For parents who are looking for someone to help their child through a difficult time, the world of mental health can be very confusing.  Within the sphere of mental health services there are psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, nurse practitioners, and social workers.  It can be a struggle to determine which type of mental health practitioner is the right type to provide the assistance your child needs.  Additionally, there are specialties within this sphere that can muddy the waters even more.

There is an easy way, however, to know who to turn to when your adolescent needs help.  It comes down to three things.  First, you need to choose someone who is a licensed and trained to assist people with mental health issues.  Second, you need to choose a practitioner that specializes in working with children, teens, and their families.  Third, you need someone who your child can connect with, someone they are comfortable with, and someone with whom they can develop a rapport.

This third element is why you may decide to pursue faith-based counseling.  Shared faith and beliefs can provide a foundation for the connection and rapport that can make all the difference in managing mental health.   Additionally, adolescence is one of the first times in life that people begin to question the beliefs that were handed down to them from their parents in an effort to establish themselves as a separate being.  Religious beliefs are one of these handed down belief systems that may be called into question and having a counselor to talk to who shares those beliefs can make this process less tumultuous.

Faith-based counseling can also be very beneficial for those families and teens that have a strong religious belief and practice.  For these families, their beliefs are so foundational to who they are and how their children are raised that it is critical to have a mental health practitioner who understands not only their faith but how integral that faith is to who they are and how they were raised.  Families and teens can seek the mental health services they need without feeling as though they need to disregard or defend their beliefs.

Some faith-based counseling programs and counselors approach treatment holistically and look to integrate the mental, relational, emotional, and spiritual aspects of care to help the whole person.  Faith-based mental health practitioners may combine faith, spirituality, theological concepts into the traditional therapeutic process.  This approach to mental health management believes that treating these types of problems works best when faith and modern science combine to treat the whole person.

If you feel this is the best approach for your family, make sure you look for faith-based practitioners who also meet the first two qualifications above.  They must be a licensed mental health practitioner and specialize in working with children, teens, and families.  Mental health problems can be very serious and it is crucial that the person you trust with your adolescent’s well-being is trained in treating mental health issues first and foremost.

Related articles

• May is National Mental Health Month (doorwaysarizona.com)
• Common Types of Psychotherapy (doorwaysarizona.com)
• About Doorways Arizona (doorwaysarizona.com)
• Finding Help for Your Teen (doorwaysarizona.com)

Now Hiring: Adolescent & Young Adult Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatrist PT, Independent Contractor

Doorways LLC. is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Providers at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety/OCD, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide prevention, and family counseling.

We are seeking a Part-Time, Independent Contract Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatrist; to work 1-2 days per week M-F, flexible hours, at our north Phoenix location.

Minimum Qualifications:   

• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Certification with current unrestricted license from the Arizona State Board of Nursing or Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine with current unrestricted license from the Arizona State Board of Medical Examiners
• Current DEA License, NPI Number
• Three or more years’ experience in the delivery of mental health treatment of adolescents and young adults
• Current CPR & First Aid Certifications
• Empaneled with at least one major insurance carrier in Arizona preferred.
• Individual malpractice insurance coverage
• Able to support a faith-based holistic, integrated model of treatment
• Energetic and passionate regarding working with the adolescent and young adult population
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills and the desire to grow with a rapidly expanding practice
• Team Player willing to work with a multidisciplinary team of professionals in treatment planning and provision of care

Responsibilities will include:

• Psychiatric evaluations and medication management of patients
• Prescribe, direct, and administer psychotherapeutic treatments and/or medications to treat mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.
• Collaborate with our team of professionals for best care practices in the treatment of adolescents, young adults and their families.

To apply, please submit cover letter and resume to Jan Hamilton, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Jan@doorwaysarizona.com.  For more information about Doorways go to http://www.doorwaysarizona.com

New Group Forming: Adolescent Summer DBT Group

Who:  Male and Female Adolescents ages 13-17. Group is limited to 12 members and is open enrollment.

What: Visually interactive, experiential, and educational group that teaches DBT life coping skills.

When: Every Friday, June 1st through July 20th from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (8 weeks)

Led By: Sam Lample, LPC and Christie Payne, LPC, RD

Where: Doorways Arizona, 1825 E. Northern Ave, Suite 200, Phoenix, Arizona 85020

Cost: $45 weekly ($360 total) or $300 total if paid by June 1st.

How: Call Trina at Doorways, (602) 997-2880, or email us at Trina@doorwaysarizona.com

This month, people all over the country will be working to spread awareness about mental health issues and the benefits of mental health treatment.  At the forefront of this effort is Mental Health America, the oldest community-based network committed to helping people live mentally healthier lives.  Since 1949, Mental Health America has been celebrating National Mental Health Month in May and encouraging everyone to become advocates for important changes to mental health policy and to help raise awareness about mental health conditions.

There are two themes selected for this year’s awareness and educational effort that may resonate with parents, teenagers, and families.

The first theme is Healing Trauma’s Invisible Wounds.  This part of the campaign focuses on how traumatic events can impact people and the larger community.   In many cases, traumatic events can have an overwhelming, often lifelong effect on the physical, emotional, and mental well being of those involved.  It isn’t uncommon for survivors and those around them to forget that the impact can be lasting after the exterior wounds have healed.  Raising awareness about how significant the impacts can be and how therapy can help is the goal of this part of the campaign.

For parents, understanding that trauma is more than just physical injury and that all trauma can leave lasting damage that needs to be treated can give them the information they need to get help for their child.

Traumatic events come in many shapes and sizes and go far beyond those circumstances that result in physical trauma.  According to the Healing Trauma’s Invisible Wounds literature, there are several different kinds of trauma including:

• Interpersonal Violence including physical, emotional, mental, and sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, and bullying.
• Social Violence including terrorism, war, and living under an oppressive political system.  This also includes the trauma experienced by serving in combat.
• Natural Disasters including hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, and floods.
• Accidental Causes like automobile accidents, sports injuries, or other serious injuries sustained under accidental circumstances.
• Chronic Social Stress including being a victim of racism, sexism, poverty, or cultural problems.
• Childhood Trauma which includes being neglected, having a parent who is an alcoholic or drug addict, living in a home where domestic violence is present, the loss of a parent, and being the victim of physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse.

Healing the wounds that traumatic events leave behind is critical in order to help survivors develop healthy coping mechanisms and behaviors.

The second theme is Do More for 1 in 4.  This part of the campaign seeks to increase awareness about the prevalence of mental health conditions amongst U.S. adults.  This call to action aims to inspire people to help the 1 out of every 4 adults who live with a diagnosable mental health condition to get the treatment they need and live the life they deserve.

For parents, understanding how mental health conditions can impact their teens and adolescents, and being open to getting adolescents the help they need early on in their life, can drastically change the course of their lives.

Join us in celebrating Mental Health Month and get involved.  Visit Mental Health America for more information.

Related Articles:

Are you overwhelmed by the types of Psychotherapy? Read this article to better understand.(Image via Marquette La on Flicker)

For parents new to the world of mental health, the different types of practitioners and the different therapeutic techniques can seem overwhelming.  The good news is that you don’t have to know all the answers in order to find a mental health professional that can help your child.  However, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of the most common types of psychotherapy in use today so that you can feel like you are making an informed decision.  To help you with that understanding, here are the basic definitions of the most common types of psychotherapy.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

One of the most common types of psychotherapy in use today, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is often combined with other techniques and methodologies to provide the most comprehensive treatment for a client.  In essence, the cognitive-behavioral approach to mental health rests on the idea that children learn what they live.  The environment a person is raised in, the circumstances of their upbringing, and the major events of their childhood and adolescence play a large role in who they become.  If a child is raised by parents that don’t express their emotions in a healthy manner, the child will mimic this dysfunctional response and may struggle to identify and express their own emotions.   Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT) works to replace those dysfunctional thought patterns, responses, and behaviors by introducing healthy alternatives and reinforcing the change through positive experiences.  As the problems each client is facing are different, the techniques, tools, and strategies used in CBT can vary and are generally specific to the needs of the individual client.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapy is also based around behavior but differs in that it seeks to use changes in behavior to change thought patterns and emotional responses.   This approach to psychotherapy is very structured and includes techniques like self-monitoring, role playing, and behavior modification.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy 

This type of psychotherapy combines cognitive-behavioral techniques geared at learning to regulate emotions and learn to identify reality versus perceptions with practices like mindfulness, acceptance, and distress tolerance.  It was primarily developed as a way to treat people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and is the first therapy to prove effective in helping those with BPD.  It also shows promise in helping those with spectrum mood disorders like self injury and can an effective approach for treating teens who exhibit cutting behaviors.

Humanistic Therapy

The Humanistic Therapy method of treating those with mental health concerns takes a very different approach than the behavior-based methodologies.  It centers on the concept of self-actualization and the idea that people are responsible for their own choices.  This means that childhood experiences, learned behaviors, and any resulting dysfunction are irrelevant, what matters is taking responsibility for the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors experienced.   Therapy may focus on major internal conflicts like acceptance, authenticity, and individualism.

Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytical Therapy

This is one of the oldest schools of thought around treating mental health concerns and centers on how someone’s childhood, upbringing, and parental relationships are impacting their current lives.  Although psychodynamic analysis may be part of a mental health professionals approach to treatment, it is not generally the only tool in their toolbox.

It is important to remember that these are not the only types or techniques used by mental health practitioners.  There are many other approaches and methods that are valid and proven to help those in need.  The most important factor in getting your child the help they need is to find a mental health professional that your child is comfortable with and partner with them to find the right approach for your child’s needs.

Related articles

• Finding Help For Your Teen (doorwaysarizona.com)
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder: What Parents Need to Know (doorwaysarizona.com)
• Is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Affecting My Teenager? (doorwaysarizona.com)

Doorways LLC, Hosts Tissues for Teens Donation Drive to Benefit Crisis Pregnancy Center of Greater Phoenix

Doorways LLC, a counseling clinic in Phoenix that specializes in working with adolescents, teens and young adults, is inviting the community to join them in a charity donation drive to help the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Phoenix.

Crisis Pregnancy Center has a “wish list” of much needed items and at the top of their wish list are boxes of tissues because they go through them like crazy! That’s why Doorway is hosting the “Tissues for Teens” donation drive through June 1^st, 2012.

The community can help Crisis Pregnancy Center by dropping off donations of new boxes of facial tissues to the Doorways clinic located at 1825 E. Northern Ave. Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85020.  The tissues will be distributed to Crisis Pregnancy Center during the first week in June.  For directions or any other information go to http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602.997.2880.

The Crisis Pregnancy Centers of Greater Phoenix, Inc. (CPC) was founded in 1982 with the vision of serving the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of women and families who are in crisis because of an unplanned pregnancy.

New Group Forming: Journey Group

Who:  Male and Female Adolescents ages 13-17.

What: A group combining biblical truth with psychology to help adolescents discover who they are, what hides the truth, and how to pursue a lifelong journey towards all we’re created to be.

When: Tuesdays, June 5th through July 24th from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Led By: Ben Woodruff, LMSW and Chase Kerrey, LPC

Where: Doorways Arizona, 1825 E. Northern Ave, Suite 200, Phoenix, Arizona 85020

Cost: $45 weekly ($360 total) or $300 total if paid by June 5th

How: Call Trina or Denora at Doorways, (602) 997-2880, or email us at Trina@doorwaysarizona.com

It Isn’t Just Our Teenagers

Distracted driving is everywhere in our society and it isn’t just our teenagers who are failing to give their full attention to the road while they are behind the wheel.  It is very likely that if you drove a car at any point in the last 24 hours, you did something that falls under the heading of distracted driving.  When we hear “Distracted Driving” many of us think it refers to teenagers texting while they drive, which is true, but only part of the problem.

It Isn’t Just About Texting

The term distracted driving has become almost synonymous with texting while driving, but it includes many other activities as well, some of which are very common occurrences during any daily commute.  Distracted driving is defined by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) as performing or participating in any activity that could divert the driver’s attention away from driving.  This means that most of the things we do in the car qualify as distracted driving and increase our likelihood of being in an accident.  The NHTSA lists the following activities as distractions that can cause a hazardous driving condition:

• Texting
• Using a SmartPhone for any activity
• Talking on the phone
• Talking to passengers
• Using a GPS
• Reading a map
• Drinking
• Eating
• Grooming (i.e. putting on mascara or lipstick)
• Messing with the radio

 Texting is the Worst

When you write and send a text message, you have to divert attention from driving to perform the functions required to look at the screen, type in the message, make sure the message is right, and then send it.  This means that you are stealing visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the act of driving which can result in very dangerous consequences.

The Hard Truth

The statistics don’t lie.  In 2009, the NHTSA indicates that 5,474 people died in car accidents where the driver was distracted and 10% of all accidents that year involved some kind of distracted behavior.   Teen drivers are much more likely to be in a fatal accident when they are distracted than any other age group.  Texting while driving makes it 23 times more likely that an accident will occur and sending an average text message takes the drivers eyes off the road for almost 5 seconds.  This is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field blind folded.   Using a headset for phone calls isn’t much safer than just holding the phone in your hand because it still diverts the same amount of cognitive attention.  In fact, research completed by the University of Utah found that using a cell-phone while driving, regardless of whether it is hands-free or not, causes the same delayed reaction drivers who are legally drunk experience.

What Parents Can Do

1.     Set a Good Example

If you don’t want your teens using their cell phones, eating, drinking, talking, or doing other distracting activities while driving, show them by practicing what you preach.

2.     Talk to Teens

Sit down with your teen and explain why distracted driving is so dangerous and what activities constitute distracted driving.  Being clear about which behaviors are putting them at risk will help them to make the right decision when it matters.

3.     Take the Pledge

As part of the NHTSA’s awareness campaign, they are asking individuals, families, businesses… really anyone who drives, to take the distraction-free driving pledge.  Avoiding taking those 5 seconds to send a quick text while driving could literally save your life.

 Related articles

• The Truth About Teenagers and Texting (doorwaysarizona.com)
• The Effect of Social Media on our Teens (doorwaysarizona.com)
• Video Aims to Convince Teens to “End the Send” (fox4kc.com)

44^th Annual Southwestern School for Behavioral Health Studies Conference

Workshop Topic:  Eating Disorders: Ineffective Coping and Misleading Values

When: August 20-23, 2012

What: This workshop will explore how maintaining an eating disorder involves the combination of a seemingly effective, yet ultimately ineffective coping strategy coupled with an extrinsically based value set. Specifically the presentation will examine the primary and secondary eating disorder functions and how they fuel body image distress. Values will also be explored in the context of both a maintaining factor and a treatment component. Upon completion of the workshop, learners will be able to:

1. Identify two eating disorder functions that could be used in treatment planning.
2. Understand body image distress from a CBT perspective to guide body image treatment.
3. Recognize the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic values to increase self-direction in persons with eating disorders.

Led by: Sam Lample, MA, PLC

Parents need to talk with their teens about steps to take to prevent teenage pregnancy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you have watched the news lately, you may have heard that the latest report from the CDC indicates the birth rate for teen mothers hit a record low in 2010.  This is great news!  However, even with the lower rate, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy says that more than 2,000 teenage girls will get pregnant today.  By the time they are 20, 3 out of every 10 girls will have been pregnant at least once but few of them will have considered the consequences of becoming a teen mother or understand how having a baby will change their life.

When it comes to preventing teen pregnancy, parents can have a big impact.  The CDC says that parents who talk to their teens about sex are more likely to be older when they start having sex and will use birth control more consistently.  Here are 4 ways parents can play a part in preventing teen pregnancy.

1.     Set Boundaries

Establishing boundaries about what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is important when you are raising children of any age, but when it comes to teenagers, clear expectations are crucial.  You want them to spread their wings and learn to make good decisions on their own but you need to provide a relatively safe space where they can do that.  This is where boundaries come in.  Setting boundaries like curfews, financial responsibilities, and expectations about sexual behavior are the key to letting your teenager test their wings while minimizing the risk.

2.     Talk About Sex

If sex is a taboo topic in your house, your teens won’t feel comfortable coming to you if they have questions or concerns and most importantly, when they need help.  Establishing an open, honest dialogue with your adolescent allows you to answer their questions with accurate information and cuts down on amount of misinformation they take as truth.  In order to guide your teen and be a source of support and wisdom, you all need to feel comfortable discussing sensitive subjects.

3.     Build a Good Relationship

This goes hand in hand with #2.  Having a good relationship with your adolescent means you can act as their guide, their mentor, and their conscience, rather than their warden or adversary.  Don’t mistake a good relationship that is built on trust, discipline, boundaries, and respect as permission to be your teenager’s friend or to abdicate your parental responsibilities in order to keep the ties close.

4.     Take a Stand

When it comes to teenagers and sex, you need to take a stand and tell them straight-up what expectations you have.  Before you can do this, you need to be very clear about where it is that you stand.  How do you feel about teenagers having sex?  What age would be “old enough” in your eyes?  How do you feel about birth control?  Why do you feel the way you do?  If you believe that teenagers shouldn’t have sex until they are 16 or 18, be ready to explain why as this can anchor your values more firmly in your teenagers mind.  They are more likely to adopt your views and live by the values you find important if they understand why you feel the way you do.

On May 2^nd, which is the 11^th annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, schedule in some family time and talk to your teen about sex, teen pregnancy, boundaries, and where you stand on the issues. Make sure one of the voices they hear when they are faced with the tough decisions ahead of them is yours.

Related articles

• U.S. teen birth rate drops to a record low (fox13now.com)
• Body Image Tips for Pregnant Women (doorwaysarizona.com)
• Let’s Make April Alcohol Free (doorwaysarizona.com)