A Simplified Summer: The Work/Life Balance

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In today’s society, everyone is doing more. More homes are two-working-parent families; people in general are working more hours; children are encouraged to be involved in more activities and organizations; everyone is encouraged to help out at this volunteer activity or that church supper. So how do we find balance when everyone is going zero to one hundred all day, every day? Especially with school beginning soon, how do you find a good routine for your family that leaves everyone happy and healthy? Check out our tips for staying sane, balanced, and - most importantly - happy as a working parent. 

1. Come together at least once a week. Carve out a specific time during the week that your family intentionally spends time together. Turn off the TV, cell phones, emails and other electronics and spend at least an hour doing something together. This could be dinner every Friday, pancakes every Sunday morning, or even a game night in the middle of the week. Whatever it is, make it a point to have and respect this time your family spends together.

2. Reduce. Take away extra things in your routine that stress you out, or delegate tasks to others. For instance, if you are constantly stressing mid-week about extra events that have come up, start taking a few minutes on Saturday or Sunday to make a calendar for the next week. If you’re self-employed and know you work better late at night after your kids are asleep, look at restructuring your work schedule to better fit your needs.

Tip: For chores and to-do’s around the house, get your kids involved. Not just normal chores, but things that require skill and can be fun learning experiences. Have older children help plan out, make dinner and set the table. Everyone will be wondering how you manage to work, play AND teach etiquette skills!

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3. Prioritize. You may be scoffing, thinking “I am the queen/king of prioritizing, this is always rule #1!” But hear me out – you don’t need to only be prioritizing YOUR time; you need to be teaching your children to prioritize their time as well. With so many opportunities for children to get involved, it can be easy to feel pressure to take on too much. And as a parent, it can be stressful trying to prioritize your work when you have three different places to drive your kids to on any given afternoon. Sit down and decide what is most important, then go from there.

Tip: For kids, start small. Have them choose one sport or extracurricular activity and see how scheduling goes. If they can take on more, great. If they can't, it is much easier to reevaluate when you've got one activity as opposed to three or four.

4. Say goodbye to guilt. Although working parents are becoming (and have been) the norm, it can still be easy for parents, especially working mothers, to fall into the trap of feeling guilty about their dual roles. Here’s the secret – nothing is ever going to be perfect, no matter if you work 40, 20, or 0 hours outside your home. Embrace things that are going well and stay optimistic about the things that didn’t go exactly according to plan. 

Tip: Feeling guilty that you don’t spend enough time with your children? In a study done in 2007, most children didn’t wish for their parents to spend more time with them – in fact, they were happy with the amount of time their parents spent with them. Instead, they said they wished their parents were less stressed or tired. See above for our tips on that!

Do you have any tips for how you juggle the work-life balance? Let us hear them in the comments!

A Simplified Summer: Managing Your Child's Attention Disorder

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For many of us, summer is now in full swing. Summer means more time to spend as a family, less stress from schoolwork and lots of free time. However, for parents of children with attention disorders, summer can be stressful as they work to manage their children's behavior in such an unstructured time. To combat that stress, we've compiled a few simple tips to keep your summer running smoothly.

1. Keep a summer structure: Children with ADD/ADHD respond more positively when they have some kind of structure in their lives that helps keep them focused and attentive. Although you don’t have to plan out the entire day, try to allot time periods for specific activities. For instance, setting aside the hour or two after lunch to have nap or quiet time, eating meals around the same time, and setting a specific bedtime (see #3!). 

Tip: Look for a local day camp in your area that meets 2-3 times a week. These camps normally provide your child with numerous activities, social interaction with other children, and stay on a flexible schedule. This can also be especially helpful for working parents.

2. Keep it flexible: Not only can children get overwhelmed when they have too many things to do, but as a parent, worrying about scheduling every minute can create added stress for you. Don’t worry about small mishaps or schedule changes – focus on consistency. Additionally, let your children help you plan their days. Ask them what a few things they'd like to do during the summer are and encourage them to use their imagination to come up with new, fun activities for your family.

3. Set a bedtime: This goes right along with keeping a schedule. Research has shown that children with ADD/ADHD are more likely to have difficulties sleeping and getting a good night’s rest. Even though children don’t have to get up for school, try to enforce a reasonable bedtime and continue with a normal bedtime routine. 

Tip: 30 minutes before bedtime, spend time reading, listening to music, or discussing the day with your child.

4. Get outside: Studies have shown that children with ADD/ADHD show fewer symptoms when they spend time in nature. This so-called “green time” is great not only for children with attention disorders, but the whole family. Spending time at the park, the pool, or even in your own background is a great way to get your children playing, learning, and engaging in the great outdoors. 

Tip: Check out this compilation of fun outdoor activities your family can do together (via A Girl and a Glue Gun).

http://www.agirlandagluegun.com/2014/05/outdoor-games-to-play-in-summmmmer.html

5. Give everyone private time: Although time together is wonderful and necessary, parents and children both still need time to themselves. Make sure you carve out at least an hour or two each day for your child to spend time occupying themselves and time for you to decompress and relax. As a parent, taking care of your children and creating a stable, loving household begins with taking care of yourself. 

Have any tips you use during the summer with your children? We'd love to hear them!

Types of Therapies

Therapists use a wide variety of techniques to treat clients, dependent on the client's needs and what the therapist believes will be the most helpful. Ever wondered what kind of therapies we use? Check out our infographic to see six techniques we use and what each of them encompasses. 

Information from: 

Cognitive Behavioral 
http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/treatment_and_therapy_psychologist/psychologist_cognitive_behavioral_therapy.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy 

Ecletic

http://psychcentral.com/therapy.htm 

http://www.crchealth.com/types-of-therapy/what-is-eclectic-therapy/

Family Systems

http://www.crchealth.com/types-of-therapy/what-is-family-therapy/

Mindfulness-based

http://mbct.com/

http://staroversky.com/blog/applying-mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy-to-treatment-of-depression 

Play Therapy

http://cpt.unt.edu/about-play-therapy/what-is-play-therapy/

http://www.behavioradvisor.com/PlayTherapy.html

Solution focused brief

http://www.goodtherapy.org/solution-focused-therapy.html

http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/8/2/149

Q&A with Jennifer

This is our first post, so we want our readers to get better acquainted with the (wonder) woman behind this blog, Jennifer Venable-Humphrey. Jennifer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Private Independent Practice (PIP) owner of Social Work Solutions, LLC, located in Prattville, Ala. Jennifer has a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Alabama (1996) and has spent 18 years in the mental health industry - 12 of those in private practice. Jennifer’s focuses include grief and loss, helping families navigate transitions, and mood disorders and disregulation.  

Jennifer answered a few questions about herself and her work, and we hope this gives you insight into who Jennifer is and why she is so passionate about social work.

Q: Why did you choose to enter the social work/mental health field?

A: Social workers are the largest group of mental health providers in the country. I chose social work because its core values and ideals of self determination, emphasis on the importance of relationships, and promotion of social justice aligned with my own core values. I initially focused on working with children and families because of my desire to work with adolescents.

Q: The mental health field encompasses a wide variety of fields -- how and why did you choose your focus?

A: I became interested in issues surrounding grief and loss in my first internship where I worked with at-risk adolescents. Many had lost literally dozens of people in their lives -- parents, friends siblings. Grief and loss are among the most universal concepts we have; everyone has experienced a loss of some kind along their journey. The ways in which we deal with, or don’t deal with, those losses often have a far reaching impact on our lives. My work with families and adults in transitional stages of life (learning how to answer the question of “how do we let go of one thing so another can begin?”) grew out of this same interest.

Q: What do you believe are some misconceptions people hold about the social work/mental health field or seeing a mental health professional?

A: Many people are unaware of the role social workers play in the mental health field.  Our training is holistic, and focuses on the person and their environment. Consequently, we are uniquely positioned to help those with mental health issues. There continues to be a great deal of stigma surrounding mental health and the use of mental health services.  

Q: How can we work to change those misconceptions?

A: I hope that one day seeing a mental health professional will be as common as going for a yearly check-up. Therapy isn’t reserved for the seriously mentally ill, or those who are not functional. Some studies suggest that nearly one in four adults will deal with a mental health issue in their lifetime. Most of my clients have careers, families, and friends, but have one or more challenges they are seeking help with. It’s like going to have your car serviced. Some things you can do yourself, others you need an expert’s help with.  

Q: How would you encourage someone who is unsure about reaching out for mental health help or therapy to reach out and contact someone?

A: If someone is unsure about reaching out for help, I would encourage them to ask others in their support system if they have ever faced similar challenges. I would also say to ask those closest to them if they have noticed any changes in recent weeks or months. Often those we love are hesitant to speak up but very supportive once the topic is broached.

Q: What does a typical therapy session with you entail?

A: When someone calls or emails me to set up an appointment, they receive a free 30-minute phone consultation to determine if I am the best fit for their needs. During the first appointment, approximately 10 minutes is spent on paperwork and the rest is spent hearing about the problem from the client’s perspective and identifying strengths already in place to meet the challenges. There are times when it becomes clear from the first phone call or appointment that I am not best suited to help someone. In those instances I work to find resources that will better address the client’s needs. After the first session, our time is spent learning and implementing new coping skills to deal with the challenges identified. I believe therapy is most effective when it is goal-directed and client-driven.  

Q: As someone who is continuously helping others care for their mental health, how do you care for your own mental health?

A: I maintain a strong support system of family and friends. I seek and use consultation and supervision when necessary. I take vacations and try to really unwind when I’m not at work. It can be a juggling act between my family and my career, but it is one I enjoy immensely.  

Q: What advice do you have for others who are interested in pursuing a career in the mental health field?

A: I love what I do, and I am passionate about social work. I would advise anyone considering a career in social work or mental health to learn as much as they can about their chosen field and how they might fit into it. I also encourage young social workers and professionals to spend time considering how their own experiences have shaped them and will inform their work with others.