Complementary Mental Health Practices

I am in the process of Preparing for my first class for Social Workers on Practical Spitituality: Using Attitudes and Emotions to Change Your Life. This course of information is based on the Edgar Cacey health philosophies of depth psychology. It is my intention to begin offering opportunities for Social Workers to explore a curriculum that is not religious based, however, spiritually based. When I speak of a spiritually base practice model, I am speaking of how emotions, beliefs, thoughts and consciousness impacts life and it's ever changing patterns of being connected to a higher purpose in life. As Edgar Cacey says, the key to changing any part of our lives---- the secret to bringing the spirit into our daily, physical realm --- rests with our attitudes and emotions. Our emotions and attitudes are the Building blocks of our human experience. Without emotions and attitudes we would be very boring and disconnected to creating meaningful life experiences. The key word here is create, we are the creators of of our lives based on how we act and feel, emotions and attitude.
The end result of every life experience is connected to our thoughts and beliefs. the mind is like a magnet, it attracts everything that the thoughts are focused on. Therefore, we must begin practicing the art of creating thoughts that will attract the outcomes that we desire. Pay attention to your thoughts and you will certainly see the results of your future in thought action. Creating new thought forms in my belief is the beginning of changing the outcomes of how we experience life.

One of the most powerful ways to support individuals that are seeking support with coping with emotional wellness challenges is the use of the healing arts, alternative clinical practices for treating the Mind and Nervous System. The following Alternative treatment modalities are my favorite practices used in Mind Body Social Work.

1. Reflexology
2. Autogenic Training
3. Aromatherapy
4. Yoga
5. Spiritual Healing
6. Massage
7. Accupressure
8. Reiki
9. Color Therapy
10. Hypnotherapy

The next blog entires over the next two weeks will detail each of the areas listed as powerful and evidence based alternative clinical practices that can be used in Mind Body Social Work. If you have some other topics that you would like to read about just let me know. I am on my to the Spa and have to go now. stay tuned.
Be Well.

MIND BODY SOCIAL WORK IS IN THE POWER OF NOW!

It has been a while since I have been with you with thoughts and inspiration on Mind Body practices in Social Work. I have been busy with many conferences, CEU trainings and presentations on the concept of spirituality and social work practice. In June, I presented at the International Society for Spirituality and Social Work at Catholic University in Washington DC. I presented on The Energetics of African Spirituality and Reversing Symptom-ontology of Post Slavery Trauma. There were participants from Japan, Canada,Sweden,UK and more. My co presenter was NaNa Attakora, MSW, LICSW. NaNa Attakora is a traditional Akan Preistest from Ghana West Africa. We presented the workshop on principles and practices of Soul Renegeration Psyco Spiritual Clinical practices and Soul Journey hands on practical spirituality services for juveniles. We had a special guest flown in from Ghana West Africa that conducted a traditional spiritual healing ceremony, with drums,chanting and the traditional greeting Stooling Ritual. It was really very powerful, and healing.

We also presented the participants with a live drumming and African dance class conducted by the Master Drummer and Dancer, Legendary BaBa Rev. Bishop Melvin Deal from
Washington DC. The workshop participants danced and drummed like professionals that day.

I was also busy with The National Association of Black Social Workers Annual Conference at Howard University, Washington DC. I presented with my husband, Saleem Hylton on The Power of the Circle, Re-entry Violence and Restorative Justice Practices. This workshop was also well attended by members of the criminal and juvenile justice agencies in DC, MD and VA. I had the opportunity to share my recent research on the use of Brain Wave entrainment and Sound Vibronics for stress reduction and violence accession, using the philosophy and practices of the Restorative Justice Circle practices.

I cannot forget to share with you the Annual National Association of Social Workers Conference held at the Kellogg's Conference Center in Washington DC. I presented on Sound Vibronics as an Alternative cutting edge best practice in treating depression. Sound Vibronics was developed as a result of my research and work with clients over the last 31 years of my private practice as a psychotherapist and spiritual healer. It became very clear to me that clients responded to sound, vibrational waves and verbal suggestion with more success than just talk therapy. Clients began to request the music on cassette tape with my voice guiding the relaxation exercises, at that time, so that they could practice at home. This eventually became the beginning of my study and practice of guided imagery and eventually becoming a Certified Hypnotherapist.

So you see, I have been very busy with the work and mission of bringing MIND BODY SOCIAL WORK into the main stream of clinical practice.
Tell me what you think about this work and what you are doing to further the mission and movement of alternative practices in Social Work. I am excited.

How is Your Life Going?

When was the last time that you experienced pure bliss, joy, happiness and satification on your job?

Do you have these moments daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or not at all?

Human Services Providers experience burn out and stress related illnesses more often than many other professionals, due to feelings of work responsibility obligation and denial of self preservation and care.  WOW!!!!! Really?

I did some research to look at the work place in America, and how stress is impacting the lives of workers in America.  I found a study that indicated Burn out for Human Services professionals is not job related.  It is directly connected to the individuals ability to effectively manage stress, time, organizational skills and emotional thoughts.  I was not expecting this finding, however, it does sound correct.  We all know that the work of a Social Worker is never done; however, we are constantly, feverishly, and intensely trying to.

80% of workers in America feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers need such help;

• 14% of respondents had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn't;
• 25% have felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress, 10% are concerned about an individual at work they fear could become violent;
• 9% are aware of an assault or violent act in their workplace and 18% had experienced some sort of threat or verbal intimidation in the past year.
• 65% of workers said that workplace stress had caused difficulties and more than 10 percent described these as having major effects;
• 10% said they work in an atmosphere where physical violence has occurred because of job stress and in this group, 42% report that yelling and other verbal abuse is common;
• 29% had yelled at co-workers because of workplace stress, 14% said they work where machinery or equipment has been damaged because of workplace rage and 2% admitted that they had actually personally struck someone;
• 19% or almost one in five respondents had quit a previous position because of job stress and nearly one in four have been driven to tears because of workplace stress;
• 62% routinely find that they end the day with work-related neck pain, 44% reported stressed-out eyes, 38% complained of hurting hands and 34% reported difficulty in sleeping because they were too stressed-out;
• 12% had called in sick because of job stress;
• Over half said they often spend 12-hour days on work related duties and an equal number frequently skip lunch because of the stress of job demands.
• These findings are supported by other studies that put their significance in perspective.

  CHRONIC STRESS IS KILLING PEOPLE

Chronic stress is defined as a continuous progression of stressful events, emotions, thoughts, and responsibilities without significant periods of resolution, rest, relaxation or medical attention.

What are you doing about your stress levels ? 

 What are you willing to do about saving your life?

(Social Workers at the International Society of Spirituality and Social Work Conference 2009~ working it out)

What needs to happen at work to make a real difference in your life?

Speak to Me........What is on your mind?

What is MIND BODY Social Work?

Mind ~ Body ~ Social Work focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, behavior, and on the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect health, social competence and creating societal conditions which supports life goals.  Mind ~ Body ~ Social Work purports and enhances each individuals capacity for self-knowledge, self-care, self-awareness, self-determination and optimal wellness as the ultimate goal of achievement.  Mind ~ Body ~ Social Work Practices focuses on intervention strategies that are thought to promote physical health, socail well-being, and societal fitness.  Integrative practices such as relaxation, visulaization, hypnosis, reiki, cognitive-behavioral therapies, group support, autogenic training, emotional intellegence, and spirituality are the primary passage ways of intervention.  Mind ~ Body ~ Social Work views disorders and pathology as an opportunity for personal growth and transforamtion.  Social Workers, Case Managers, Family Support Workers, Community Support Workers, Macro and Micro interventionalist are the premier guides and catalysts for change in this most powerful and timely process.

What do you think about this new approach to Social Work intervention.  Actually it is not really new.  I have been engaged in these practicesnow for over 30 years.  It has finally come full circle and the proffession is ready to integrate more than ever.

As I reflect on the past 33 years of my professional and  personal life, I realize now that my vision of spirituality in Social Work Practice was not that far off from the truth in my life time, it was just before it’s time.  As I began to write this blog, it was clear to me that I should start with the beginning of the journey and share my original thoughts on the subject written 33 years ago as a thesis for my graduate studies at Atlanta University School of Social Work.  The research was more than just a paper; it had become a way of life and practice for me.  The elements of each chapter transformed into hundreds of life lessons and powerful experiences in my private practice with clients in search of emotional wellness.  I knew that somehow this approach to social and spiritual fulfillment in modern life must become a standard in the educational and practical process of all social work professionals. 

The demands of modern life make it difficult for us to strike a harmonious balance in the development of our spiritual, intellectual and physical aspects of self.  The pressures of life force us to give more attention to our intellectual growth.  In this western society, that is what counts in our educational path and in finding a “good job” etc.  Society as a whole values intellectual and physical growth as a way of reaching a so called successful life and career. 

Unfortunately, society does not place a high value on spiritual development.  With the advent of the industrial age, the technological and information age, and now the age of green technology and industrial forecasting, more and more demands are placed upon us with regard to our time and attention.  This will result into more stress and social problems throughout the world.  The social work profession must be prepared for the new era which will be the only way out, and that is the era of spirituality and practice.  We are brought up to associate spirituality with the rites and rituals of religious institutions.  In fact spirituality and religion are not one in the same.  Spirituality is the science of being; an individuals search for meaning and purpose in life.  Religion is the method of acknowledgment of that being; an organized structure of spiritual beliefs and practices.

The following excerpts from my substantive paper written in 1979 speak to the integration and acknowledgment of spirituality in social work practice.  Now 33 years later, the New Millennium offers permission to move into the mainstream of the profession with a psycho-spiritual message.

In Social Work, there is a need for the practitioner to have knowledge in the area of understanding a person holistically, the spiritual self as well as the biological, emotional and psychological self.  The majority of our Colleges and Universities do not encourage students to engage in what I consider to be in-depth perception of people as a four dimensional; psychical, social, psychological and spiritual being.  A great deal of emphasis is placed on the biological, social and physiological aspect of the individual.  These components are important in understanding human behavior.  However, the spiritual self is an essential component of the human being entirely.

The concept of consciousness has slowly developed since approximately 4000B.C.  The consciousness evolution is still developing, therefore, there is much to learn.  The spiritual self serves as a mediator between the biological, psychological and social self.  It serves to unify the conscious and subconscious level of functioning.  Without the most essential component of the self- the spiritual self, it is difficult to enhance the development of the human personality holistically.

My paper discussed two counseling approaches to healing. The first approach is basic social work counseling and the second approach is a metaphysical approach to counseling.  Most basic approaches tend to focus primarily on externals (economic, social, and political) or on partial internals (psychological, biological).  These approaches fail to focus on the wide range of spiritual resources available for individual maintenance and development of the self.  Metaphysical counseling approaches would enhance and broaden the student’s perspective of human development due the principals that focus on the internals which make up the whole person.

  Metaphysics is defined as the science that investigates first causes, natural laws, basic wisdoms and bodies of knowledge that pertain to the natural forces of the universe.  Those forces that govern the divine spiritual forces which manifests in the mundane material realm.  The purpose of this study is to introduce an alternative conceptual framework in which the social work practitioner can develop a habit for in-depth external and internal study of human development.  The metaphysical approach focuses on helping an individual to tap their own inner resources (spiritual in nature) in order to find self- awareness and peace within.  The spiritual approach intends to prepare the individual for re-discovering his/her own potential and for instructing the individual to get in touch with the inner divine mind of self.

A Masters Degree in Social Work implies that one has mastered a body of theory, principals and practices related to people in general.  However, it is of utmost importance to have first mastered significant theories, principals and practices of the self first.”

These excerpts reveal the initiation and foundation of my practice for the last 33 years which has now evolved into what I call “Soul Regeneration”, a psycho-spiritual approach to treatment.  Soul Regeneration addresses the connection between spiritual, emotional, bio-physiological and physical well-being.  The soul is a vital, immaterial life principle that must be recognized in the healing process.  To practice an approach that lends itself to acknowledging the damage to the soul offers a new paradigm in the integration of alternative contemplative practices in social work.  We are finally learning that integration of intellect and sprit is vital, and that no therapy that neglects the dimension of the soul is fit to be applied to human beings.  Soul Regeneration is an indicator of these transitions.  It is a beacon pointing to the future directions of the Social Wok profession.

The Time is Now!

It is time to begin taking the time to take care of ourselves.  Social Workers are always working to empower others. The time to empower ourselves is NOW!  If not now when?  I am doing some research right now on the state of health for Social Workers in America, and I must say it does not look too good to date.  The lost of a Social Work Colleague and friend to a stress related death encouraged me to take a stand.  My work in the area of Self Empowerment for Human Services Providers started in 1976 while attending Atlanta University School of Social Work.  It became clear to me that in order to master a set of practice theories and  models, as Social Workers do, we must start on a journey to master thyself first.  As we all know, graduate school or any school is not an easy task, however, the stress of gaining a higher level of education inspired me to have the desire of self discovery, learning to relax more and gaining a better opportunity for learning.  The story is long, however we have a lifetime to share and discuss these types of topics on the Mind Body Social Work Forum Blog.  Stay tuned for the introduction and more information on how to practice Mind Body Social Work, and share how you feel about your work in this open forum for discovering new ways of being and practicing. What I call the best profession in the world, Social Work.