Addiction Counselor Exam Review

By Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes

Podcast review for persons preparing for the Addiction Counselor Certification Exam. To include: IC&RC, NCAC, MCAP, LADC, LADAC, CADC, LAC, CADAC exam reviews, exam preparation, addiction counselo... more

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October 29, 2017 181 -Developmental Issues Impacting Mental Health
Child and Adolescent Development Child and Adolescent Development Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
CEUs are available for this presentation at allceus.com. Learn more about our Addiction Counselor Certification Training Programs at https://allceus.com/certification
Objectives~ Identify the major psycho-social milestones for each age group~ Learn about things that may thwart development~ Identify protective factors for healthy development~ Conceptualize behaviors as goal-driven in order to better understand their purpose and provide appropriate redirection
Infancy Milestones~ Age 0-1 years~ Children master the use of their hands (0-6 months)~ Start crawling~ Respond to familiar words~ Discover their voices~ Rely on parents for comfort and to meet basic needs~ Cognitive (Piaget): Object permanence~ Develop Trust (Erickson)~ Secure attachment to caregiver~ In self to properly interpret signals and get needs met
Infancy and Attachment ~ Attachment~ Attachment is the quality of the relationship with the caregiver characterized by trust, safety and security.~ The quality of the infant-parent attachment is a powerful predictor of a child’s later social and emotional outcome~ Determined by the caregiver’s response to the infant when the infant’s attachment system is ‘activated’ ~ Beginning at six months old, infants come to anticipate caregivers’ responses to their distress and shape their own behaviors accordingly (eg, developing strategies for dealing with distress when in the presence of that caregiver)~ Sensitive, Responsive, Loving = Secure~ Insensitive, Rejecting or Inconsistent = InsecureAttachment cont…~ Continues through childhood, but formative attachment relationships developed in infancy~ Effects of Secure Attachment~ Learn basic trust, which serves as a basis for all future emotional relationships~ Develop fulfilling intimate relationships~ Maintain emotional balance~ Feel confident and good about themselves~ Enjoy being with others~ Rebound from disappointment and loss~ Share their feelings and seek support
Attachment Cont…~ Effects of Secure Attachment cont…~ Explore the environment with feelings of safety and security, which leads to healthy intellectual and social development~ Develop the ability to control behavior, which results in effective management of impulses and emotions~ Create a foundation for the development of identity, which includes a sense of capability, self-worth, and a balance between dependence and independence~ Establish a moral framework that leads to empathy, compassion, and conscience~ Generate a core set of beliefs~ Provide a defense against stress and trauma
Infancy Developmental Stuck Points~ Interferences~ Child does not have basic food, shelter, safety, love needs met~ Manifestations~ Inability to trust self or others~ Reliance on others to tell them what they need~ Lack of a sense of worthiness for basics~ Discomfort with and craving of attention~ Irritability/anxiety~ Establishment/Re-Establishment of Trust and Attachment~ Consistency~ Care: Understanding and ensuring basic needs are met~ Compassion: Being calm and accepting of the child’s emotions and needs~ Providing compassionate redirection: Add. Don’t just subtract
Toddlers 2-3 Years~ Developmental Task: ~ Psychosocial: Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (Erickson)~ Personal control over physical skills and body (potty training and “no”)~ Cognitive: Preoperational (Through age 7)~ Think about things symbolically (Doll can “be” Mom) / Pretend play~ Begin to understand the concept of past and future~ Continue to develop secure attachmentsToddlers 2-3 Years Stuck Points~ Interferences~ Overly permissive or overly strict parents~ Lack of praise for exploration and experimentation~ Manifestations~ Low self-esteem/need for external vali
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1h
October 28, 2017 180 -Continuum of Co-Occurring Mental Health and Addictive Disorders
Continuum of Co-Occurring DisordersContinuum of Co-Occurring Disorders Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
CEUs can be earned for this podcast at AllCEUs.com. Learn more about our addiction counselor training options at https://allceus.com/certification
Objectives~ Explore a couple cross cutting issues~ Explore the varying courses of addiction and mental health disorders~ Explore the continuum of addictive behaviors from initiation, intoxication, harmful use, abuse, dependence, withdrawal, craving, relapse and recovery~ Explore the continuum of mental health disorders from mild to severe to recovery, and explore causes of relapse
Mental Health Disorders—Why Do I Care?~ Treating someone with a mental health or personality disorder complicates the picture and increases risk of concurrent disorders~ Addictive~ Mood~ Personality~ People with more chronic or longer standing mental health issues are at a much greater risk for misusing substances or developing addictive disorders.
Mood Disorders—General Information~ Effective differential diagnosis~ Both substance use and discontinuance may be associated with depressive symptoms.~ Acute manic or anxiety symptoms may be induced or mimicked by intoxication with stimulants, steroids, hallucinogens, or polydrug combinations.~ Withdrawal from depressants, opioids, and stimulants invariably includes potent anxiety symptoms. ~ Medical problems and medications can produce symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders. ~ Lookout for substance misuse~ Those with depression favor stimulation and those with anxieties favor sedation, but there appears to be considerable overlap. Mood Disorders Risk Factors~ Genetics: 30-40% of variability~ Environment– Especially multiple adverse childhood experiences, overprotective or disengaged parents ~ Temperamental- Neuroticism/negative affect ~ Moody and to experience such feelings as anxiety, worry, fear, anger, frustration, envy, jealousy, guilt, depressed mood, and loneliness~ Respond worse to stressors and are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. ~ Self-conscious and shy~ Have trouble controlling urges and delaying gratificationMood Disorders: Continuum~ Considerations~ Situational~ Episodic with no easily identifiable trigger~ Continuum~ Mild~ Moderate~ Severe~ RemissionMood Disorders Course~ Median Age of Onset~ 13 for social anxiety~ 30 for GAD~ Puberty (10-14) for Major depressive disorder~ Content of anxiety is age appropriate changing over the lifespan~ Depression diagnosis requires 5 of 9 symptoms resulting in 126 possible presentations~ In MDD, the first episode presentation is quite variable with…~ Some never achieving remission of 2 or more months~ Others going years between episodesMood Disorders Course~ Recovery begins within 3 months of onset for 2:5 and within 1 year for 4:5~ The longer the recovery period, the lower the chance of recurrence~ Early onset of persistent depressive disorder is correlated with a higher incidence of developing personality and addictive disorders. (DSM-V)~ Those with chronic episodes or long-standing symptoms have higher risk of developing concurrent mental health and addictive disorders
Mood Disorders Course~ General Course ~ Mood symptoms~ Social problems due to mood symptoms (irritability, fatigue)~ Depression, anxiety, grief about mood symptoms~ Sleep disruption/Exhaustion~ Reduced involvement in important activities (work, family, recreation)~ Withdrawal from social relationships~ Increased mood symptoms
Mood Disorders Course~ General Course (Recovery)~ Desire for help and hope that recovery is possible~ Begins proper self-care (including medical & psychiatric as needed)~ Appreciation of possibilities—What does happiness/recovery look like for y
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59min
October 25, 2017 179 – Biopsychosocial Impact of Addiction & Mental Health Issues on the Family and Community
Biopsychosocial Impact of Addiction on Family and CommunityBiopsychosocial Impact of Addiction on Family and Community
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
CEU courses based on this project are at https://allceus.com OR Register for the live webinar-based addiction counselor certification track https://allceus.com/certification
Objectives~ Identify the biological/health consequences of addiction and mental health issues on the family and community ~ Identify the psychological consequences of addiction and mental health issues on the family and community~ Identify the social consequences of addiction and mental health issues on the family and community~ Identify family and community interventions
Functions of the Family~ Protects and sustains both strong and weak helping them to deal with stress and pathology ~ Serves as a mechanism for family members to interact with broader social and community groups (peer, schools, work, religious, social)~ Provides an important point of intervention~ Influences weaker members in harmful ways due to tension, problems and pathology
Biological Effects on the Family~ Stress and stress related illnesses & sleep disturbances~ Failure to attend to children’s physical needs~ Exposure to toxic substances~ Cigarette smoke~ Drugs~ Overuse of sedatives~ Among parents for relaxation~ Among children for sleep/sedativePsychological Effects on the Family~ Physical or verbal abuse~ Erratic behavior leading to “walking on eggshells”~ Child neglect which can have a traumatic impact ~ Don’t Talk– Don’t Trust – Don’t Feel~ Shame and guilt in IP and non-IP~ Depression among non-identified patient~ Anxiety among non-identified patientPsychological Effects on the Family~ Caregiving burnout~ Role reversal ~ Children lack a sense of wellbeing and safety~ Inappropriate coping models
Family Social~ Social Isolation~ Perfect façade~ Shame~ Exhaustion from caregiving for impaired member~ Financial problems due to lost employment and/or overspending~ Childhood trauma, depression, anxiety~ Children have poor relationships with adults (parents, teachers)Family Social~ Lack of social competence~ Distant, chaotic, unsupportive family relationships~ Inconsistent parenting~ More common in addictions~ Homelessness~ Placing family in high-risk situations
Family Interventions~ Improve communication within the family~ Restore roles and boundaries within the family~ Educate the family about the disorder~ Involve the family in the treatment plan~ Address anger, guilt, resentment in family members~ Ensure all family members have a respite~ Encourage healthy behaviors in the family (nutrition, sleep, exercise)~ Encourage development of social supports especially via support groups
Community Mental Health~ People with poor coping skills and negative thinking styles model these behaviors, spreading them~ National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reports that there is a definite connection between mental illness and addictive behaviors~ People who have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point in their lives are responsible for the consumption of:~ 69 percent of alcohol~ 84 percent of cocaine~ 68 percent of cigarettes
Community Health~ Impact of Depression and Anxiety~ The total economic burden of depression in 2000 was $83 billion ~ $52 billion was due to lost workplace productivity.~ Anxiety costs ~$47 billion per year~ Other costs include absenteeism, turnover, disability leave~ Every year, employers lose 27 work days per worker with depression, two-thirds of which is due to “presenteeism” ~ The cost of depression to employers greater than the cost of many other common medical conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, or back problemsCommunity Health~ Impact of Depression and Anxiety~
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59min
October 22, 2017 178 Biopsychosocial Effects of Co Occurring Disorders | Addiction Counselor Certification
Biopsychosocial Impact of Addiction and Mental Disorders on the Individual
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Counseling CEUs can be earned for this presentation at AllCEUs.com
Objectives
~ Examine the biological (physical) impact of addiction and mental health issues on the individual
~ Examine the psychological impact of addiction and mental health issues on the individual
~ Examine the social impact of addiction and mental health issues on the individual
~ Identify interventions in each area.
Biological Impact of Mood Disorders
~ Caused by an imbalance of:
~ Serotonin (calming)
~ GABA (Calming)
~ Glutamate (Excitatory)
~ Norepinepherine (Excitatory)
~ Dopamine (Pleasure)
Biological Impact of Mood Disorders
~ Effects
~ Disrupted sleep
~ Fatigue
~ Irritability
~ Nutritional changes
~ Increased muscle tension
~ Reduced pain tolerance
~ Gastrointestinal disturbances
The Brain Under Stress
Biological Impact of Addictions
~ Direct (neurotransmitter imbalances)
~ Tolerance
~ Withdrawal

Neurotransmitters, Addiction & Black Friday
~ Normal day
~ Normal store capacity is 750 people.
~ The store needs a constant 500 to stay open
~ The store has 8 doors to allows for people to easily enter and exit without getting “bunched”
~ Black Friday
~ 1500 people push through the door as soon as it opens
~ Store is destroyed
~ Staff is exhausted
~ Takes time to restock and refresh staff
~ Management closes all but two doors and adds security guards to manage flow
Biological Impact of Addictions
~ Indirect
~ Reduced Immunity
~ More rapid aging
~ Sleep difficulties
~ Nutritional deficits
~ Reduced pain tolerance & Increased pain
~ Disease (Hepatitis, HIV, TB, MRSA)

Biological Impact of Alcohol
~ Alcohol
~ Heart damage
~ High blood pressure
~ Fatty liver
~ Hepatitis
~ Cirrhosis
~ Pancreatitis
~ Cancers of the mouth, throat, liver and breast
~ Reduced immunity
~ Brittle bones
Biological Impact
~ Alcohol
~ Brain damage through:
~ The toxic effects of alcohol on brain cells
~ The biological stress of repeated intoxication and withdrawal
~ Alcohol-related cerebrovascular disease
~ Head injuries from falls sustained when inebriated.
~ Alcohol related birth defects (FASD)
Biological Impact
~ Alcohol
~ Nutrient deficiencies:
~ Vitamins: A, E, D, K,B12, folic acid, thiamine
~ Thiamine deficiencies, which cause severe neurological problems such as impaired movement and memory loss seen in Wernicke/Korsakoff syndrome (memory disorder often seen in Alzheimers)
~ Calcium
~ Iron (intestinal bleeding)
~ Dehydration
Biological Impact of Caffeine
~ Negative
~ Stimulant/jitters
~ Increased blood pressure
~ Heart palpitations
~ Heartburn/Diarrhea
~ Disrupted sleep
~ Dehydration
~ Miscarriage
~ Osteoporosis
~ Positive (with moderate intake)
~ Lower risk of Alzheimer's and dementia
~ Decreased suicide risk
~ Increased endurance
~ Decreased risk of oral cancer
Biological Impact of Nicotine
~ Nicotine (including gums and vapors)
~ Highly addictive
~ Activates neurotransmitters
~ Pain and anxiety relief
~ Reduced appetite
~ Respiratory irritation
~ Increased heart rate and blood pressure
~ Hyperglycemia
~ Dec
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1h 7min
October 21, 2017 177 -Systems Impact on Mood and Addictive Disorders
Systems Influences on Mood and Addictive Disorders
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
A direct link to the CEU course is https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/search?q=systems+impact
Objectives
~ Examine the prevalence of mood and addictive disorders
~ Learn about the history of addictive behaviors in the US
Prevalence
~ Anxiety:
~ 32% lifetime prevalence
~ 18% 12-month prevalence
~ 13% of those with the disorder are receiving treatment
~ Depression
~ 7% 12-month prevalence
~ Prevalence is higher among people of 2 or more races
Prevalence
~ Alcoholism
~ 6% 12-month prevalence
~ 6% of that 6% receive treatment
~ Sex/Pornography Addiction 3%-5%
~ Drug Abuse
~ 27% of Americans reported using illicit drugs
~ 3% of Americans over 12 reported nonmedical use of prescription drugs.
Themes to look for…
~ Initiation from the medical community to treat something—more people treated  greater availability for diversion
~ Economic motivations for producers, government
~ Giving in to political pressures to repeal
~ Where there is a will there is a way (or an alternative)
~ Cheaper alternatives being produced (crack, fentanyl)
History of Substance Use
~ Cannabis was introduced to the US in 1545
~ In 1775, hemp culture was introduced into Kentucky and large hemp plantations flourished many states until well into the 1800s.
~ Until the late 1800s, tobacco, alcohol and opium could be purchased readily, free from government controls and was fashionable.
~ Civil War blockades on southern ports curtailed imports of tea and coffee, so cassia leaf drinks became a viable alternative
~ Morphine was used commonly as a pain killer during the Civil War. So large a number of soldiers became addicted
~ Late in the 1800s, morphine was prescribed as a substitute for “alcohol addiction’
~ In 1844, cocaine was first isolated from coca leaves. Dr. Theodor Aschenbrandt issued a supply of pure cocaine to soldiers to increase endurance and alertness
~ In 1885, John Styth Pemberton of Atlanta, Georgia introduced coca-cola. A combination of cocaine and caffeine from the Kola nut (caffeine).
History of Substance Use
~ From 1850 until 1942, marijuana was recognized as a legitimate medicine, under the name “Extractum Cannabis.“
~ Heroin, the newest opium derivative, was first produced commercially by Germany's Bayer Company in 1898. “It was widely advertised as being at least ten times as potent a painkiller as morphine with none of the addicting properties
~ 1920 Prohibition Act was passed and repealed in 1933. (politics, economics and unenforcability)
~ It was not until 1925 that import of opium for the manufacture of heroin finally was banned in this country.
~ Throughout the nineteenth century, opium and marijuana users enjoyed their diversion with little harassment.
~ The federal Harrison Narcotic Act was passed in 1914. in order to “provide for register and impose a special tax upon all persons who produce, import, manufacture, compound, deal in, dispense, sell, distribute, or give away opium or coca leaves, their salts, derivatives or preparations.”
History of Substance Use
~ In 1918, just three years after the Harrison Act went into effect, a study by a Congressional committee (which members included Dr. A. G. Du Mez, Secretary of the United States Public Health Service) released these findings:
~ Opium and other narcotic drugs [including cocaine] … were being used by about a million people.
~ T
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59min
October 18, 2017 176 Sociological Approach to Reducing Risk and Increasing Resilience | Live Addiction Counselor Certification
Sociological Approach to Reducing Risk and Building Resilience
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Counseling CEUs can be earned at AllCEUs Counselor Continuing Education
Objectives
~ Define the socio-ecological model
~ Apply the socioecological model to addiction
~ Explore different variables in the socio-ecological model
~ Discuss how this framework can be used in prevention and treatment of Co-Occurring Disorders
Prevention
~ Prevention can take the form of:
~ Preventing the problem
~ Preventing worsening of the problem
~ Preventing associated fall out
Socio-Ecological Model
~ This model explores and explains human behavior as the interaction between the individual and 5 environmental systems
~ The Microsystem
~ The Mesosystem
~ The Exosystem
~ The Macrosystem
~ The Chronosystem
Exploring the Model
~ Microsystem: Institutions and groups that most directly impact the person including: personal biology, family, school, church, peers, neighborhood.
~ Mesosystem: Interconnections between microsystems
~ Interactions between the family and teachers, relationship between the child’s peers and the family
Question
~ How does the mesosystem impact the development of mental health (or illness)?
~ How does mental health (or illness) impact the mesosystem?
Exploring the Model
~ Exosystem: Involves links between a social setting in which the individual does not have a direct active role (spouse’s work, community) and the individual's immediate context (home environment).
~ Macrosystem: Describes the culture (i.e. socioeconomic status, poverty, and ethnicity.) People, homes and individual work places are part of a large cultural context.
Question
~ How does the Exosystem (social setting in which the individual does not have a direct active role (i.e. spouse’s work, community events—unemployment, high foreclosure rate) impact:
~ The family
~ The development of mental health (or illness)?
Exploring the Model
~ Chronosystem: Events and transitions over the life course, as well as sociohistorical (birth, divorce, marriage, moves)
Question
~ How does the attitude of the culture impact
~ The community
~ The family
~ The development of mental health (or illness)?
~ How do the community, family and individual with mental health (illness) impact the culture
Individual (Biological and Personal History) Risk Factors
~ Pre-Existing Mental Illness
~ Chronic Pain
~ Low self-esteem
~ Substance use
~ History of abuse
~ Genetic vulnerability
~ Inappropriate coping responses
~ Violence/ aggression
~ Risk taking /impulsivity
Individual (Biological and Personal History) Risk Factors
~ Rebelliousness
~ Rejection of pro-social values
~ Lack of peer refusal skills
~ Being bullied
~ Early and persistent problem behaviors
~ Early sexual activity
~ Peer rejection
~ Academic Failure
~ Lack of information on positive health behaviors
Individual Protective Factors
~ Positive health/wellness behaviors
~ Bonding to pro-social culture
~ Participation in extracurricular activities
~ Positive relationships with adults
~ Social competence
~ Sense of well-being/self confidence
~ Has positive future plans
~ Knowledge about risks associated with addictive behaviors
~ Negative attitudes toward substances and substance use

Individual Prevention Strategies
~ Prevention strategies are
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1h
October 15, 2017 175 -Models and Theories of Mental Disorders and Addiction
Models and Theories of Mental Health and Addictive Disorders
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Earn counseling CEUs for this course
Objectives
~ Explore why the mental health counselor needs to understand addictive behaviors
~ Learn the scientific and theoretical basis of models of addiction and mental distress from multiple disciplines
~ Develop criteria for assessing models and theories
~ Explore the appropriate application of models
~ Learn how to access addiction and mental health related literature from multiple disciplines
Why is this important to the Counselor
~ Prevalence (proportion of cases in the population) and incidence (number of new cases) of addiction is increasing
~ New understanding/awareness of behavioral addictions
~ Improved knowledge of clinicians across disciplines to diagnose
~ Enables the clinician to provide more ethical and comprehensive treatment to the client by understanding
~ The influence of drugs and certain behaviors on brain chemistry which could
~ Lead to the development of additional MH, Legal, health, social, economic or addiction problems
~ Negatively impact MH treatment progress
~ Less than % of people who try to stop an addiction succeed for more than days
~ Patients often interpret a systemic failure (what we don’t know or understand) as a personal failure leading to low self esteem, depression, guilt, shame
Criteria for Assessing Models and Theories
~ Does it explain the development of the condition in some people and not others (Predictive validity and reliability)~
~ Can this explanation be applied across people and situations (Generalizability)~
~ Can it be used to develop effective prevention and intervention strategies~
~ Does it explain the use of seemingly destructive behaviors~
~ Are there other unaccounted for factors which may influence development or recovery~
What are the Theories of Addiction
~ Biological/Disease Model
~ Moral/Spiritual Model
~ Behavioral Model
~ Environmental/Social Learning Model
~ Sociocultural Model
~ Enviro-Bio-Psychosocial Model
~ And many, many more….
Case Studies
~ John year old male reports no problems with addictive behaviors until years ago. Has had recurrent bouts of depression since he was .
~ Susan year old female began experimenting with drugs in high school. Currently does not meet criteria for any addictive or mood-related disorder.
~ Ralph is a year old male. Prior to this episode, reports no history of mental health or addiction issues. Recently had rotator cuff surgery and was on pain killers for days. Meets criteria for opiate dependence and generalized anxiety disorder.
~ Sally has a long history of major depressive disorder. She reports that after a recent surgery she was given Vicodin which she found made her feel much happier and more relaxed.
~ Julian is a year old male. Reports beginning recreational use of substances at . Currently meets criteria for generalized anxiety, marijuana dependence
Biological/Disease Theories
~ Include
~ Genetic predisposition
~ Brain dysfunction
~ Theory
~ Addiction and mental health issues are primarily a brain disorder
~ In mental health, neurochemical imbalances cause the mental disorder
~ In addiction, the brain is disordered causing “cravings” for behaviors or substances to balance or rebalance the system
~ Example: Craving for dopamine and norepinepherine releasing activities supports survival by motivating certain behaviors
Biological/Disease Theory
~ Addiction
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57min
October 14, 2017 174 -Addressing Procrastination
Addressing Procrastination
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Objectives
~ Identify and learn how to address some of the most common causes including:
~ Fear of failure (and success)
~ Perfectionism
~ Being overwhelmed
~ Laziness/Lack of motivation
~ Boredom/aversion
~ Uncertainty about how or where to start
Objectives
~ Identify techniques to overcome procrastination
~ Eliminate other more rewarding options
~ Do 15 and Apply Parkinson’s Law
~ Small Steps
~ Provide rewards
~ Shorten the daily to do list
~ Leverage peak energy times
~ Be accountable to someone
~ Premack the boring
~ Pay attention to temperament
~ Increase adversity tolerance/gratitude
~ Find (and eliminate) procrastination rewards
Cause: Fear of Failure (and Success)
~ Examples: Applying to college or for a job; going to counseling
~ Failure can be threatening
~ Society often frames failure in a negative light
~ Many young people have been so shielded from failure that they don’t have the skills to tolerate it. One and done.
~ Success can also be threatening because it “raises the bar”
Cause: Fear of Failure (and Success)
~ Interventions
~ Explore what failure means. Find quotes from successful people about failure.
~ Avoid overgeneralization and personalization about failure.
~ Maintain a cheering squad
~ Remember past successes
~ Use the challenging questions to explore your fears in each situation
~ Identify all of the other things in your life that make it worth living

Cause: Perfectionism
~ Examples: homework/ work projects, appearance
~ Perfectionism often accompanies fear of failure
~ Perfectionists often either never get started or never finish a task… so it can never be evaluated
~ Perfectionism takes an inordinate amount of time  overwhemed
~ Perfectionists are never satisfied and maintain self anger for any imperfections
~ Perfectionists may also have low self esteem and base their worth on what they do instead of who they are
Cause: Perfectionism
~ Interventions
~ Learn about the principles of diminishing returns
~ Practice purposeful action to improve life balance
~ Explore where the need to be perfect comes from
~ What does it mean if you are not perfect?
~ Where did you learn that you are only lovable if you are perfect? Do you believe this and hold your friends to this?
~ Enhance your self-esteem so you are not looking for external validation. Who are you vs. What you do
Cause: Being Overwhelmed
~ Examples: A huge project, Too much else going on
~ Large projects can be daunting
~ Poor time management may also contribute to people feeling overwhelmed.
~ Interventions
~ For large projects, break it into manageable sub-projects (Dissertation, Spring cleaning, Recovery)
~ If there is too much else going on and you can’t find the time to get started, evaluate your time management.
~ Eliminate, Prioritize, Delegate & Combine, Plan
~ Clear clutter in that area (Doesn’t = organization binge)
~ Be mindful and have a laser focus
Cause: Laziness/Low Motivation
~ Examples: Homework, house cleaning/bills, gym
~ Motivation is your get up and go
~ Low motivation (procrastination) is impacted by
~ Rewards for procrastinating
~ Competing activities
~ No consequences/accountability
~ Punishments for starting:
~ Activity isn’t rewarding
~ Distress (overwhelmed, fear of failure…)
Cause: Laziness/Low Motivation
~ Motivation can be increased by
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53min
October 07, 2017 173 Happiness Habits
Happiness Habits
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
A direct link to the counseling CEU course is https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/745/c/
Objectives
~ Learn why these habits contribute to recovery from addiction and mood issues and techniques to help clients implement them
~ Habit: Awareness and Authenticity
~ Habit: Acceptance
~ Habit: Gratitude
~ Habit: Compassion
~ Habit: Breathing
~ Habit: Purposeful action and Long-Term Goals
~ Habit: Back-Talk
~ Habit: Thought Conditioning
~ Habit: Be Sense-sational
Awareness and Authenticity
~ To get your wants and needs met, you first need to be aware of them
~ Practice Mindfulness
~ What do you need
~ What vulnerabilities do you currently have
~ How can you mitigate them
~ How can you prevent them
~ Why is it important to prevent them?
Awareness and Authenticity
~ Living authentically means living in a way that is true to yourself.
~ Define what happiness means to you:
~ What makes you happy?
~ How will your thoughts and outlook change when you are happy?
~ What is the impact of happiness on your health and body (energy, sleep, weight, pain, illness…)?
~ When you are happy, who do you see in your support system and what will your relationships be like?
~ What will be different in your day to day life, hobbies and activities when you are happy?
~ How can you start making these things happen? (Principle of Reciprocity)
Acceptance
~ Fighting against things that are unchangeable (or not realistically changeable by you) wastes a TON of energy.
~ Feelings
~ Other people
~ Certain situations
~ Accept the situation by saying “Okay, what now?”
~ Decide whether you will…
~ Change part of the situation to make it more tolerable
~ How can you do this?
~ Change your reaction to the situation
~ How can you do this?
Gratitude
~ It can be easy to focus on all of the things you don’t have or what is not going right
~ An attitude of gratitude helps you
~ refocus on the positive
~ appreciate the simple things
~ Let go of envy and jealousy
~ Even if one area of your life is a mess, it is likely that you have other things to be grateful for.
~ Activities
~ Keep a gratitude list. Add at least one thing that went well each day
~ Look around and compare yourself to others who are not doing as well and/or the you in the past
Compassion
~ Compassion means sympathetic awareness of others' distress and a desire to alleviate it
~ People may have compassion for others but not for themselves
~ Many of us were raised to think that if we are compassionate with ourselves it means we are lazy, weak or a failure.
~ Activity
~ Think of three times you have been compassionate in the past week. To whom? Why? How did it impact them?
~ How are you compassionate to yourself? How could you be?
Breathing (and Laughter)
~ Deep breaths help oxygenate blood and reduce fatigue
~ Slow deep breaths also help lower heart rate and trigger the relaxation response.
~ Laughter not only makes you breathe deeper, but it also releases endorphins.
~ Activity
~ Practice deep breathing after each meal
~ When you are stressed, take a few deep breaths
~ Schedule in 10 minutes to laugh every day.
Purposeful Action and Long-Term Goals
~ When you see that you are moving closer to your long term goals it inspires hope.
~ Each small step toward a rich and meaningful life can make you
...more
1h 8min
October 01, 2017 172 -Spiritual Steps to Recovery
Spiritual Steps to Recovery
Here is a direct link to the counseling CEU class
Objectives
~ Define spirituality
~ Explore why the following spiritual principles are important to recovery and how to develop them
~ Honesty
~ Hope
~ Faith
~ Courage and Willingness
~ Discipline
Define Spirituality
~ Spirituality can be thought of as:
~ Spontaneous joy and wonder and a sense of fascination, mystery, awe and delight at the universe.
~ Recognition of connectedness between all things.
Honesty
~ Honesty builds trust
~ Dishonesty with self causes many people to
~ Deny or ignore their own needs, wants and feelings
~ Stop trusting their instincts
~ Dishonesty with others creates relationships based on false principles and destroys trust.
~ To please self
~ To please others
~ Activity:
~ How does dishonesty affect you, your relationships and your environment?
~ How does honesty affect you, your relationships and your environment?

Honesty With Yourself
~ Get honest about what you need want and feel through mindfulness
~ Activity: Keep track of these things 3 times a day for a week
~ What did you learn about yourself?
~ What do you need to start doing differently to meet your needs?
~ Get honest about the reasons you are not honest
~ Activity: Think of 3 times you were not honest with yourself and 3 times you were not honest with someone else
~ Why were you dishonest?
~ What past experiences made you think dishonesty was a better choice?
Honesty With Yourself
~ Eliminate excuses
~ Justifying your own behaviors
~ To yourself often avoids addressing the real issue
~ To others to elicit sympathy often also leads to a loss of respect and still avoids addressing the real issue
~ Justifying other’s behaviors
~ To yourself may minimize feelings of anger or anxiety but may cause you to miss signs of an unhealthy relationship
Honesty With Yourself
~ Eliminate excuses
~ Activity
~ Be mindful for a week of how often you make excuses
~ Why did you do it?
~ What would have happened if you were honest?
~ Is this based on facts or feelings?
~ How likely is this?
~ Is this prediction based on the present or past experiences with others?
~ How can you deal with rejection or someone getting mad if it happens?
Honesty
~ Deal effectively with conflict
~ Avoidance of conflict can lead to ignoring your feelings and needs
~ Why do you avoid conflict?
~ Do you avoid conflict only with certain people?
~ What needs to change so you can effectively deal with conflict?
~ What would it look like to successfully resolve a conflict
~ Mentally rehearse this prior to the situation.
Honesty
~ Deal effectively with conflict
~ Ineffectively dealing with conflict can take the form of:
~ Seeing only how you are right
~ Seeing only how the other person is wrong (ignoring their perspectives and feelings)
~ Activity
~ Think about situations in your life in which there is conflict.
~ What are your feelings and needs in the situation?
~ In what ways are you right?
~ What might the other person’s perspective be?
~ In what ways is the other person right?
~ How can you create a win-win?
Honesty
~ Develop Self-Esteem
~ Many times fear of rejection or someone getting mad at you will keep you from being honest.
~ You: “It really disappointed me when you broke your promise.”
~ Fear of rejection—If I tell her this she will think I am being stupid or get mad at me.
~ Activity
~ Think about 3 times when you were not honest with someone for fear of
...more
55min

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