January has been a pretty busy month, here at Discovery.? We got the New Year off to a good start by returning from our holidays healthy, refreshed and ready-to-go.? The new Pathfinder group has started with a full complement of members!? The next series is scheduled to begin in July, watch for a date later in the year.? The Step-Family Education and Support Group is not yet full, and we are waiting for news about it to spread a bit before we target a new start-date.? Please let people you know who may be interested that there is a valuable resource that?s easy to access.
For the second year, Discovery Institute was a proud sponsor of An Infinite Mind?s ?Healing Together? conference, in Lake Buena Vista, FL.? This exciting venue brings together some very interesting elements:? people with dissociative disorders, their support people, and therapists!? There were a total of 168 paid attendees, all across the US, Canada and England, as well as cadre of volunteers ? including the most delightful graduate students from Rollins College, Stetson University , and UCF.? Marilyn Bennett and I presented:? ?Supporting Someone Dissociative ? One-Step-At-A-Time.?? I also presented ?Body/Mind Marriage,? with Personal Trainer, Rebeca Porter, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.? Some extra hand-outs from both of these presentations are available, if you?d like one please ask any one of us. This conference was a very rewarding two days, with varied and interesting presentations ? for survivors, supporters and therapists as well.? We hope you?ll consider joining us next year!
Self-Responsibility Starts with An ?I?
?Take your life into your own hands and what happens?? A terrible thing:? no one to blame.? ? ~Erica Jong
What do the people in the following three scenarios have in common?
Josie is a woman in her twenties.? She still lives at home with her mother who makes all Josie?s important decisions:? how to spend her money, who to go out with, even what clothes to wear.? Josie is anxious and depressed.
Matt ordered a new printer for his office.? When it arrived he discovered it wasn?t compatible with his computer.? ?Those idiots,? he ranted, ?why didn?t they tell me this was the wrong printer!?
Sally and Jerry had a big fight.? Now sally?s tossing and turning in the bedroom, while Jerry beds down on the sofa.? Neither one is getting any sleep and both think the other should make the first move to apologize.
If your answer is ?Hey, no one is taking any personal responsibility here,? you?ve got a good eye for human behavior.? That?s because what Josie and Matt and Sally and Jerry all have in common, in these scenarios, is a lack of self-responsibility that leaves them feeling dependent, impotent and victimized.? They?re caught up in blaming others for their problems and waiting for somebody else to come along and make their life right.? Unfortunately, they?re going to have a long wait because, in the words of self-esteem expert, Nathaniel Branden, ?No one is coming.?
This is the good news.? Your life is in your hands.? You get to make the choices, elect the options and take the actions that come with self-responsibility.? It?s through the door of self-responsibility that personal power and independence enter, often hand-in-hand, bearing gifts of confidence and self-esteem.
Be clear though, self-responsibility is not the same as feeling responsible or accepting the blame for bad things that have happened to us, or situations that are painful.? We don?t all enter the world with the same trappings, and people, events or circumstances, have frequently wreaked havoc and caused trauma and wounds from which may are working hard in recovery.? Self-responsibility means that when you have worked through your grief, sorrow, pain, hurt, and anger, you begin to ask yourself:? Now what am I going to do?? What options do I have?
At the other end of the spectrum, self-responsibility doesn?t mean becoming so self-reliant that you don?t ask for help when you need it, or seek others? opinions or points of view.? And it certainly doesn?t mean you have to know everything, make every decision alone, or take on the world single-handedly.
Rather than a heavy burden, self-responsibility can be a source of joy.? Knowing you can create the life you want by accepting responsibility for yourself ? can be a great freedom.? Even saying the words out loud can produce a feeling of power and strength.? Try it, here goes:
- I am responsible for my choices and actions.
- I am responsible for how I use my time.
- I am responsible for my behavior and communications with others.
- I am responsible for achieving my desires, dreams and wishes.
- I am responsible for the work I do and the quality I bring to that work.
- I am responsible for the values I live by and the standards I set.
Connie Porter-Richard
Introducing for the first time: A Step-Parenting Educational & Support Group
As anyone who is part of one knows, a step-family can be as challenging as it can be rewarding. The ?Smart Steps? group is designed to teach you and your partner the skills necessary to help strengthen your stepfamily and help it function more smoothly.? Learn how to effectively manage the issues of creating a balanced and supportive stepfamily, as well as having the opportunity to discuss the skills and receive feedback with a professional counselor.? Sharing, giving and receiving feedback and support from other parents is also a valuable learning experience, and can likely help you learn to face some of the challenges that we all face in this unique situation with more confidence.
Meets: Thursdays, 6:00 ? 7:30 pm Cost: $160 per couple Facilitator: Jessica Stebbins, M.S., Registered Marriage & Family Therapist Intern This group is limited to 5 couples ? hurry to reserve your spot!
Sexual Assault Victims Support Group
Through the State Attorney?s Office SAVS program, Sexual Assault Victims Support Group is held at Discovery Institute; the first four Tuesdays of each month from 6:00-7:30 pm.? This group is free, on-going, and open to any adult woman over the age of 18, who has been the victim of a sexual assault.? The group is hosted by Marilyn Bennett, MA, LMHC.
For the Professional Mental Health Community
Florida?s only ISSTD (International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation) component group meets at Discovery Institute:
2nd Friday of each month 4:00-6:00 pm This group is for professionals only and is a valuable source for updated information, case consultation, on-going support and continuing education.
?Round-Table Discussion Series?
Back by popular demand, the: ?Round-Table Discussion Series?
Does being a therapist sometimes leave you feeling like you are operating alone-in-the-dark?? How do you approach colleagues for help with difficult issues?? Want to expand your comfort zone with challenging issues?? Want to explore how others face challenges similar to yours?? Join us for a series of interesting discussions.? Each round-table discussion addresses a topic timely for therapists today.? Collegial exploration and discussion is a valuable way to develop and enhance working relationships with other therapists, and develop greater peace of mind.
2012 Topics & Schedule:
- February 10, 2012
- ?Ethics & Technology: Proceed With Caution!?
- March 23, 2012
- ?What Counselors Need to Know About Addiction?
- May 4, 2012
- ?Self-Care: Avoiding Burn-Out?
- June 22, 2012
- ?Using Creativity in Clinical Practice?
- August 3, 2012
- ?Mentalization: What?s It All About??
- September 14, 2012
- ?Working With Dream Imagery?
- October 26, 2012
- ?Share Your Faux Pas!?
- December 7, 2012
- ?What?s in Your Therapy Tool-Box??
All Round-Table Discussion sessions meet:
10:00 am ? 11:30 am 1.5 ceu?s (LMHC, LCSW, LMFT & RN, LPN, CNS, ARNP) Light Refreshments $15.00 per session
Discussion Hosts:
Connie Porter-Richard, PhD, LMHC Marilyn Bennett, MA, LMHC Jessica Stebbins, MS, Registered Marriage & Family Therapist Intern Lola Mitchell, MA, Human Relations
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Source: http://relationalmentalhealth.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/february-2012-newsletter/
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