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Offering Healing, Wholeness and Hope to Those in Need and Educating Others for This Service January 2015
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1814 Clairmont Rd · Decatur GA · 30033 · 404.636.1457 · www.cccgeorgia.org
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Happy 2015! We hope that your year is off to a good start!
This edition of Living Hope focuses on children. Whether you are an educator, coach, parent, aunt/uncle, or caring neighbor, we hope you'll find these articles to be helpful.
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According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is a normal part of childhood. "The difference is that children with anxiety disorders experience their fears as something catastrophic," says Dr. Miller, a researcher and educator at the University of British Columbia.
HealthDay reports that some parents make things worse for their anxious kids by falling into the "protection trap" -- reassuring children, lavishing them with attention, or making the threat go away. Lindsay Holly, author of a study recently published in Child Psychiatry and Human Development, indicates that comforting and reassuring children is helpful, whereas the "protection trap" reinforces anxiety. Holly suggests encouraging children "to do brave things that are small and manageable."
Concerned parents can assess young children for anxiety disorders by asking themselves the following questions:
- Is your child more shy or anxious than other children his or her age?
- Is your child more worried than other children his or her age?
According to Dr. Miller, answering yes to either question is a strong predictor of a current or future anxiety disorder.
Children with anxiety disorders most likely need help from a professional. Click here for signs and symptoms.
Parents can learn more here about helping anxious children.
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BULLYING
According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, 28% of U.S. students in grades 6-12 have experienced bullying, while a full 70.6% of young people say they have seen bullying.
Stopbullying.gov details how bullying -- unwanted, aggressive behavior involving a power imbalance --negatively affects everyone involved. Bullying is linked to mental health issues, conduct issues, substance use, and even suicide. Click here to learn more about what all parties can do - educators, parents, those who bully, those who are bullied, and bystanders.
The Bully Project is a campaign initiated by kids to educate the public about bullying. A primary vehicle is the film Bully, directed by Emmy-award winning filmmaker Lee Hirsch. The campaign includes materials for educators, parents, students, and advocates, developed in conjunction with the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Here are two strategies from the project that can be implemented at school and reinforced at home:
- Make sure your child has a positive relationship with at least one school adult - someone who will listen and provide support.
- Embed social emotional learning into the education system to develop social emotional intelligence (SEI) among children. See the article below on building SEI.
Cyberbullying is a closely related phenomenon that increasingly affects students. Learn more here. Parents should also be alert to the possibility of sibling bullying; according to HealthDay, youngsters bullied by siblings were "more than twice as likely to report depression or self-harm at age 18 as those who weren't bullied by siblings. They were also nearly twice as likely to report anxiety as they entered adulthood."
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POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY:
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Social Emotional Intelligence (SEI) is one of the key character strengths said to comprise one's humanity, as outlined by the VIA Institute on Character. Cultivating SEI helps us:
- Improve awareness of our own feelings and motives, as well as the feelings and motives of others.
- Improve regulation of our feelings and behaviors.
- Enhance navigation of social situations.
- Better understand what makes other people tick.
Learn more about the components of SEI here. According to researchers, SEI is a key to stamping out bullying behavior, and that's not all. Daniel Goleman, psychologist and bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence, reports that, "... companies worldwide routinely look through the lens of (emotional intelligence) in hiring, promoting, and developing their employees."
SEI is built by learning how to reduce stress, remain focused, and stay connected to ourselves and others. It includes development of verbal and nonverbal communication skills, effective use of humor, and honing conflict resolution skills to navigate challenging situations with confidence.
As we improve our SEI, we automatically begin to positively influence those around us through modeling. If you would like to improve your SEI, consider working with one of our therapists at CCCG. Your efforts will create positive ripples throughout your community.
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PREVENTING TEEN SUICIDE
Did you know that suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24 (CDC)? A new study indicates that family rejection could be potentially deadly for teens already at risk for suicide.
"Family invalidation refers to a lack of acceptance of individuals' sense of self and their emotions," said lead researcher Shirley Yen, an associate professor of psychiatry at Brown University. "This could mean anything from not accepting an aspect of their child's identity or preferences, such as sexuality, to telling their child they should not feel the way they do, such as feeling depressed or anxious."
Even parents who make efforts to accept their teens may be turning up the pressure inadvertently. For example, some teens feel that they are only lovable when they are succeeding in school or in sports. To avoid this pitfall, experts recommend that adult caretakers encourage efforts ("You gave it your all today!") rather than praising outcomes ("You won!").
The American Psychological Association reports that mental illness is the leading risk factor for suicide. Learn more about warning signs of teen suicide here.
If you know a teen who is at immediate risk of a suicide attempt, please urge them to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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(404) 636-1457
www.cccgeorgia.org
When faced with daily life challenges, it can be hard to distinguish a real problem from a normal struggle everyone faces at some point. In either case, working with a professional counselor can be a positive, healthful experience.
If you or a loved one are dealing with issues that might benefit from speaking with a counselor, please contact us to schedule an appointment.
And join our growing Facebook and Twitter Community. Get tips on mental health, wellness,new groups and workshops, and some positive inspiration.
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NEW ACCESS FOR
THE NEW YEAR
As part of the CCCG mission, we continually strive to expand accessibility of our services. Our staff serve at 24 locations around Atlanta and North Georgia plus our main office in Decatur, bringing clinical care directly into the community. Our therapists work on a sliding scale and accept a wide array of insurance policies to make counseling financially accessible for most. We work hard to secure grants for those with truly limited means, and our residents provide low fee services as well. We have an elevator at our main location so that clients with physical challenges can comfortably access our therapy rooms.
To further enhance accessibility of services, we have expanded our Decatur campus' clinical hours to include more evening and weekend time slots. We are now open until 9:00 pm on Wednesday evenings and from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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CCCG cannot do this work without YOUR support.
There are many reasons to give. Everyone knows someone who has needed help along the way. CCCG offers support through challenging times. Our counselors, residents and chaplains are present to hear the stories of doubt, pain, sadness, resilience and hope.
Give for the moms and daughters that struggle, the dads and sons that want to cry out, the elders that want to age gracefully and the caregivers that carry the world on their shoulders each day. These are the reasons to give.
Your gift does make a difference!
For Example:
- A gift of $25 helps provide art supplies for working with children.
- A gift of $65 sponsors a counseling session for a family in crisis.
- A gift of $100 supports a grief group to help those who have lost a loved one.
- A Gift of $250 provides psychological testing for things like ADHD, depression and other mental health challenges.
- A gift of $500 helps provide chaplaincy care at Grady Hospital.
Make a donation on honor of a friend or family member and we'll send them a card acknowledging your thoughtfulness.
Give the Gift of Healing, Hope, and Education
Thank you for your generous support!
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Girl Time, Gurl Talk - A group for teen girls providing support and education. Learn how to handle stress, managing feelings and changing moods, and teen self-care practices and routines. With Angela Mendez, LPC, Saturdays from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., $20 per group. Contact Angela at 404-636-1457 x 438, amendez@cccgeorgia.org.
FREE Happy Hour Yoga Class - In Decatur with Stephanie Foxman. This is a traditional yoga class including yoga postures and breathwork. Drop-ins are welcome. First Thursday monthly, 5:00-5:45 pm. FREE.
New series of DBT Mindfulness Groups - with Becky Anne. Contact ranne@cccgeorgia.org or 404.636.1457 x 420 for more information.
Premarital Workshop - At The Cathedral of St. Philip (Atlanta) with Doyle Hamilton - upcoming dates include January 31st, February 21st, March 21st, and April 18th, 2015 - $150 per couple.
Click here for a complete listing of all CCCG groups and workshops.
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 Care and Counseling Center of Georgia HEALING- CCCG Chaplains meet the needs of people who experience crisis, loss or pain in several of the metro Atlanta hospitals, hospices, and prisons. HOPE - CCCG Counselors and residents with an integration of sound clinical practice and deep understanding and respect for the sacred self are trained and serve those of every age, gender, race, creed, sexual orientation, and ethnic background, and makes our services affordable to all. EDUCATION - CCCG educates resident counselors and chaplains to serve in places where lives are falling between the cracks and trains them to help bring healing and hope in to those in need. For more Information go to www.cccgeorgia.org |
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