Learning From The Past and Planning For The Future
MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT April 19, 2002 "The mind is a series of functions carried out by the brain." - Eric Kandel
Short Subjects
LINKS
Mental Health Moment Online CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
The Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services-I (DMHS-I) course will be offered in Cheyenne, WY on Friday-Saturday, May 3-4, 2002.
APA/NIDRR Conference, "Bridging Gaps: Refining the Disability Research Agenda for Rehabilitation and the Social Sciences." May 29-31, 2002, Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC
June 7 - 12, 2002
Brain Development and Cognition in Human Infants: Emergence of Social Communication: Hands, Eyes, Ears, Mouths Chair: V. Volterra (Roma) Location: Acquafredda di Maratea (near Naples), ItalyJune 11 - 15, 2002
Third International Conference on Child & Adolescent Mental Health Location: Brisbane, Queensland, AUSTRALIA Contact: Conference Secretariat: Tracy Collier, Elsevier Science, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1865 843 297; Fax: +44 (0) 1865 843 958; Email: t.collier@elsevier.co.ukJuly 7 - 12, 2002 25th International Congress of Applied Psychology Location: SINGAPORE Contact: CEMS Pte Ltd, 1 Maritime Square, #09-43 World Trade Centre, Singapore 099253 Tel: +65278-8666; Fax: +65-278-4077 Email: cemssvs@singnet.com.sg
CAPE COD INSTITUTE: June 24-August 30, 2002. 25 Timely/Lively Weeklong CE Courses by Master Teachers Behavior On-line, Inc. with Professional Learning Network, LLC Toll-Free: (888) 394-9293; Email: prolearning@behavior.net.
SUICIDE IN ELDERLY ASSOCIATED WITH HETEROGENEOUS MENTAL DISORDERS
Several different mental disorders are commonly found among older people who kill themselves, Swedish investigators report in the March issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/430936?srcmp=psy-040502
REPORT: DEPRESSION RESEARCH SUPPORTS DUAL-BRAIN THEORY
Researchers have discovered that by activating the unaffected half of the brain, a person's despression can improve. Mental Health Weekly 12(11) 2002 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/430189?srcmp=psy-032902
DUAL-DIAGNOSIS PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOCUS ON MAKING GRADUAL PROGRESS
Co-occurring substance abuse and psychiatric illness is a significant problem facing mental health systems today. Behavioral Health Accreditations & Accountability Alert 7(4) 2002 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431186?srcmp=psy-041202
AGENCIES, STATES MOVING TOWARD DUAL-DIAGNOSIS COMPETENCY
Clinicians don't have to become experts in 2 specialties in order to serve the dually diagnosed client. Mental Health Weekly 12(13) 2002 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431286?srcmp=psy-041202
A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF THOSE WITH DISABILITIES
A new interactive Web-based training and awareness program will give faculty and staff throughout the Penn State system a glimpse into the lives of those with disabilities. Titled "In Their Shoes," the interactive format utilizes graphics, sound and Web technology that provides a glimpse of what it's really like to have functional limitations that substantially alter a major life activity, such as learning, seeing, hearing or functioning socially. The Web-based program, located at http://www.aa.psu.edu/intheirshoes, is 15-20 minutes in length with a pre- and post-test and a built in evaluation component. The full story is at: http://www.aa.psu.edu/ur/releases/2002/04_03_02.htm
HOW TO DO COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN
CBT is an appealing option for clinicians working with children experiencing emotional and behavioral problems. Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter 18(4) 2002 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/430717?srcmp=psy-041202
There is a perception among people in organizations that those on top of the ladder have privileges that those below do not enjoy. That is true in certain respects (e.g. pay, perks, authority, power). However, what is not commonly perceived is that the apparent double standard cuts both ways. With pay, perks, authority, and power comes a responsibility to manage perceptions, especially perceptions which may or may not have much in common with reality. You cannot possibly interact with every person who sees you or hears something you have said or that someone else has said about you. While others in your organization may be positively biased and interpret your actions and words in the best possible light, this is not necessarily true for the public as a whole. People form their impressions from very little evidence -a newspaper report, a comment taken out of context, or an action without adequate explanation. Just about everything you say and do can be amplified by the media, by analysts, and, of course, by the ever-present rumor mill. An additional place is the internet. Accordingly, it is important to manage your own personal and professional actions in order to make sure that the perception of everyone in the organization, and everyone in the viewing public, is as accurate and positive as possible. You must serve as a model for your whole organization and for the public. You are not excused from being a role model by whatever talent you have or by your position. Being a role model is part of the price for taking on the mantle of leadership. Your standards have to be impeccable because every gesture you make is open to interpretation. Like the forest in Huxley's (1946) "Brave New World", the new world of leadership calls for constant attention. It is easy to see why some leaders hire people to create and maintain their image. Image-making and spin control may seem like a sham. However, the need for some of it is clear. Many people will interpret such actions as "it's all about appearances". There is a grain of truth to that. However, does being careful about appearance mean that you are being disingenuous or inauthentic? It doesn't have to. Organizational leaders often fail to appreciate the import of an act or comment. It is important to consider appearances more carefully than ever. This is not just about protection of reputation. It isn't that shallow. Worrying about appearances gets straight to the essence of character. Worrying about appearances, and adjusting behavior to maintain the faith and trust of the people who listen to you and act on your suggestions is a profound act. Appearance is not the first thing to consider. Appearances alone cannot maintain faith and trust. Consideration must also be given to the action itself and the motivation behind it. It is perhaps better to err on the side of avoiding anything that might be considered OK for a typical worker but could be misinterpreted in a leader. It is a little like a judge who dismisses him/herself from a case for even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Leaders have to set higher standards for their own behavior because appearances are indeed sometimes more important than fact. Some key questions to ask oneself include: "Could this be misinterpreted and held against me or the organization?" "Could this be misinterpreted by others in a way that would shake his/her faith in the leadership?" As a leader you raise your behavior to the point where it is above reproach, where even your detractors cannot twist it or see it in a different way. Observers have to see a consistency of your behavior at the highest ethical standards. Behaving this way does not just mean that you cannot ever win an argument again. It means that you don't have to enter one. After all, people are investing their future in your organization. They have to see with absolute clarity that the values of the organization start at the very top. Workers and others may know you only by reputation. In a very real sense, your reputation is everything. The perception of fairness extends to nearly every transaction between executives and their organizations. It extends outside the organization as well. Acting above reproach is important on every level. Modeling is also important. Brain researchers tell us that given ambiguity, the human mind always seems to decipher what it perceives as negative. The brain's system has been programmed to protect us - to amplify negative presumptions and minimize the positive (Cooper & Sawaf, 1997). The higher you get in an organization, the more people notice you and the greater are the implications of your behavior. You have to manage others' perceptions, not just your own reality (Kouzes & Posner, 1995). Whatever you call it, it means setting a standard above reproach - inside, where it counts - and then acting on it. *******************************************************************************
REFERENCES Cooper, R.K. & Sawaf, A. (1997). Executive EQ New York: Grosset/Putnam. Huxley, A. (1946). Brave New World. New York: Harper & Row. Kouzes, J.M. & Posner, B.Z. (1995). The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Things Done in Organizations, 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. To search for books on disasters and disaster mental health topics, leaders, leadership, orgainizations, crisis intervention, leaders and crises, and related topics and purchase them online, go to the following url: https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/searchbooks.html ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** Contact your local Mental Health Center or check the yellow pages for counselors, psychologists, therapists, and other Mental health Professionals in your area for further information. ********************************************************************** George W. Doherty O'Dochartaigh Associates Box 786 Laramie, WY 82073-0786 MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT Online: https://www.angelfire.com/biz3/news
