Meier Clinics
Newsletter  Inspiration, Insight & Information
AUGUST 2010
In this issue
:: Symmetry in Scripture - A devotional from Focus on the Family
:: Hospital Programs
:: Therapy is a Family Affair - A message from Timberline Knolls
:: The Dog Days of Summer
QUICK FIXES, BAD ENDINGS

By Nadia Persun, Ph.D.

   The book market is booming with self-help books on personal and relationship improvement: how to get happy, rich, lucky in love, and so on. There are plenty of reading choices with a variety of recipes for an increase in happiness and quality of life. A common element among many is that change is easy and accessible to all.

   Who are the authors? I don't want to scrutinize the credentials of many of these self-proclaimed "personhood" and relationship gurus. All I can say is, based on my basic research on some of them, readers are lucky if the source has a basic, rudimentary understanding of psychology and comes from a manageable and managed level of personal psychopathology. Often "credentials" for such authors are not their professional diplomas or licenses, earned through years of study, work, and practice, but their personal experiences and opinions. The schooling and professional training are replaced by "learning on the road:" encountered problems and struggles, with an eventual degree of refuge and a "good enough" solution. Such journeys alone often provided the authors with an inspiration and a self-proclaimed expertise to write life management manuals.

   I like the idea of learning from life, observing and analyzing personal experiences. It creates interesting journaling entries and narratives to share with others. But is it enough to proclaim your personal recipes a success to be generalized to others? Is it safe to be packaged as a granule of personal victory and be rushed to the world to enlighten and help change lives? On a practical side, why should it matter if personal stories and opinions that are well packaged, wrapped in pretty covers and given enticing titles can be transformed into a new age gospel and sold for a quick buck? Free country, free choices: anybody with something to say shall be heard, while those choosing to buy risk the consequences.

   Who are the readers? They are men and women with different levels of cognitive and emotional capacity, who digest these readings according to their individual ability. The main problem here is that our "digestive" and "filtering" capacities are so different. Some readers are in a precarious situation because they may be very young, immature, or ill. They don't have good emotional stamina to figure out which books are good, which books are bad, and what parts of even the best book can be applied to their own circumstances. People are unique, while many of these self help books are jammed with generalities and personal biases. These books don't come with "how to use manuals," cautions, and limitations. There are plenty of warnings, however.

   Just like many Hollywood blockbusters, some of the best selling self improvement books are for entertainment and are not life guiding manuals. Even the best of them are to be used with reservation. If it's so easy to fix an emotional issue, we would all get better by watching Dr. Phil's show once in a while. We know that change does not happen that way. That real insight is hard earned, and change is a process of personal work while leaning on and trusting God. Genuine personal transformation into a qualitatively better and happier self is a joint endeavor in which friends, family, spiritual advisors at church and, hopefully, a qualified therapist take part. It's not a journey to be done alone. You may have to face your own vulnerable spots and imperfections, admit wrongdoing, and (ouch) accept your own need to change.

   Despite our cultural fascination with quick fixes and the instant appeal of easy solutions, there is no quick repair for a broken heart, wounded soul, or a damaged relationship. The cure requires time, effort, perseverance, and good social and spiritual support. We need to cultivate more of an attitude of patience, humbleness, and repentance, while carefully considering recovery choices and limiting our reliance on quick psychological fix books. When using them, we must do so with care and the support of a trained therapist. Also, let's pay attention to the authors' credentials; it does not hurt to have some professional training and expertise in the subject matter one is discussing. These steps may help avoid potential worsening of personal and interpersonal problems and a trail of new disappointments.

 

__________ _ _ _ __________

Nadia PersunNadia Persun is a licensed clinical psychologist and a certified instructor in Family Wellness Curriculum.  She currently counsels clients at the Wheaton, IL, Meier Clinics and is very active in Family Bridges, a non-profit established to help build healthy families and relationships.  Dr. Persun and her husband are the parents of twin boys.


 
Symmetry in Scripture

 

By Glenn Lutjens, LMFT

   

    When you look at the shape of a house, do you like symmetry? Some people do, some don't. Personally, I like the balance that symmetry in architecture provides. Without it, things seem to be a bit lopsided.

    When looking for balance, there are few places that evidence it more than what we find in the pages of Scripture. As we read it, we frequently see two truths that are found in a setting with tension.

    One example is found in Lamentations 3:16-24. In verses 16-20, Jeremiah just pours out his heart; he is completely honest with his pain and hurts. In verse 16, speaking about God, he says, "He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust." I haven't chomped on rocks lately, but I would imagine that it's about as low as you can get! But in verse 21, Jeremiah says, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope." After expressing the deep sorrows of life in the preceding verses, he makes a choice to look at the truth beyond the pain; the truth that can only be found in God's unfailing love.

    You and I have the same choice that Jeremiah experienced. We can get consumed by the pains in life. Or we can make a choice to look at the truth beyond our pain, at the nature of God and what He can mean to the heartaches we encounter. Fortunately, it's not an "either or," it's a "both and" situation. I believe we each have a tendency towards one end of the spectrum or the other. But if both are found in the Bible, then each one must have a place in our daily lives. It's not about the lopsided view of just the pain. If we solely do that, it's like getting caught in the spin cycle of life. And it's not just about looking for the silver lining. But when we do both, we experience a greater stability, not because life is easy, but because God desires to hold us amidst the great challenges of our lives. Be honest with the pain - lean into it, feel it, express it, but also choose to look at the truth beyond it as well. That's one of the great symmetries of Scripture.

 ________ __ ________
 
Glen LutjensGlenn Lutjens is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Colorado Springs.  Along with his private practice, he is a counselor with Focus on the Family.  Glenn and his wife, Elizabeth, have been blessed with three children.  For more information on Focus on the Family, visit
www.focusonthefamily.com.

HOSPITAL PROGRAMS NOW AVAILABLE

The Meier Clinics Faith-Based Inpatient Programs are designed for individuals who need more intensive treatment than is available through Outpatient or Day programs.  Patients will receive personalized care through individual and group counseling from dedicated and caring professional staff.  After completion of the inpatient program, patients may continue building on the skills they have learned by attending the Meier Clinics Intensive Outpatient or Partial Hospitalization programs.

Some of the common issues treated include:
suicidal thoughts, anxiety/panic attacks, bi-polar disorder, alcohol/drug addiction, depression, delusional thinking, eating disorders, co-occurring disorders, schizophrenia, self-injury, sexual abuse and addiction, anger/rage, and more.

There are two programs to choose from:
Cedar Hills Hospital, Portland, OR
University Behavioral Health, El Paso, TX

If you or someone you know might benefit from a brief inpatient treatment program, please contact our Intake Specialists at 888-7CLINIC (888-725-4642).

YOU ARE INVITED

to visit Meier Clinics Foundation
now on

Facebook


"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve.
"

Jeremiah 17:10

Therapy is a Family Affair
 at Timberline Knolls

     

    When it comes to therapy, the clinical staff at Timberline Knolls believes that family is one of the most important components in restoring a resident's health. Since the family often has the most influence and proximity to a resident, it is vital that each family member knows how to communicate and support a patient's treatment goals to provide the assistance patients need through treatment and beyond.

     During family treatment, Timberline Knolls staff work to include all family members in therapy. By examining family roles, clarifying boundaries and improving communication skills, Timberline Knolls shows residents how to enhance their freedom and joy within the family. Individual family therapy sessions are scheduled weekly and the goals of the overall treatment, and of a particular session, determine who attends each session. The family therapist meets initially with the resident to build an alliance and gain perspective on the resident's view of the family work ahead.  Sometimes the family therapist will meet with family members without the resident present to obtain family history and gain the family's perspective on the work to be accomplished.

     "Having a family member involved in the recovery process can often mean the difference between temporary and life-changing treatment," said Catherine Weigel Foy, LCSW, LMFT, family therapist at Timberline Knolls with more than 25 years of experience helping families handle their unique challenges. "Family members are able to learn about and support a resident's treatment goals, and patients learn about and support their families' goals, forming a shared mission." 

     Multi-Family Group is a psycho-educational forum for adult family members of all TK residents and meets three times per month in order to provide an alliance with TK professional staff, educate families about their loved one's illness and develop strategies for managing it. Family Dynamics Group provides an arena where the inner workings of families are explored through the same topics discussed in Multi-Family Group. Residents also learn that they are not alone in their struggles, and gain insight and strategies for addressing their family dilemmas. Family members are encouraged to attend therapeutic services available in the family's community, including 12-Step Groups like Alanon and Families Anonymous, which provide a community to family members who are often isolated due to their loved one's difficulties.

     At TK, no patient is isolated in the recovery process.   By integrating family into treatment sessions, patients and their families are able to increase communication and work together towards understanding and tolerance of each other's perspective, a major step toward an individual's acceptance of herself and a vital component to the healing process.

_____ _ _____


Timberline Knolls is a residential treatment center for females, ages 12 and older, nestled in a wooded area in a southwestern suburb of Chicago.  Meier Clinics provides Christian counseling services  for those residents who request it.   For more information about TK, call 877-257-9611 or visit their website at www.timberlineknolls.com.

The Dog Days of Summer
are upon us and many across the nation are looking for relief from the summer heat.  While the hot temperatures may be uncomfortable, we know that relief is generally not far off.  
     Unfortunately, many around the country don't have hope of relief - not from hot temperatures but from despair, anxiety, fear, depression, and many other mental health issues.  They can barely afford the food, clothes and shelter their family needs to make it through each day.  So they continue to live without joy or hope because they certainly can't afford counseling.
     To help someone find compassionate care and hope for the future, please consider making a donation today.
Phone:  800-848-8872
Online:  www.meierclinics.org
Mail:  MCF, 2100 Manchester Road, Suite 1510, Wheaton, IL 60187-4561

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MCF is a 501(c)(3), non-profit.  Donations are tax deductible within IRS regulations.
Thank your for taking time out of your day to read our newsletter.  We hope it has been encouraging and enlightening.  If there is a topic you would like us to address in the future, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]

If you would like to speak with one of our staff members, please call us at 888-7CLINIC to be directed to the Meier Clinics nearest you.  Or you may contact us by e-mail at [email protected].