”, There has to be one, I thought. While taking a long, hot bath, I found it...TIME!!

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said: “I am behind on this project” or said to a friend: “Oh, I can’t meet you for drinks because I’m booked that evening for a committee meeting.”, I’d be a very well-off man. Add a dollar for every time I’ve heard a friend or work colleague say those same types of things to me. And I’d be able to retire now, move to Ireland and buy one of those quaint thatched roofed cottages by the ocean that I love looking at on Facebook!

TIME—we are all always complaining about not having enough of it. Maybe it’s to read that book you’ve been dying to read, or to cook a meal for your family, or to paint that masterpiece. And now, we have nothing but time. So, alright, I can’t meet a friend out for a drink right now. But, before I got sick, I had martinis over the phone with a friend I hadn’t seen in months. And we laughed and gossiped and had the best damned time. Another friend of mine and I, in a similar scenario, talked on the phone for over an hour. I hadn’t been able to dedicate that kind of time to our friendship since I took her out for her birthday in February!

As many of you know, because you’ve commented on it. I haven’t written a Seeds for Wellness Journal since Mental Health Awareness Month last May. I’ve also fallen behind on writing the BFGP cookbook, 33 Delicious Recipes for the Brain. Why? Because other work-related priorities got in the way and I had to employ a process of elimination. New things filled the top of the priorities list while others fell to the bottom and stayed there. And now, I’m catching up on that important work that I enjoyed doing just as well.

I’ve decided that I want to make the most out of this time I’ve been given right now. Because when the pandemic is over, and it will be over, I don’t want to look back on this moment, as the racing speedway we call life zooms back at full throttle, and feel like I squandered it. I refuse to feel like I’ve missed a golden opportunity. Call it being more mindful. Call it making the best out of a terrible situation happening to everyone right now. Or call it my silver lining—an opportunity to turn the sickness, isolation and death into something that makes me feel whole and that provides some sort of meaning to this strange time.

What silver lining have you found during the self- distancing and mandated isolation we are all living through with the COVID-19 outbreak?

Baltic Street Community Resource and Wellness Center: Creating A Virtual Eye In This COVID-19 Storm

As many of you know, that follow any of Brain Food Garden Project’s social media platforms, some time ago, I partnered with Baltic Street’s Community Resource and Wellness Center. Baltic Street AEH, inc. was the first of its kind—an agency, created and managed by peers, to serve peers. It was a shining beacon in the sense that mental health survivors were at the helm of steering the ship of their own recovery and destiny. Today, Baltic Street remains the largest, most respected peer-operated program in the country. Brain Food Garden Project aspires to be a peer run and operated program—for peers, by peers— as well. So, when Baltic Street AEH, Inc.’s CEO, Isaac Brown, and the Center’s Director, Sara Goodwin, and Manager, Laurie Vite, wanted to expand the Center’s nutritional programming and to create an indoor garden space, BFGP and I seemed a natural fit. I had already created a garden space for a housing program in Queens, NY. And I facilitate Feeding Our Mental Health workshops for schools and mental health programs and organizations as part of our programming.

I began to work out of the Center three days a week and, after several months, was invited to be the Center’s Senior Peer Resource Specialist. Having already fallen completely in love with the participants and the resources the Center provides for our community, I felt it was not only an honor but a joy to work side-by-side with Laurie to continue to expand my duties. It didn’t hurt that I would work only three days a week which would allow me to continue working with BFGP’s partners to build our first mental health peer rooftop garden, as well as working on other important programs and projects.

It has been an extraordinary experience! And just when we were starting to plant our indoor greenhouse for spring ( as well as having recently added a hydroponic tent) and preparing to celebrate the Center’s 10 year anniversary of serving NYC’s mental health community. The Coronavirus outbreak closed the Center, like many other organizations and businesses, until further notice.

One of the things I love most about the Center is that, at its core and heart and soul, it operates with a Peer Resource Team who work everyday in this incredibly creative space that inspires us to be at our best, “Always in SERVICE to our community.”

At the time of the “shelter in place” order, our Director, Sara had already been out on medical leave for several weeks, recovering from an arm injury. And Laurie, the Center’s Manager, would be returning from a three month family leave taking care of her 93 year old father. Her official first week back would be our second week working from home in quarantine. In several conference call meetings with Laurie, during that first week as she still took care of her father, I kept coming back to this theme in our conversations: “How can the Center still be of service to our community with our doors closed?”

First, I pitched a “warm line” where the Center’s Peer Resource Specialists could be available for anyone that needed to talk. Isolation, for many of us, can be activating. It can bring on depression and create a cycle of reliving past trauma. As I mentioned earlier, I was quarantined in my apartment for less than a week when I started heading toward falling down the rabbit hole, myself. Having been the first team member from the Center to receive my new work phone, I myself, tested out the idea for the warm line that Thursday and Friday. I realized that our Facebook page would need to become even more of a tool for providing our community resources, so I posted my work number on the Facebook page. I was super excited to hear the voices of several of the Center’s participants that first day that I tested out the idea!

Second, the Center thrives on the groups, clubs, workshops and field trips that we offer to our community. I decided to put together and pitch phone-in workshops and groups that would take place 4 days a week in the afternoons lead by our Peer Resource Team. Now, going on week three, we have expanded to two workshops a day, with both morning and afternoon sessions, starting on Monday April 6, 2020. The morning sessions, are from 11am to 12pm and our afternoon sessions continue to run from 3pm to 4pm.

Laurie loved the ideas, and after getting fast approval from Baltic Street’s Director of Operations and with the assistance of Baltic Streets incredible technical support engineer, we held our first teleconference group the Monday of the second week of the quarantine. The Center found a way to continue to be of service to our community— to literally became the “virtual” eye in the storm of the Coronavirus.

To join the Baltic Street Community Resource and Wellness Center’s Facebook page click here if you would like to donate to Baltic Street AEH, Inc. click here

The Feeding Our Mental Health Workshops are held every Tuesday from 3-4pm Call-in information is provided every Monday on the Brain Food Garden Project social media platforms as well as the morning of the scheduled groups on the Baltic Street Community Resource and Wellness Center Facebook page. And to receive a flyer of the full list of weekly group offerings by email: sbrennan@balticstreet.org

The Baltic Street Community Resource and Wellness Center Warm Line operates five days a week Monday-Friday from 10am-3pm

Warm Line Mon-Fri. From 10am-3pm

Mon. Call Peer Resource Specialist Robert Santiago at extension 917-653-5390

Tue. Call Peer Resource Specialist Christina Correa at extension 917-653-5632

Wed. Call Peer Resource Specialist Paul Wachtel at extension 917-686-9385

Thurs. Call Peer Resource Specialist Sean Brennan at extension 917-982-9747

Fri. Call Peer Resource Specialist Caitlin Haughney at extension 917-653-0408

Notes From the Resistance:

The Coronavirus pandemic has been a reminder to most Americans that our countries little experiment with Authoritarian Fascism has been an utter disaster and failure—destroying countless human lives in its wake. The resistance has been the only thing standing between even more human suffering. And with COVID-19 and the horrifying response of 45 and his collaborators, the resistance continues to be a necessary source to protect the people suffering at this time.

1 in 7 people living in the United States live with not knowing where their next meal is going to come from. Food insecurity is unfortunately a challenge that we have sadly, not been able to overcome. During the pandemic this national crisis will only expand getting worse for millions of Americans. If you have more than you need at this time. You may want to consider donating to God’s Love We Deliver by clicking here. Or another excellent organization doing incredible work is Chef José Andrés World Central Kitchen you can donate by clicking here.

Baltic Street Community Resource and Wellness Center in association with Brain Food Garden Project has created a NYC guide, Resources for Avoiding Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Crisis. To receive a copy of this resource tool email: sbrennan@balticstreet.org

It is so very important that during this unprecedented crisis we assist our neighbors, friends , and families to avoid unnecessarily experiencing food insecurity during this crisis. The resistance is the perfect organizational tool to move this vital work forward.

Delicious Recipes For the Brain:

I love this simple crockpot recipe! I make it all winter long. I happened to make a big batch right before I got sick and it restored my soul!! First, you can roast your own chicken for this recipe. However, it isn’t a prerequisite. I make a delicious roast chicken, which recipe I’ve posted in a back issue of the Seeds for Wellness Journal click here. However, this time I bought a pre-cooked roaster from the deli section of my local grocery store. This recipe can also be made completely vegetarian by subbing out organic, sodium free vegetable stock and replacing the chicken by adding a package of Shiitake and a package of Cremini mushrooms to the Button mushrooms.

Ingredients: (Cooking time 8 hours)

(1) Whole Roast Chicken

(1) Package large button mushrooms (or a selection of your favorite mushrooms)

(1) Package of Cellery

(2) Lemmons

(3) Red Bell Peppers

(6) Peeled Whole Garlic Cloves

(2) Packages of Zucchini “noodles” (if you have the proper tool and want to shred your own you will need 3 large whole zucchini’s)

(3) Medium red onions ( if you love the flavor of onions but not their texture you could sub out 3 tablespoons of onion powder)

(2) Large containers of sodium free chicken stock (I prefer organic but that is my preference)

(2) Cups of water

(5) Tablespoons of Cayenne pepper

Crushed sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

(1)Prepare your vegetables by chopping them to your liking.

(2) Pour both cartons of your chicken stock into the crockpot

(3) Add the two cups of water to the stockpot

(4) Crush and add the garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper to the stock.

(5) Add your chopped vegetables and two packages of zucchini noodles to the stock.

(6) Add the roasted chicken to the center of the crockpot

Place lid on crockpot and set timer for 8 hrs. After the first 4 hours remove chicken carefully and place on a cutting board let the chicken “rest” for 30 minutes allowing your soup stock and vegetables to continue cooking.

Remove the chicken meat and skin from the carcass adding the chicken meat back into the soup. Allow to continue cooking for the remaing pre-set crockpot time.

Squeeze the juice of your two lemons into finished soup, serve and enjoy!

[farahdamji]

Justice and Women’s Rights Campaigner, Farah Damji  - Heroine or a Villain?   ~   by Jazz Kaur

“The aphorist Christopher Spranger wrote: “The author who possesses not only ideas of his own but eloquence with which to clothe and adorn them cannot avoid cutting an impudent figure in this world.” Spranger might have been describing Farah Damji when he wrote those words. For she is such an author, creative, eloquent, and most definitely impudent. And it’s the impudence that makes her memoir Try Me so delightful to read….And oh! What life she led. The kind of life only a very few women have lived. Women like Cleopatra of Egypt, the Queen of Sheba, Theodora, Elizabeth Taylor, and Marilyn Monroe. Women who had style, imagination, élan and a lust for life.”

Randall Radic, ex-con, ex-priest

Farah Damji is a woman in conflict with the law. Since 2010 Farah has dedicated her life to social justice issues. She actively campaigns for the rights of women in the criminal justice system which has often lead to her being at loggerheads with the institutions that damage and fracture women’s lives.

She has previous convictions for perverting the course of justice and theft of services by fraud 2005. These convictions are spent.

A forensic report by Dr Tony Nayani, obtained at the time these offences were committed confirmed a diagnosis of underlying mental health conditions which should have triggered support. Instead, she was handed a severe custodial sentence. She pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. She served 21 months of a 42 month sentence and was released under supervision in the community by probation services.

During that sentence she was studying for an OU degree but a friend who was a fellow inmate, Lilly, was being raped by a governor at HMP Downview. No one took her complaints seriously. She was released on home leave to attend a university lecture but she didn’t return to the prison. In the knowledge that she would not be sent back to HMP Downview, she handed herself in to Plymouth police.

When she was finally adjudicated for this absconding offence and embarrassing the Ministry of Justice, the punishment was loss of canteen, loss of association etc suspended, so effectively, nothing. The governor was later sentenced to 5 years in prison.

In 2008 she fell into an abusive relationship and was bullied and coerced into claiming a higher amount of housing benefit from the local authority, because her then partner Franco Miccolupo. The judge, HHJ Marron QC should have accepted her version of the facts at this hearing because the CPS were unable to produce their star witness, the former partner who had fled the country. The fact that she had been a victim of domestic violence was not taken into account by the courts. Most of the 10 month sentence imposed was spent in the community on home detention curfew.

In 2010 Farah Damji set up a social enterprise called Kazuri Properties which supported and housed 136 women returning to the community from prison, care or domestic violence refuges. This was successful until 2013 when the housing benefit rules changed. The company managed and / owned almost 90 properties. It operated as a regulated Social Enterprise, a Community Interest Company.

In 2010 Farah commissioned King’s College inter alia to conduct a literature review of all the evidence available concerning trauma and women in the criminal justice system. In 2011 she helped to draft an article for Lord KK Patel on women in the criminal justice system and mental health issues for House magazine the parliamentary in-house magazine.

She has also commissioned a report on women in the criminal justice system co-authored with Imran Khan Flo Krause and Julia Gibby, and this was launched in Parliament. This report led to an amendment being proposed by Baroness Joyce Gould for a gendered approach to women in the criminal justice system, as a statutory obligation for the Ministry of Justice. For the first time, trauma was acknowledged as a being a driver for many women’s offending behaviour and Farah was instrumental in bringing that home, in spite of the nurtured complacency of the Women’s Unit in the MoJ (since disbanded).

In 2012 She organised a panel event with the support of Garden Court Chambers with panellists including Eoighan McLennan Murray, the former prison governor and Secretary of the Prison Governors’ Association, Jonathan Aitken and Imran Khan, the human rights solicitor who is renowned for his support of the family of Stephen Lawrence and the subsequent Macpherson enquiry into racism within the Metropolitan Police. At this event, Imran Khan described Courts and Prisons as systemically misogynistic. Short clips from the event are available to view on Kazuri’s YouTube channel here.

In 2012 when the Armed Forces bill was being debated in Parliament, she asked Imran Khan and Lord Carlile to help draft an amendment to the Bill, seeking parity in the Military Court Martial system, and the civilian justice system for the person accused to establish, through a fair assessment process whether there were underlying mental health and substance misuse issues. This was so that the accused could be properly diverted to existing mental health and substance misuse programmes, rather than being court-martialled and then slammed into Colchester prison. Baroness Finlay of Llandaff proposed the amendment in the House of Lords and Farah help to write a speech which is available on Hansard. She spoke in private to the Armed Forces Bill team charged with the smooth progress of this bill in Parliament. This amendment lead to significant change in the way the MoD deals with service men and women with mental health issues or substance abuse abroad. They finally acknowledged that PTSD is a real condition, causing real suffering which they had tried to deny previously.

In 2013 Farah commissioned and co-authored a report on the way very vulnerable women are treated under the Home Office’s Compass contract. This provided housing for women and children awaiting the outcome of their asylum applications. G4S and Serco were the contracted providers for housing and support services. The report was published in parliament with the support of Julian Huppert MP, Geoffrey Robinson MP, Sarah Tether MP and Jeremy Corbyn MP. It was then submitted to the Public Accounts Committee members for the scrutiny and examination of contracts. This in turn led to the uncomfortable questioning of the managing directors responsible for these contracts at G4S and Serco, by the Home Affairs committee and the Public Accounts Committee. Major reform of the way these contracts have been tendered and are commissioned was a result of the inquiry.

Also in 2013 Farah was an active campaigner against the legal aid cuts to services and the privatisation of probation services. She edited and contributed to Mike Turner QC’s weekly Monday Message newsletter when he was chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, for a year. She continued to write, including a draft of an article for Karl Turner MP for Hull East for House magazine. This was a piece about women in the criminal justice system and the need for more gendered approach. This led to a debate in Westminster Hall.

In 2014 Farah founded Uprise Community CiC social enterprise providing affordable housing options for local authorities particularly for vulnerable women and their children on the housing list. The company was launched in Parliament with the support of Stephen Timms and Oliver Colvile MP.

Farah has also organised and delivered resilience training for frontline workers in local authorities, chief executives in the third sector and private companies. The resilience training program consists of mindfulness training and proven methods deployed to counteract secondary trauma in the supervision of people who work with severely traumatised veterans at rehabilitation centres in the US. Resilience training has been very well received and was acknowledged in a notable mention in The Spectator magazine after Melanie McDonagh attended as session and found it interesting.

In May 2016 Farah successfully completed the Mayor of London’s Landlord Accreditation Scheme. In May 2016 Uprise bought its own first development site at 312 Hackney Road and Farah raised £1.17m for the purchase price and additional £50,000 in fees. When she was imprisoned on the harassment charges, negotiation was underway with London Borough of Tower Hamlets to provide some of the units proposed for post refuge accommodation for which there is a dire recognised need for post refuge accommodation for women. Women in refuge accommodation in London are turfed out and meant to just supposed to get on with life in the private rented sector with no support. Farah produced the Construction Management Plan, submitted to the local authority describing how the site will be managed and run.

In March 2016 Farah organised a conference the Quaker Friends Meeting House on Euston Road, about the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2013. Partners included the Daily Mail, the FT, the Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet Office, the children’s charity Barnardo's, the YMCA, Nacro, King and Shaxson Investment bank and Big Issue Foundation.

In April 2016 she organised a conference specifically addressing the housing crisis in the capital. The four main candidates were invited to South Bank University, the event partner, to discuss only their plans for housing in London and how they planned to finance these ideas. Over 100 people attended. The report from the conference was hand delivered to the chief of policy at the Treasury and Number 10 Downing Street and London Assembly Members to pave the way forward with practical ideas for raising investment and building new homes. You can hear an interview about Plan A (for Affordable) Housing on Share Radio here.

In August 2016, she was sentenced on 3 counts of S4(a) harassment, to 5 years imprisonment, in spite of two forensic reports stating that she should not go to prison, that mental health diversions in the community were available, by HHJ Timothy Lamb QC at Kingston Crown Court for 18 months, 18 months and 2 years to be served consecutively. Friends of Farah are crowdfunding on CrowdJustice to raise funds and profile for these matters to be taken back to the Court of Appeal on fresh evidence. The matter is now with the CCRC which is considering the safety of the convictions.

She received no mental health support in prison although she repeatedly requested support. She has asked Dr Anton Van Dellen of Goldsmith Chambers in London and renowned forensic medical practitioner Dr Koseen Ford to bring a case against the Ministry of Justice and its providers for failing to provide her with any mental health support, in spite of their knowledge of her diagnoses. This neglect constitutes a breach of Article 3 of the ECHR , in the State’s failure to provide any mental health intervention, in spite of being diagnosed with conditions under the Mental Health Act, and the State’s duty to provide the services for treatment and rehabilitation under UN , European and domestic law. A conference in the House of Lords, supported by MPs and peers from all parties is being organised for the end of October 2018, to discuss these issues and launch Beyond Reason, the experiences of 130 women who have been denied services, with recognised mental health disabilities. The aim of the conference is to look at new ways to provide better services for women in prison, to meet their mental health and rehabilitative needs and to hold the Government accountable for the £500m it spends yearly on justice health contracts. A steering group will prepare amendments for parliamentarians to bring pertinent issues to the Domestic Abuse Bill, due to be debated in parliament in May 2019. You can hear Farah’s interview with Jerry Hayes, leading criminal barrister and talk show host here, discussing the issues of mental health and the criminal justice system.

She is also asking the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, the Judicial Appointments Committee and the Judicial College to review the way that judges repeatedly ignore the Sentencing Guidelines meant to protect vulnerable or mentally disordered offenders and how they fail to take into account the recommendations of forensic experts. The judge in Farah’s case tried to blame her for not having sought CBT when it was not what the forensic reports suggested, and there being no court ordered intervention previously. He decided he was not only a judge, he was also psychologist. Farah is asking for a Mental Health Ombudsman to be appointed with an army of investigators, for every Crown Court, to sit in on proceedings where mental health has been identified as an issue, and to ensure that the Court is abiding by its Public Sector Equalities Duty towards disabled people.

In March 2017 Farah contributed to the Joint Committee on Human Rights enquiry on Mental Health and Deaths in Custody. In November 2017 she compiled a response with several other women prisoners for the Public Accounts Committee into Mental Health in Prison describing the dearth of services let alone any parity of services as would be found in the community. Farah continues to highlight injustice and wrongdoing in the women’s prison estate.

Farah’s explosive report on the sexual harassment to which women in the criminal justice system are subjected was published by the Women and Equalities Select Committee in July 2018. She is due to give evidence in camera to the Committee shortly.

Checkout Book From Amazon — Try Me (Paperback) — 2009

Flowers For Freedom - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Flowers4freedom

[cunyappliedtheatreblog]

Countdown Profile: Week 4 Alexis Jemal (’21)

Alexis Jemal, JD, LCSW, PhD, clinical faculty member at Hunter’s Silberman School of Social Work, and member of the MA in Applied Theatre class of 2021, talks with Michael Wilson (’11) about her hunger for justice, finding applied theatre, and how she’s just getting started. 

Okay, we’re recording 

The first thing I want to put out there is that I don’t have all the answers or know how all these pieces fit together. I consider this journey to be a work in progress. That’s how I’ve always led my life and have ended up where I am today. It may sound, I don’t know how it will sound at the end, whether it seems it all fits together… 

I’m a many-interested person myself, from anthropology to theatre, and now photography. There’s a connective logic I feel intuitively, but it might not look like it from the outside. I do believe that we attract passionate, interdisciplinary people to the program. 

Exactly. 

I welcome that complexity. 

It is complexity! Which I have found not always welcome or understood. Even in my doctorate program, for example, they’re trying to fit you in a box. They’re trying to say who you are as a researcher. Do you do this, do you do that?

 At first, I started out in law, because I wanted to help people. The main message in my personal statement for law school was: “stealing bread is wrong, whether it’s done by the king or the man living beneath the bridge.” I had read this passage in a sociology textbook. That made me think about inequity, and how, well, the king will never be prosecuted for stealing bread…

I went to law school because I wanted to be an advocate for the man, woman, child, person who lives under the bridge. I loved law school. But then I had a bunch of internships at places, like in the chambers of a Federal District Judge, at the New York Civil Liberties Union, at MFY Legal Services in New York that provides legal services to indigent people, and the Public Defender’s Office in my home county in New Jersey. And I kept seeing injustice after injustice after injustice. A person who is getting evicted from their house, yes, you could help them not be evicted, legally, but that wouldn’t help with their mental health issues, or their substance abuse issues. It wouldn’t help with the trauma they’ve experienced in their family history, or the macro sociopolitical issues that are harming them.

 So I figured, social work is where I really want to go. I ended up first working at this place at Rutgers called the Center for Behavior Health Services and Criminal Justice Research. That’s when I learned I was interested in research, because we were testing psychosocial interventions within the women’s prison in New Jersey. I was really seeing the intersection [between] the intrapersonal, interpersonal, the mezzo, the macro…everything was interacting. I thought, this is what I want to do. I want to be on the frontlines but I also want to be a researcher. I was one of two students that were admitted to the first PhD MSW program that Rutgers started—one foot in front of the other, the stars just kind of aligned… In my doctorate program, I was not planning to go into a professorship. I wanted to do more the non-profit route. But I began to consider how going into social work education could be advocacy in a way that I get to help shape future social workers. I could be that change that I want to see in social work.

 Thank you for sharing that. I’m inspired by that.

 It all intersects. To me, social workers have no excuse. We are the only field, as far as I know, to have an ethical mandate to address oppression. When any social injustice occurs, we should be the first responders. Instead, we’re trying to be psychologists, or something. 

Technically, at Silberman School of Social Work, I am clinical faculty. I get to, in my class, bring the message of how clinical work and social justice need to be integrated and practiced. Like: “I get it, you guys want to go out and you want do therapy, but you will be interacting with multiple systems, and there’s no way around it. So how are you going to practice with an anti-oppressive lens?”

 So that’s the teaching. I’m also a researcher, right? My interventions are always grounded in critical theory, liberation health models, restorative justice-type practices. They’re always about developing critical consciousness. 

For my dissertation, I wanted to create a scale of Paolo Freire’s critical consciousness. As a doctoral student I was developing an intervention called Community Wise, that’s grounded in critical consciousness theory. Community Wise is a group intervention, it’s fifteen two-hour weekly sessions, for people who were recently released from incarceration. It’s supposed to reduce HIV STI risk, criminal reoffending, psychological distress, and substance use. And it’s grounded in critical consciousness theory, meaning that we have these critical dialogues, and we have capacity building projects, where the participants work on some type of project together. 

The theory is called transformative potential: a scale of critical consciousness. The heart of the theory is that…when people [social workers] design interventions, like substance abuse interventions, they’re trying to get these people to use substances less, but really, what we’re arguing, is substance abuse is a symptom. It is not the issue. The issue is oppression. If we can find ways to get at the root of the issue, then substance use will decrease.

 And there’s the Freirian piece: you’re there to challenge people to develop critical consciousness, that’s about reading the world.

 Exactly. We’ve all been socialized to blame the individual. The participants have been socialized that way, as well. “When I come out of prison I should be able to get a job, I should be able to do this…I have all these skills, I have all these certificates.” And it’s like, “dangit, you don’t need another certificate. What you need is for people to stop discriminating against you and give you a job!” 

One of the questions I ask people sometimes is, “could you have done everything right and still things have gone wrong?” And the answer is, well, “yes.” And that tells you it can’t be 100% about you. 

I am concerned with the health of marginalized people. I want my work to be a healing agent. And it always has to be multi-systemic. 

So, that’s what brings me to applied theatre. 

How? 

I saw psychodrama at a social work conference. And I was immediately impacted by it. Everything started to collide in my head. From, role theory…we’re all on the stage, different roles that we play…to, just that art itself, whether it’s dance, whether it’s painting, just has a way of breaking down boundaries. How I see applied theatre fitting in [my work] is that it integrates healing from trauma that’s associated with oppression AND raising consciousness and getting people to act against inequity.

 And I have always been a creative writer…I’ve always felt I didn’t know how to integrate my academic and creatives sides…but applied theatre is the perfect way to integrate both aspects of myself. It seemed to all merge here. 

I have several ideas. I wrote a story when I was thirteen or fourteen about hair. I know that for, especially black women, there’s so much trauma at the roots. Every time I read this story I can’t help but to cry. It’s a tear jerker. I think about how this [the exploration of hair] could be used with theatre as a healing agent for the people who participate in the drama, devising [an original piece of theatre around hair], but also it can impact people who are watching it. 

Telling your story is healing, but also empowering. And unifying. It could build empathy, you could know people in a way that you didn’t know them before. 

Thank you. Thanks for bringing me up to what seems to be a frontier for you now. 

Yes. It seems to bring together all of my interests, from education to consciousness raising to community organizing to healing, to health. To creativity.

 Now switching gears, what does it take to keep going as an interdisciplinary person in a world of siloed work? 

Yeah, that’s…I believe that my work will be more effective [because it’s interdisciplinary], I guess. But I do battle. You know, it’s not like just going into carpentry, where I can just work with the person’s mind, and forget their health, because you know…people can’t be sliced. People can’t be separated like that. We’re complex and we’re a mess and that’s humanity. 

What gets you up each day to keep doing it?

 People are fascinating to me. I could sit and people stare, and guess, what happened there? When I’m driving and see a home, and I can kind of see in laughs—like I’m peeping—I wonder, does that family eat dinner together? Is there violence? My mind wanders. And, I’ve always been a person about justice. I’ve always been a champion for people who didn’t have power, since I’ve been young. To stand up for people, to stand up for justice. I don’t like people to be in pain or to suffer. My name, that’s connected to Alexander, defender of mankind. And that’s how I’ve felt. I’ve always been about justice and equity.

 Okay. Well, as I’m listening, I’m so struck by your accomplishment and knowledge. I really admire what you’re up to. 

Thank you. People think I’m humble or something, but I don’t feel like I’ve done much, yet. People are always in awe of the DEGREES. It’s like, yeah, but the degrees mean nothing if you don’t do anything with them. So I’m hoping that I do make a difference…so far I feel like I’m laying groundwork. I’m in the preparation stage. 

Rapid fire round. A fiction author or book that’s lighting up your imagination? 

That is hard to say, because, I’m so ashamed to admit this, but I don’t read as widely as I’d like. Because, I’m usually reading journal articles and papers. 

Alright, fine. But did you read Octavia Butler at all? 

So that’s the funny thing. I just took this writing course at Medgar Evers in October. It was every Monday night. And I write kind of sci-fi stuff. 

Aah [of course, just like Butler]. 

That’s my genre. I started looking up African-American sci-fi writers, and of course she pops up. So I have several of her books on my kindle but I have not read one yet. But I do know who she is. 

There’s someone else who was perpetually fascinated. And so personal…so interested in each person’s wounds and psychology, and also so curious about social change. She used dystopias that are not so far away as a metaphor for interrogating the present. She used the arts as a reflecting surface for society.

 I’ve been warned that I sound a lot like her…the teacher was like, “I don’t know if you should read her, because it may…” So I’m like, “do I or don’t I?” 

Well you’ve given me a writing challenge, because I have a full article here on your work on critical consciousness and a full article on your reflections on the value of theatre. 

And so I’ll tell you this last part so it wraps it up. I have this research project I’m starting to get into now…with women, they’re going to do auto-ethnography. Researching their own lives and experiences with different types of oppression. And the last part that I’m hoping they do—I’m going to present it to them, but it’s up to them—is to do something with applied theater. Somehow incorporating what they’ve learned from their autoethnographies into some type of applied theatre format. So that’s kind of where it’s going. That’s it. 

For now. Thank you so much. 

Thank you for listening.

[nurseeden]

10 Surprising Realities of Life as a Nurse: Insights from the Frontlines

**Title: 10 Surprising Realities of Life as⁣ a‍ Nurse: Insights from the Frontlines**

**Introduction:** Being a nurse is a rewarding but challenging profession ‌that requires dedication, empathy,⁣ and resilience. ⁣Nurses work tirelessly to care⁤ for patients and ensure their​ well-being. However, there are some surprising realities ⁣of life‌ as a nurse that‍ many ⁤people may‍ not⁢ be aware of. In this⁤ article, we⁢ will explore ⁢10 insights from ⁣the frontlines of nursing that may surprise you.

**1. Emotional Toll** Nursing can be emotionally ‌draining, as nurses often witness suffering and loss on⁣ a‌ daily ⁣basis. They must cope with the⁢ emotional impact of caring for patients who are in pain ​or ⁢facing serious⁢ illnesses. This emotional toll can lead to ⁣burnout, compassion fatigue,‍ and other ‌mental health issues.

**2. Physical Demands** Nursing is a physically ⁣demanding job that ⁣requires long hours on your feet, lifting and moving patients, ‍and frequently working in high-stress environments. Nurses must have strong physical stamina to keep up‍ with the demands of the job and prevent injuries.

**3. Varied⁣ Roles** Nurses ​perform a wide range of duties beyond⁢ just providing ⁣medical care. They​ also act as educators,⁣ advocates, counselors, and⁢ coordinators of care. Nurses must juggle multiple roles and responsibilities to ensure the best outcomes for their patients.

**4. ⁣Work-Life Balance** Finding ​a work-life balance can be challenging for nurses, especially those who work irregular hours​ or ⁤night ⁣shifts. Balancing the demands of work⁢ with personal life can be a struggle,​ leading to feelings of exhaustion and burnout.

**5. Challenging Patients** Nurses work with a diverse range ‍of​ patients, each with their⁣ unique ‌needs and ‌personalities. Dealing with difficult patients or families can be ​a⁤ source of stress ‍and ⁢frustration⁣ for nurses. Developing communication skills‌ and emotional⁢ intelligence is essential to ⁣navigate⁢ challenging patient interactions.

**6. High Stress Levels** Working in a fast-paced healthcare environment can be incredibly stressful⁤ for nurses. They ⁤must make ⁢critical ‍decisions under pressure, deal​ with emergencies, and‌ handle heavy‌ workloads. Managing⁤ stress and practicing self-care are crucial for nurses to‌ maintain⁢ their ⁣well-being.

**7. Career⁤ Advancement** Nursing offers a wide range of career advancement opportunities, including ⁣specialization in⁤ different areas of ⁢healthcare, pursuing advanced degrees, ​and taking on ‍leadership roles. Nurses can continually expand their knowledge ​and skills to grow their ‌careers and make a bigger impact in the healthcare field.

**8.⁢ Lifelong Learning** Nursing is a profession that requires ongoing education and‌ training to stay current with advancements in healthcare. Nurses‍ must⁢ participate in continuing education ⁤programs, attend conferences, ⁣and seek out opportunities for professional development to enhance their ⁢skills ⁣and ⁤knowledge.

**9. Team⁣ Collaboration** Nurses work closely with other healthcare​ professionals, including doctors, ⁢therapists, and technicians, to provide comprehensive care to patients. Collaboration and effective⁢ communication among team members are essential to​ deliver⁣ quality ​healthcare services and improve patient outcomes.

**10. ‍Fulfillment and‍ Impact** Despite⁣ the challenges and​ demands of the job, nursing is a highly rewarding profession that allows nurses to make⁤ a positive ⁣impact on ​the lives of‌ others. The sense of fulfillment that ⁢comes from helping patients‌ heal, providing⁤ comfort and support, and being a trusted ‌healthcare provider makes all the ‌hard work worthwhile.

**Conclusion:** Life as a nurse is filled ‍with surprising realities ⁤that ⁣can be both challenging and rewarding.‌ From the‍ emotional toll and physical demands to the⁣ varied roles ​and career advancement opportunities, nurses navigate a complex and dynamic professional landscape. By understanding these insights from ‍the frontlines of nursing, we can better appreciate ⁢the dedication ⁤and commitment of nurses who provide essential care to patients every day.

https://nursingcertificationcourses.com/10-surprising-realities-of-life-as-a-nurse-insights-from-the-frontlines/

[atlanticcanada]

Helping the Helpers: N.S. conference raises awareness about first responders’ mental health

Two hands locked in an embrace are etched in a silver coin that goes everywhere with paramedic John Garth MacDonald.

It’s a reminder that he is never alone -- in good times and in bad.

“If for some reason I come across someone who may need it more than I do today, I’ll hand it to them in a handshake,” said Garth MacDonald in an interview with CTV News.

His organization, Helping the Helpers, which raises awareness about first responders’ mental health, started handing out the coins as part of its annual conference a few years ago.

This Sunday, the 8th annual Helping the Helpers Awareness and Education Day will see roughly 300 first responders and frontline workers who are dealing with PTSD or other psychological workplace injuries, and their families, gather at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., for a day of sharing, education and support.

“It started as a result of myself having a mental health injury due to years of being witness to traumatic events and not having the proper education or training to deal with the aftermath,” said Garth MacDonald, who now works at a medical clinic in Alberta.

He says the spouses and families of first responders dealing with mental health challenges are often “the forgotten ones.” It's why they are now incorporated into the day’s lessons.

“The feedback that I’ve heard from families who attend is feeling a sense of hope, connection, recognizing that they are not alone,” said Matt Beson, an event organizer.

Garth MacDonald says attendance of the conference has grown four-fold since its inception in 2014.

This year, it will feature talks from physicians, psychologists and a variety of first responders and frontline workers – all sharing their expertise on, and experiences with, PTSD and other psychological injuries.

“It’s an invisible injury, people don’t always see it or understand it,” said Garth MacDonald.

To learn more, or register for the Helping the Helpers Awareness and Education Day, you can visit the organization’s website.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/bxJ3UwQ

[theultimatefan]

'Heroes are Human: Lessons in Resilience, Courage and Wisdom from the COVID Front Lines' Set Releases Sept. 27

Lessons in Resilience, Courage and Wisdom from the COVID Front Lines honors front-line healthcare workers—recounting the gripping, first-hand stories of their struggles through the pandemic. With empathetic guidance from Bob Delaney—internationally recognized in the field of Post-Traumatic Stress—Heroes are Human is at the forefront of new books that deal with this critical issue, deepening our understanding of the toll this work has taken and offering invaluable strategies for self-care and healing. His message to frontline workers—not all wounds bleed, and invisible wounds may hurt as much as the wounds we see.

The book is co-authored with award-winning journalist Dave Scheiber, and contains a foreword by renowned Harvard Global Mental Health director Dr. Richard Mollica. Publication date is September 27, 2022 by City Point Press, distributed by Simon & Schuster.

Heroes Are Human is comprised of powerful stories told by frontline health-care workers, their family members, and those they care for in the harrowing fight against COVID-19. In addition, Delaney shares lessons on how caregivers can navigate the resulting stress and potential burnout through an uplifting message of resilience, self-care, and post-traumatic stress education.

Delaney comes by his healing wisdom from hard-won experience. He learned about PTSD firsthand, developing the condition after emerging from grueling and prolonged undercover police work in a three-year undercover infiltration of the Mafia in the 1970s. He went on to become one of the NBA’s top referees for twenty-five years.

But it’s what Delaney does off the court that has truly defined his legacy. Since recovering from the trauma, he has made helping others overcome the condition his life’s focus. His contributions to PTS awareness and support to military officials and their families have been recognized with honors and proclamations from many, including:

• President Barack Obama’s Volunteer Service Award for Delaney’s ongoing PTS education and awareness work with the military • Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Mannie Jackson Human Spirit Award, 2014 • Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS) with the National Community Partnership Award for his work with military Gold Star families (2017) and is a TAPS Advisory Board member • U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal in 2011 for his assistance in the aftermath of the Fort Hood shootings and his work with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan • Special Advisor for the Southeastern Conference and an NBA Cares Ambassador • 2020 National Collegiate Athletic Association’s highest honor—The Theodore Roosevelt Award, bestowed on four U.S. Presidents (Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan) and other distinguished citizens • Harvard Global Mental Health Trauma Recovery alumnus; presents globally on leadership, resiliency, trauma, self-care

Delaney and Scheiber have collaborated on two previous books. Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob – the thrilling story of Delaney’s experience as a young Jersey State Trooper and his undercover investigation of the Mafia, named a USA Today 2008 Best Book of the Year (Sterling Publishing, 2008); and Surviving the Shadows: A Journey of Hope into Post Traumatic Stress, which shares stories of courageous women and men who experienced trauma and how they successfully dealt with it (Sourcebooks, 2011).

What They Say About Heroes are Human

“Bob Delaney speaks straight from the heart and from hard-earned experience. His practical approach to coping with the ‘operational stress’ of life reaches every audience. The beauty of those who work to heal shines through in this book.” —Catherine S. O’Neal, MD, Chief medical officer, Our Lady of the Lake Hospital Baton Rouge; associate professor of medicine, infectious diseases, LSU Health Sciences Center

“With his special gift for storytelling, Bob Delaney brings us into the world of those on the front lines in our battle with coronavirus. This is a story that needs to be told, and Heroes Are Human tells it brilliantly.” —General (Ret.) Martin E. Dempsey, 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

“Bob Delaney speaks with great authenticity to those among us who have experienced trauma. He has brought a message of hope to scores of wounded warriors and now is offering his message of resilience in the face of distress to frontline clinicians in the struggle against COVID-19.” —Dr. Gregory Fricchione, Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital

[liza-environmental-ethics]

Blog 9: This Generation

“Today’s generation is demonstrably less content, and consequently less optimistic than those that went before. They work longer hours, with less security, and less chance of leaving behind the social background into which they were born. They fear crime, social breakdown, overdevelopment, and environmental collapse. They do not believe that the future will be better than the past. Individually, they are less constrained by class and convention than their parents or grandparents, but more constrained by law, surveillance, state proscription, and personal debt. Their physical health is better, and their mental health more fragile. Nobody knows what is coming. Nobody wants to look” (Hine and Kingsnorth, 262). 

In “Uncivilisation,” Paul Kingsnorth and Dougald Hine present what they see as the current state of society and the potential path forward through an ex-environmentalist lens. They argue that society currently reflects the state described above, and the path forward is through art, but not the way we know it; not as entertainment, but rather as an inspiring form of expression. Kingsnorth and Hine believe that our systems and politics (our civilization) have failed us, and they call for a focus on the individual’s expression and resistance. 

Honing in on the above description, it can be inferred that we are stuck on this sort of “hedonic treadmill,” as Treanor would call it, where we are working so hard and losing sight of the basic level of needs. On top of that, this generation (of which, I am a part), has a sense of knowing tht the planet is changing at a quicker rate than we are adapting to it, which is cause for existential crisis and eco-anxiety, but also a lot of apathy and ignorance. It’s hard to ignore the fact that climate change is happening, though not for lack of trying. For example, in a recent article from BBC (which has it’s own climate disinformation reporters), a dozen high profile scientists, politicians and campaigners claimed to have been tricked by climate-change deniers. This group is called The Creative Society, and they claim that climate-change is a conspiracy, with supporters in over 100 countries, and platforms on facebook, YouTube and TikTok. Their main focus is to promote their belief that climate change is not caused by human activities. In the world of social media, it seems that different versions of reality are being projected to everyone, and this version is supported by pseudoscience and conspiracy links, preying on those who feel that society is already against them, which from the description above is honestly not that hard to believe.  

On the other hand, activism has also increased in the face of this crisis. The constant bombardment of information that traditional and social media has made into a norm has allowed people to be aware of global climate crises and what they can do to help. This can be seen outside of the official conference COP26, where global leaders gathered to discuss how to build a more sustainable world but did not include the people on the frontlines of the climate crisis in those discussions. As a result, more than 100,000 people took to the streets for climate rallies organized by mostly youth-led activist groups. If this generation is refusing to look, this event is surely not indicative of that. These groups and activists called for a cessation of harmful activities by international governments, rather than a mitigation of them. Arguably, this protest could be seen as a form of uncivilized art, where children are begging their elders to save them, to listen to them, to choose differently, and stray away from the norm. 

Word Count: 600 Words

Question: Is it possible to create change within a broken system? That is, even if we elect younger and more progressive leaders, are we doomed to repeat the damage we are caught in the cycle of?

[khixsoncounselorpdx]

UNION NOW: A Better Future for Mental Health Providers—and Clients

I spent my first couple years as a counselor in agencies or institutions. I’ll spare you the details but please know I spent many lunch hours hours in Hillsboro crying over my Mexi Tots. True Story. Many of us get out of agencies and non-profits as soon as we can and hustle our way through private practice. It works out for many us. But what about the workers who want or need to work in these agencies? What about the clients whose only option is to go to these agencies to obtain care? Private practice clinicians are not available to everyone.

Photo from United We Heal press conference in 2016 

Years of Fighting 

Union activity in the mental health sector has occurred intermittently over the years in Portland and the most recent push is about 2 ½ years in. One of the reasons unions have not succeeded in this sector is that management and executives are vehemently opposed to them. They spend thousands of dollars on anti-union lawyers and consultants. Volunteers of America spent over 18 months in negotiations before they got a contract. Interesting how non-profits can find plenty of money in their budgets to fight unions. They also love to send letters to their employees discouraging unions and bringing in HR or management for “the talk.” What follows is an excerpt of a never-sent* letter responding to an anti-union letter sent to all employees by a mental health large agency in summer 2016:

It is highly arrogant to make the bold statement that {insert agency} “does not believe that a union can additionally benefit our employees.” This attitude discounts the legitimate grievances so many of us in the mental health professions have experienced working on the frontlines of mental health throughout our careers. It is well known that the working conditions (low wages compared to cost of master’s level training, high productivity standards, high burnout, etc.) contribute to high turnover in community mental health settings. Turnover leads to a disruption in client care and inadequate access to treatment. This attitude of no added benefit to employees does not consider the impact of business-as-usual on the provision of client care. How might an employee union improve client care? This was not considered in your communication. 

The statement that your employees are “already receiving more advantages than a union could offer, without any of the disadvantages, such as union dues and initiation fees, the possibility of fines and assessments, not to mention any possible work disruptions and the divisive culture that can result” treads irresponsibly towards anti-union scare tactics and blatant misinformation. While labor organizations must abide by their own rules, The National Labor Relations Act “forbids employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of rights relating to organizing, forming, joining or assisting a labor organization for collective bargaining purposes, or from working together to improve terms and conditions of employment, or refraining from any such activity.” 

While agency management glossed over employee grievances and downplayed the benefits of a union for workers, this letter highlighted the unheard side of this argument—how can organizing not only benefit the workers but also benefit clients? For example, quality client care can be assured through a contract that outlines things like having enough staff to handle caseloads so that counselors are able to provide the attention each client needs and deserves. This in turn could mitigate burnout on the part of the employees resulting in a lower level of turnover and stability for agency clients, again establishing a higher degree of quality care. And so on… 

Working Conditions

I am deeply frustrated with the ongoing exploitation of mental health workers and the clients they work with. While I’ve not not been employed at agencies since 2006, I’ve never left this work behind. I taught students who would end up in agencies and did my best to prepare them without freaking them out about the working conditions. All the while, they were openly discouraged from going into private practice by their programs and professors. Very striking how professors who haven’t “worked in the trenches” for years feel entitled to influence how people will sell their own labor. As a supervisor of workers, I’ve heard (and documented) how they are treated, and I’ve gotta admit, many days I just want to burn it all down to the ground and here’s why.

This is an incomplete list of oppressive working conditions my supervisee-colleagues have shared with me first hand: 

Sexual harassment by fellow colleagues

Judgement by supervisors for reasonable emotional reactions to intense stories, trauma, and life-threatening client situations

Inadequate and harmful clinical supervision (sometimes, no supervision at all)

Silenced for calling out ethical violations of the agency itself

Abuse of power by supervisors

Reprimands for appropriately advocating for clients

Judgement and oppression for their own mental health issues

Discouragement or rejection of much needed time off work

Denial of requests to diversify their caseload or working environment to increase their clinical experience

Denied opportunities to increase their supervision or leadership capacity 

Unions are Dangerously Wonderful

It is really important to understand why management and executives in the mental health sector are so afraid of unions and are putting so much money into resisting them. If we are unionized, these agencies will be held accountable for the abuses they continue to perpetuate on workers and clients. There will be protection from bosses through a negotiated just-cause discipline process, not the default Oregon standard of at-will employment. There will be a contract. There will be a union steward you can go to when the negotiated working conditions are violated and they will help advocate for you. It will not be perfect, but it will be absolutely better than what we have. Even if you find yourself in a high paying job in mental health or feel pretty cozy in your private practice, consider this: Earlier this week a supervisee told me that they were directly denied a break by their supervisor during their 8-hour shift not days after Human Resources came in to give them the anti-union speech. This happened. Our colleagues and the clients in our communities deserve more, and we must support them. Please sign this petition from Portland Jobs with Justice to support the workers of Cascadia:

 https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/support-the-union-of-cascadia-workers-2?source=direct_link&

This post is dedicated to all the people working intensely behind the scenes right now to support unionization in the mental health sector. To all of those that came before them: you did not fail, you paved the way for for an organized future. 

*it was collectively agreed upon that this was not the right tactic at the time

Northland Poster Collective 1994

Additional Resources: 

Volunteers of America successful, hard-fought contract: 

https://www.afscme.org/now/oregon-voa-members-win-first-contract

The Unheard Voices, a white paper on the mental health sector in Portland: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58ee7966d482e9cd1f9da132/t/58efd18c5016e1685c57798f/1492111761859/OR+BH+White+Paper_FINAL+032717.pdf

United We Heal launch press conference: 

https://www.facebook.com/sasspdx/videos/1713285602303547/

Janus vs. AFSCME Supreme Court Decision: 

https://www.colorlines.com/articles/supreme-court-strikes-blow-against-public-labor-unions-janus-v-afscme-decision

Economic Policy Institute study on the benefits of unions for all workers:

https://www.epi.org/publication/briefingpapers_bp143/

Princeton University study shows that unions reduce income inequality: https://dataspace.princeton.edu/jspui/bitstream/88435/dsp01gx41mm54w/3/620.pdf