Maureen Werrbach

When I worked at a day program for adults with chronic mental illness, we were always brainstorming new program/group ideas. Every few months, we would look at attendance, participation, and member feedback for adding or taking out groups. I have decided to put to paper various groups that are great ideas for this type of day program. Typically, groups are categorized as skill building, recovery related, expressive arts, support groups, or social activities. Below are examples from each category.

Do you remember those rainy Sunday afternoons as a child when you felt defeated by boredom? Maybe you walked around your house aimlessly or searched through your bedroom for some toy or something that would capture your attention for the next hour. We all have had moments of boredom in our lives, but what if life itself becomes drab?

As counselors, we have all come across instances where a client engages in a lie or dishonest behavior. As a new counselor and someone who uses a client’s self disclosure to provide treatment recommendations, I have struggled with what to do when I feel that a client is being dishonest. It seems important that the information that I get is accurate (since I only meet with a client once) so that I can provide an appropriate treatment recommendation. I have reflected for quite some time on how to develop a stance that allows me to support my clients and help them through the process even if they are being dishonest.

The patient sitting in front of me is sobbing as she describes her battle with depression and her suicide attempt tonight. I fight the urge to start counseling her, and continue to ask questions. This is one of the hardest parts of the work I do, to not feel compelled to go into the helper mode.

The issue isn’t new, yet the subject of bullying has been brought into awareness recently as a major concern among children and adolescents. No longer is bullying expressed through means such as physical fighting, gossip, intimidation, social exclusion, note passing, and threatening looks, but through various channels like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, E-mail, text messages, instant messages and other social networking sites.