A Resistance to the Terrible Satisfactions of War

Updates to NYU (Information for Practice) SW Blog

2009-01-08T03:08:00.000-08:00

The previously mentioned Information for Practice social work-related blog has been reformatted, and given my afore mentioned qualms with the old layout, it seems necessary that I rescind my earlier complaints.

Now much cleaner, the site is divided into the following sections: guidelines; non open access journals; images in the news; news; video; grey literature; and open access journals.

The video section is most substantial addition to overall content, and definitely worth a look.

Social Work in the Context of the Military (some statistics)

2009-01-08T03:01:00.000-08:00

I began this entry in July and haven't a clue why I didn't post it then. Unfinished, most likely, but it's been a while since I've focused on the military social work topic, so I don't know where else I was going to take it. For now. . .

PILOTS database posted here

Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans:

• The number of homeless veterans in CA 2005: 49,546
• The number of homeless veterans in CA 2006: 49,724
• The total number of veterans in CA 2005: 2,193,336
• The percent of veterans who are homeless: 2.26% (highest % for all 50 states)

Cunningham, M., Henry, M., & Lyons, W. (2007). Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans (Publication). Washington, DC: The Homeless Research Institute at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

The Veterans for America November 2007 report "Trends in Treatment for America's Wounded Warriors":

* Almost 1.6 million American service members have deployed to OIF and OEF, and over 525,000 have deployed more than once• 60% of those deployed have family obligations

* 30% of Soldiers and Marines in high combat situations (those who spend over 56 percent of their time off base) will develop a mental health problem (depression, PTSD) – if members of National Guard, number rises to 49% of total population

* Soldiers on their second tour in Iraq are 50% more likely to develop a mental health problem than those on their first tour

* 58% of those with mental health issues will not seek treatment

* Of the 229,000 veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom who sought treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs between 2002 and December 2006, 37% received a diagnosis of a mental health condition, including 17% for PTSD

Trends in Treatment of American's Wounded Warriors: Psychological Trauma and Traumatic Brain Injuries: The Signature Wounds of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Rep.). (2007). Washington, D.C.: Veterans for America.

The American Psychological Association February 2007 preliminary report on "The Psychological Needs of U.S. Military Service Members and Their Families":

* Approximately 1.5 million American troops have been deployed in support of the war effort; one-third of them have served at least two tours in a combat zone, 70,000 have been deployed three times, and 20,000 have been deployed at least 5 times
* At present, 700,000 children in America have at least one parent deployed

* As many as one-fourth of all returning service members are struggling with “psychological injuries”
* Currently, there are 1,839 psychologists employed by the VA, charged with serving more than 24.3 million veterans from previous wars as well as a rapidly growing number of GWOT veterans
* For example, 14% of those surveyed screened positive for acute stress symptoms and 17% screened positive for acute stress, depression, or anxiety. In addition, 14% of the soldiers surveyed for the MHAT-III reported using medication for a mental health, combat stress, or sleep problem
* There have been 3,416 U.S. military fatalities as of January 26, 2007; if we multiply that number by .8, the average number of children per active duty member (MFRI, 2004), we can draw the conclusion that approximately 2,733 children have lost a parent in OIF/OEF
* The cohort of families with service members who are experiencing combat-related stress and PTSD may be at risk for increased violence against children and Domestic Violence
* Hogeís 2004 landmark study found that among soldiers who met screening criteria for mental disorders, only 38-45% expressed interest in getting help through the military system, and only 23-40% of them had gotten any professional help in the past year
* Potential barriers to effective military mental health treatment for both active duty members and their families: having enough trained mental health practitioners, removing stigmatization, long waiting lists, poor referral process, limited hours, etc.
* Some common factors that can put military families at risk: young families, especially those experiencing a first military separation; families having recently moved to a new duty station; foreign born spouses; families with young children; those with lower pay grades; families without a unit affiliation; and National Guard and Reserve families

Johnson, S. J., Sherman, M. D., Hoffman, J. S., James, L. C., Johnson, P. L., Lochman, J. E., Magee, T. N., & Riggs, D. (2007). The Psychological Needs of U.S. Military Service Members and Their Families: A Preliminary Report (Rep.). American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Military Deployment Services for Youth, Families and Service Members.

PBS Now - http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/339/ptsd-facts.html

• 30.9% of Vietnam veterans in one study had developed PTSD during their lifetimes

• Between 1999 and 2004, the number of veterans seeking benefits for PTSD increased 79%
• In Iraq, roughly one in six combatants has experienced PTSD
• 35 percent of Iraq veterans sought psychological counseling within a year of coming home, according to the Department of Defense

National Survey on Drug Use and Health, "Male Users with Co-Occurring Serious Mental Illness and a Substance Use Disorder," Nov.11, 2004 - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k4/vetsDualDX/vetsDualDX.htm

• In 2002/2003, an estimated 1.2 million male veterans were identified as suffering from serious mental illnesses. Approximately 340,000 of these individuals had co-occurring substance abuse disorders. Approximately 209,000 female veterans (13.1 percent) reported serious mental illness, and 25,000 (1.6 percent) reported co-occurring substance use disorder and SMI.

A Few New Resources

2009-01-08T02:57:00.000-08:00

(Another half-post from July, only being published now)

SAMHSA's Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator

"This searchable directory of drug and alcohol treatment programs shows the location of facilities around the country that treat alcoholism, alcohol abuse and drug abuse problems." Certainly useful, but it also highlights the emphasis placed on 12-step programs, programs which are often unsuited to the needs of many, particularly adolescents who would like to stop using.

SAMHSAs search engine remains an excellent resource. For those with access to the Internet, anyway. . .

County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health AIDS Program Glossary

Because sometimes all those letters can become overwhelming. . .a veritable Alphabet City of acronyms related to HIV/AIDS-related vocabulary, running the gamut from medical, to legal, to organizational terms as well as the names of groups working to fight the virus.

Google for Non-Profits

"Learn how you can use Google tools to promote your cause, raise money, and operate more efficiently."

Most of the products/apps are already familiar to those who use Google's resources, but each section is framed to suit the perspective of someone working for a "cause". Additionally, there is Google Grants, which I'd not seen before stumbling across Google for Non-Profits.

And now I'll stare off into space for a while, imagining what it would have been like to have Google for Educators back in my teaching days. . .

What's in a Name?

2009-01-08T02:56:00.000-08:00

It occurs to me that perhaps I should change the name of this blog, assuming that's possible. My original focus was on violence, particularly in schools, as a public health issue. Weaving in my interests in conflict resolution, mediation, etc. but also using my social work experience to take into account the interplay of the systems which perpetuate or hinder the violence. Push for prevention. Person in environment. . .

As I just missed an application deadline for a youth coordinator position for the L.A. County Bar Association (a job in which I'd do CR training in schools as well as work with families, design curriculum, etc.) I'm reminded of just how little time I give to my studies on the topic anymore, and yet it remains one of my passions. I would still love to get my PhD at Berkeley researching effective programs and then using my macro skills to get those programs implemented. I haven't lost sight of that.

But right now it seems as if, largely due to the structured work at hand, I'm on the HIV/AIDS - comprehensive health education - reproductive rights track. And this has a hold of me too. I am not expressing unhappiness in my situation. I suppose I just worry in that they are both public health issues and though there is some overlap, it is nearly impossible to focus on either to the depth I would prefer.

I oscillate between breadth and depth fairly regularly. I'm not the type who prefers one to the exclusion of the other, but when I'm learning about something and then working to apply the knowledge, I hate the idea of all other responsibilities and demands for my time. I'm learning. Shouldn't that count for something. Can't I come back to the rest later?

And it also comes down to the common fear of "what if I make the wrong choice?". What if I focus the next year or two I remind myself that in social work, this kind of shift is almost inherent and its flexibility is why I opted for an MSW in the first place.

I started writing this months ago and instead of finding an answer, I've dropped the ball almost completely. It seems a bit too personal to write about at length, here, but living my life without a sense of purpose and direction doesn't really feel like living at all. . .

Something Positive

2008-07-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

I feel as if I need to make a concerted effort to highlight news that doesn't suck.

News in the world of social work is not much different from everything else you see and hear - depressing stories of violence, hardship, isolation, etc. - but we do have the added bonus of our work mirroring these stories and are able to use terms like "vicarious trauma" and "compassion fatigue" with fair frequency and authenticity.

I find pictures of kittens in a barrel to be just as soothing as the next person (I want you to look at Phillip's eyes), but there have to be some stories out there, beyond simple human interest, that feature promising practice and forward-thinking policy. Converting the world to a strengths-based perspective is not an easy task.

New-ish Links

2008-07-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

My aim is still to do this every Friday, but better to do it now so that it gets done at all.

Research / Resources:

NYU School of Social Work: Information for Practice - I don't much care for the layout of the page - 3 columns of information, which I must read separately if I'm going to glean anything at all - but the content is excellent. Updated daily, NYU's School of Social Work provides news related to mental health, social justice, policy, substance use, etc. (you know, social worky-type topics) mostly from the US, but from other countries as well. The links to scholarly journals are particularly nice, though without subscription to a service or access via a university, the articles are not always available. Nevertheless, a very good resource to check on a daily basis.

The Campbell Collaboration - This is an excellent resource. As mentioned, those in the field and not in an academic setting are often severely limited in the access they have to current research and evidence-based practice. This is a problem. Here is a solution:

The Campbell Collaboration "strives to make the best social science research available and accessible. Campbell reviews provide high quality evidence of "what works" to meet the needs of service providers, policy makers, educators and their students, professional researchers, and the general public."

Social Policy Resources - This is simply a good list of links. News sources (traditional and otherwise), data sources, governmental sites, nonprofits, advocacy groups, welfare, health care, housing, social security, etc.

HIV/AIDS - Sexual Health:

Guttmacher Institute - Focusing on sexual and reproductive health, the Institute is a fantastic resource for policy analysis and to a certain extent, research. Highly recommended.

San Francisco AIDS Foundation - The Bay is usually the place to go for forward-thinking programs. The focus differs based on the city for obvious reasons, but I tend to find more applicable information and resources from SF and Oakland than New York City, for example.

"The San Francisco AIDS Foundation "is one of the oldest and largest community-based AIDS service organizations in the United States. The mission of the agency is to end the pandemic and the human suffering caused by HIV."

Johns Hopkins HIV Guide - More a medical resource than policy/program resource, but such things are important to have.

REACH LA - A youth-oriented organization focusing on programs and outreach here in Los Angeles, REACH LA often partners with LAUSD, which is how I'm familiar with them. Particularly in regard to curriculum. I still don't know a lot about the group and some of their curriculum design is not the strongest, but that's why I've added their site to the list: to learn more.

Power

2008-06-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

Power

The difference between poetry and rhetoric
is being
ready to kill
yourself
instead of your children.

I am trapped on a desert of raw gunshot wounds
and a dead child dragging his shattered black
face off the edge of my sleep
blood from his punctured cheeks and shoulders
is the only liquid for miles and my stomach
churns at the imagined taste while my mouth splits into dry lips
without loyalty or reason
thirsting for the wetness of his blood
as it sinks into the whiteness
of the desert where I am lost
without imagery of magic
trying to make power out of hatred and destruction
trying to heal my dying son with kisses
only the sun will bleach his bones quicker.

The policeman who shot down a 10-year-old in Queens
stood over the boy with his cop shoes in childish blood
and a voice said “Die you little motherfucker” and
there are tapes to prove that. At his trial
this policeman said in his own defense
“I didn't notice the size or nothing else
only the color.” and
there are tapes to prove that, too.

Today that 37-year-old white man with 13 years of police forcing
has been set free
by 11 white men who said they were satisfied
justice had been done
and one black woman who said
“They convinced me” meaning
they dragged her 4'10” black woman's frame
over the hot coals of four centuries of white male approval
until she let go the first real power she ever had
and line her own womb with cement
to make a graveyard for our children.

I have not been able to touch the destruction within me.
But unless I learn to use
the difference between poetry and rhetoric
my power too will run corrupt as poisonous mold
or lie limps and useless as an unconnected wire
and one day I will take my teenaged plug
and connect it to the nearest socket
raping an 85-year-old white woman
who is somebody's mother
and as I beat her senseless and set a torch to her bed
a greek chorus will be singing in ¾ time
“Poor thing. She never hurt a soul. What beasts they are.”

Audre Lorde

*"Power" is a poem written about Clifford Glover, the ten-year-old Black child shot by a co who was acquitted by a jury on which a Black woman sat. In fact, the day I heard on the radio that O’Shea had been acquitted, I was going across town on Eighty-eighth Street and I had to pull over. A kind of fury rose up in me; the sky turned red. I felt so sick. I felt as if I would drive this car into a wall, into the next person I saw. So I pulled over. I took out my journal just to air some of my fury, to get it out of my fingertips. Those expressed feelings are are that poem"-- Audre Lorde, "My Words Will Be There," in Black Women Writers, 1983

Links and Resources

2008-06-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

It may seem as if I've abandoned this project. Not the case. However, I am overwhelmed enough by the rest of my life to have bookmarked a Lifehacker post titled: Tips to Get Blogging Done. We'll see if it helps any.

I've added links a plenty to the del.icio.us page. Generally speaking, the tags are fairly well organized. From now on I intend to post new links in a wrap-up entry on Fridays. Again, we'll see how that goes.

Because my current work is around HIV/AIDS prevention and policy, the list is quite heavy in these areas, but I like to keep my eye out for all areas of interest. That being said, I imagine the majority of my posts in the next few months will relate to health, health education, HIV/AIDS, reproductive rights, social work management, social work administration, and reflections on the work itself in which I'm involved.

I still have a list of topics and notes from months ago that I'll get to posting eventually. Step one is just writing this little update. Hopefully there will be a few more and with more substance by the end of tonight, even. I'll make use of this thing yet.

Some More Thoughts on Deliberate Self-Harm in Children and Adolescents

2008-02-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

(Article: Hurry, J. (2000). Deliberate Self-Harm in children and adolescents. International Review of Psychology, 12, 1, 31-35.)

How would you define the following terms?
• Deliberate Self-harm
• Parasuicide
• Suicide Gesture
• Attempted Suicide
• Ambivalent Attempted Suicide
• Self-injury

Can any of these terms be used interchangeably? What are the possible effects of such ambiguity in meaning on scholarly works and evidenced-based research?

According to Hurry (2000), deliberate self-harm “implies an act, not merely thoughts about suicide. However, it does not necessarily include the wish to kill oneself”.

The World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases (1992) defines parasuicide as

"An act with nonfatal outcome, in which an individual deliberately initiates a non-habitual behaviour that, without intervention from others, will cause self-harm, or deliberately ingests a substance in excess of the prescribed or generally recognised therapeutic dosage, and which is aimed at realising changes which the subject desired via the actual or expected physical consequences. It may be used interchangeably with the terms 'attempted suicide' and 'deliberate self-harm'.”

Chapman & Dixon-Gordon (2007) define deliberate self-harm (DSH) as “the deliberate, direct destruction or alteration of body tissue without suicidal intent. In contrast with DHS, suicide attempts involve conscious intent to die and ambivalent suicide attempts involve ambivalence regarding the intent to die”.

Important points to consider:
• Is the behavior repetitive and/or habitual?
• What is the intended result of the behavior/action?
• Where is the client developmentally? What is his/her understanding of death?
• How can we improve our interventions and research around this topic?

Micro v. Macro

2008-01-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

I've added via Blackboard most classes being offered this semester. Downloading readings for courses in which I'm not enrolled could certainly be construed as a bit of productive avoidance, but these readings and this research could be useful in the future, and I'm not always going to have university (read: easy and free) access to these journals and studies. I'm already finding the GLBT-related readings for the Spirituality and Clinical Practice course to most interesting and probably relevant to other papers I'll be writing for one of my own classes.

I'm also most pleased to find out that in addition to the research I'll be doing this semester, (policy and interventions for homeless children, developing an elective for the program centering around the micro, mezzo, macro skills needed to work effectively with an immigrant population) I'll also be teaching a handful of classes for a B.S.W. capstone course. Yeah; super excited doesn't cut it. I wasn't aware that this would even be an option and I'm really looking forward to the experience.

Living the other side of the coin in the macro/micro battle, however arbitrary the conflict, feels good. To view work as either expressly micro or macro is an artificial division, in my opinion. And then to create a hierarchy is just plain infuriating. I realize that social work got bitched-slapped by the field's historical lack of the scientific method, but the pendulum swing (present in most fields I can think of) approach isn't the most appropriate. Clinical is better. Micro is worth more. These are the values put forth by the program, whether it admits to it or not. I was drawn to social work because of the flexibility and supposed interrelatedness of all levels of practice. Bottom line is that right now, I'm happier on the macro side of things. I'm surrounded by peers who read and ask questions and act. They put themselves out there and it's a welcome change. As time goes on, however, I'm realizing that I am no more macro than I am micro. If anything, I move toward whatever position is represented the least. I'd love to see a SW program that didn't rely on such imaginary divisions. I'm interested to know just how other schools structure their curricula.

Alphabet Soup

2008-01-19T20:34:00.000-08:00

A list of acronyms for my Working with Adolescents: Practice, Systems and Advocacy course.
Many are specific to California.
Obviously, I'll be adding more as the semester continues.
Eventually I'll link to relevant websites and definitions.

AIM - Access for Infants and Mothers
CCS - California Children's Services
CHDPP - California Children's Health and Disability Prevention Program
EPSDT - Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (Federal Program)
FSP - Full Service Partnerships
ICAN - Inter-Agency Counsel on Abuse and Neglect
IHSS - In-Home Support Services
LSP hold- Lanterman-Petris-Short Act
LRE - Least Restrictive Environment
MHSA - Mental Health Services Act
PAI - Protection and Advocacy Inc
SPA - Service Planning Area
SELPA - Special Education Local Planning Area
SOS - Systems of Care
SSI - Supplemental Security Income
TAY - Transitional Age Youth
TBS - Therapeutic Behavioral Services

HEALTHmap

2008-01-18T02:02:00.000-08:00

Because tracking infectious diseases, worldwide, at 2 o'clock in the morning is a fantastic idea. . .

HEALTHmap: http://www.healthmap.org

"HEALTHmap provides a unified and comprehensive view of the current global state o infectious diseases and their effect on human and animal health by combing disparate data sources, of varying reliability, ranging from news sources (such as Google News) to curated personal accounts (such as ProMED) to validated official alerts (such as World Health Organization). Through an automated text processing system, the data is aggregated by disease and displayed by location for user-friendly access to the original alert. HEALTHmap provides a jumping-off point for real-time information on emerging infectious diseases and has particular interest for public health officials and international travelers."

PILOTS database-Military social work research

2008-01-18T00:52:00.000-08:00

It would have been nice to have this a month ago. . .

PILOTS database-Military social work research (link goes to USC login. available via ProQuest)

About this database:

The PILOTS bibliographic database, covering the Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress, is produced at the headquarters of the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in White River Junction, Vermont. The PILOTS database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Its goal is to include citations to all literature on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental-health sequelae of traumatic events, without disciplinary, linguistic, or geographical limitations, and to offer both current and retrospective coverage.

Subject Coverage:

post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder (with or without reference to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
the assessment, description, prevention, or treatment of any psychiatric disorder, especially dissociative identity disorder (formerly called multiple personality disorder), other dissociative disorders, or borderline personality disorder, associated etiologically or epidemiologically with exposure to a traumatic event, or to an event experienced as traumatic by the population under discussion
the preparation or provision of mental health services to a traumatized population or a population at risk of experiencing traumatic events
issues of professional ethics, scientific methodology, or public policy relating to traumatized populations.

Dates of Coverage: 1871-current

Update Frequency: monthly

Size: Over 33,554 records as of January 2008

Policy Links

2008-01-18T00:26:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles City and County:

City of Los Angeles: http://www.lacity.org
LA County Board of Supervisors: http://bos.co.la.ca.us

California State Resources:

State of California: http://www.ca.gov
California State Legislature: http://www.legislature.ca.gov
Finding your State Representatives: http://www.legislature.ca.gov/port-zipsearch.html
California State Senate: http://www.senate.ca.gov
California State Assembly: http://www.assembly.ca.gov
California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General: http://caag.state.ca.us
The California Voter Foundation: http://www.calvoter.org
Stateline (California): http://www.stateline.org/stateline/?pa=state&sa=showStateInfo&id=CA
California State Association of Counties (CSAC): http://www.csac.counties.org

Federal Resources:

U.S. Government: http://www.firstgov.gov
The White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov
U.S. Senate: http://www.senate.gov
U.S. House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov
Finding your U.S. Representative: http://www.house.gov/zip/ZIP2Rep.html
Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov
GPO Access (Government Printing Office): http://www.gpoaccess.gov
Thomas: http://thomas.loc.gov

Other:

Project Vote Smart: http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm
Influencing State Policy: http://www.statepolicy.org
Google U.S. Government Search: http://www.google.com/ig/usgov
Enter Your Zip Code to see Census Data: http://zipskinny.com
Google Maps - Where a Bill Becomes a Law: http://whereabill.org

Question

2007-11-10T08:04:00.000-08:00

Why is there such a push for male role models for young boys, but not female role models for girls? Is it because there are more "absent" fathers than mothers? What are the actual numbers on this? I was telling a friend's mother about my own childhood and she asked if my younger brother has any male role models, right now. (our dad was killed a year and a half ago) He's 22. In the same story I also talked with her about being thrown out of the house when I was 16 and growing up, for the most part, without a mom. She didn't ask about female role models. Perhaps, because I'm so far beyond it, now? I'm 27. Regardless, this is something I want to spend more time thinking about.

Quick Thought

2007-11-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

By letting kids make their own rules to a game (as opposed to instructing them to play the "right" way), they work to discover their rules of the world, their own internal working models, etc. (Piaget's work related to the development of moral reasoning) Plus, I can learn a lot more about a client this way.

Group Work - Solution Focused Therapy

2007-10-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

(Readings: Corcoran, J. (2003). Clinical Applications of Evidenced-Based Family Interventions. Oxford: Oxford University Press and Johnson, C. V., Reister, A.E., Corbett, C., Buehler, A., Huffaker, L., Levich, K., & Pena, E. (1998). Group activities for children and adolescents: An activity group therapy approach. Journal of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy, 8, 2, 71-88.)

My fellow intern sent me an email asking if I’d read the assigned Johnson article, suggesting that we might discuss it and use it to improve the group we’re co-facilitating. At this point, anything to improve the group sounds like a good plan to me, and if it provides a structured opportunity to really use one of these articles, I am all the more for it.

At present, we are running a solution-focused weekly group for five 3rd grade boys. The boys were referred by each of their teachers and met with N. and I individually to establish personal goals for work during the next 6 weeks. We’re about to have our third session and are feeling a bit worse for wear. These boys are lovely and amazing, but also completely wear me out. It’s such a struggle for me to try and find a balance between the kinds of structure I employed as a teacher as compared with the shift in purpose as a school social worker. More often than not, I have to remind myself that I’m not in the classroom and that this fact gives me a lot of freedom. Old habits are hard to break, however.

Our shared concern has been how to use the group curriculum we’ve been given in a way that fits the needs of these boys. As for all groups, setting, duration, and frequency all much be considered. Right now, our timing is off. Well, my timing is off. I can’t seem to fit things in, in an authentic and organic way. I used to be much better with my time management within the context of groups. I’m also wondering if we’re really clear on the purpose, and if N. and I aren’t clear, we can’t expect the group to be. Also, as referenced by Johnson, Reister, Corbett, Buchler, Huffaker, Levich & Pena (1998), the beginning phase of group centers around a search for meaning and these boys are trying on different roles, testing us and establishing who they want to be in this group. Additionally, the relationship between group structure and ego development is a concept worth more time and thought, on my part, and I hope to further my understanding on the interplay soon.

The Corcoran (2003) article is organized in a very accessible way, and the suggested activities are very helpful. I appreciate the concreteness with which the authors are presenting their material. A central question I have when reflecting upon the group is: are we engaging these kids? Most of the activities listed in the SOS (Spell Out) book are not particularly active and for these five boys, that really doesn’t work for them, and N. and I are finding out that it doesn’t really work for us either. I’m still feeling uncertain as to whether or not this group is going to gel. Our plan for next week, however, is to move away from such direct and didactic interventions and work on an art activity, discussing social skills throughout, as they are relevant and opportunities present themselves.

Symbolic Meanings of Toys

2007-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

Airplane - escape, distance, speed, search, search, freedom, safety, protection, etc.

Animals (wild) - aggression, fear, survival, power, strength, etc.

Animals (domestic) - protection, family, reactions, relations, vulnerability, compliance, dependency, etc.

Baby Bottle - regression, nurturing, coping issues, dependency, babies, siblings, etc.

Ball - interaction, relationships, trust, competition, etc.

Binoculars - perspective, relationship (close/distance), surveillance, hunting, finding, searching, intimacy, self-examination, etc.

Blanket - regression, security, protection, boundaries, etc.

Blocks - defenses, boundaries, construction, limits, rigidity, closure, structure, protection, vulnerability, etc.

Cars - mobility, power, escape, conflict, safety, protection, travel, defenses, etc.

Chalk/Dry-Erase Board - environment, world, creation, emotional expression, contact, pressure, etc.

Clay - aggression, manipulation, creation, control, self-esteem, change, expression, contact, pressure, etc.

Costumes - relationships, communication, anonymity, fantasy, impule, disguise, etc.

Gloves - avoiding, distance, safety, etc.
Hats - identity, roles, expectations, fantasy, power, denial
Masks - relationships, communication, anonymity, etc.
Sunglasses - hiding, avoiding, distance, etc.
Wigs - relationships, communication, impulse

Crayons/Paper - creation, contact, resources, problem-solving, etc.

Dinosaurs - past, history, death, power, extinction, fear, conflict, survival, etc.

Doctor's Kit - healing, repair, respect, power, pain, image, crisis, changing, etc.

Syringe - intrusion, violation, pain, healing, fear, impact, etc.
Stethoscope - internal feelings, unknown, undisclosed, validation, etc.
Thermometer - internal feelings, sick/ok-ness, need for help, crisis, etc.
Blood Pressure - internal issues, anger, calm, state of mind, internalized feelings, etc.
Operation - crisis, intervention, intrusion, action, risk, resolution, control, vulnerability, etc.

Dishes/Cooking - nurturing, celebration, attention, neglect, demands, etc.

Dolls - identity, self, regression, sibling, anatomy, competition, closeness, friendship, etc.

Dollhouse - family, family interaction/attitude, environment, security, etc.

Fingerpaints - contact, involvement, impact, etc.

Flashlight - control, secrecy, fear, searching, leadership, dependency

Games - competition, competency, structure, resistance, moral reasoning, cooperation, etc.

Grooming - self-image, self-concept, change, validation, caring, nurturing, etc.

Guns - aggression, control anger, hostility, power, death, pain, intrusion, impact, protection, boundaries, etc.

Knife - utensil, aggression, power, defense, protection, intrusion, sexual, etc.

Lights - control, power, secret, escape, hiding, denial, change, etc.

Magic Wand / Crystal Ball - fantasy, wishes, goals, desire, future, etc.

Mirror - self-image, self-concept, memories, past, change, future, etc.

Money/Poker Chips - security, power, control, loss, cheated, etc.

Monster Figure - fear, mystery, protective, secretive, conflict, perpetrator, relationship, revenge, attack, etc.

Musical Instruments - self-expression, internal, communication, creativity, contact, etc.

Paints - distance, expression, inaccessible needs, etc.

Pillow - bed, safety, territory, parent, monster, aggression, relaxation, burden, etc.

Playing Cards - money, control, power, secrets, spontaneity, etc.

Puppets - relationships, communication, anonymity, impulses, disguise, etc.

Puzzles - problem solving, decisions, completion, integration, whole picture, getting-it-together, etc.

Sand - construction, destruction, community, feelings, change, emotional world, creativity, etc.

Teddy Bear - warmth, nurturing, security, companionship, etc.

Telephone - communication, distance, safety, control, power, disconnect, etc.

Water - emotionality, flexibility, freedom, anxiety, orality, sadness, depth, internal, etc.

Adapted from V. Richards, 2007

(note: toys can be a need for or a lack of some feeling, emotional state, or competency. context is always important. nothing is black and white.)

Reading Resources for Grief and Loss with Children

2007-10-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

(by no means is this an exhaustive list)

Children Ages 3-8:

Brown, L. K., & Brown, M. T. (1996). When dinosaurs die a guide to understanding death. Boston: Little, Brown.

Curtis, J. L., & Cornell, L. (1998). Today I feel silly & other moods that make my day. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Mundy, M., & Alley, R. W. (1998). Sad isn't bad a good-grief guidebook for kids dealing with loss. St. Meinrad, IN: One Caring Place. Palmer, P., & Burke, D. O. (1994). I wish I could hold your hand- a child's guide to grief and loss. San Luis Obispo, Calif: Impact.

Silverman, J. (1999). Help me say good-bye: Activities for helping kids cope when a special person dies. Minneapolis: Fairview Press.

Teakle, H. (1993). My daddy died: Supporting young children in grief. New York: HarperCollins.

Thomas, P. (2001). I miss you. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, Inc. (Ages 3-6)

Viorst, J., & Blegvad, E. (1988). The tenth good thing about Barney. New York: Aladdin Books.

Winsch, J. L., & Keating, P. T. (1995). After the funeral. New York: Paulist Press.

Children Ages 9-12:

Clifton, L. (1983). Everett Anderson's good-bye. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

Heegaard, M. (1991). When someone has a very serious illness: Children can learn to cope with loss and change. Minneapolis: Woodland Press.

Silverman, J. (1999). Help me say good-bye: Activities for helping kids cope when a special person dies. Minneapolis: Fairview Press.

Smith, D. (1973). A taste of blueberries. Thomas Y. Crowell.

Children 13 and Older:

Agee, J. (1967). A death in the family. New York: Grosset & Dunlap.

Alcott, L. M. (2001). Little women. New York: HarperFestival.

Gootman, M. E., & Espeland, P. (2005). When a friend dies a book for teens about grieving & healing. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Pub.

Romain, T., & Verdick, E. (1999). What on earth do you do when someone dies. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

The Dougy Center for Grieving Children. (2004). Helping teens cope with death. Portland, OR: The Dougy Center for Grieving Children.

Recommended for all Ages:

Buscaglia, L. F. (1982). The fall of Freddie the leaf a story of life for all ages. New York, N.Y: Distributed to the trade by Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Kroen, W. C., & Espeland, P. (1996). Helping children cope with the loss of a loved one a guide for grownups. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub.

Mellonie, B., & Ingpen, R. R. (1983). Lifetimes a beautiful way to explain death to children. New York: Bantam Books.

Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: Harper & Row.

Rylant, C. (1999). The Heavenly Village. New York: Blue Sky Press.

Lessons That Should Be Learned From the Virginia Tech Mass Murders

2007-10-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

From one of my most respected professors. I really admire his work.

Lessons That Should Be Learned From the Virginia Tech Mass Murders

by Ron Avi Astor — May 23, 2007

I’ve been researching school violence worldwide since the early 1980s and I’ve seen how our culture has responded to these tragedies. Unfortunately, some of the most important lessons that need to be learned are often lost in a quest to “understand the perpetrator.” If we hope to reduce future attacks, these are the main lessons we should learn as a culture.

Lesson 1: Students, teachers, and family members are our most important line of defense for saving lives. In almost all mass school shooting events the perpetrator has sent out many messages to friends, family, and peers. These signs follow a similar pattern across many of the shooting situations. This means we need ways to allow these groups to pass information on to the correct places that could address potential danger. Almost all K-12 school murders that have been thwarted were stopped because a student, faculty member, or family member came forward before the event occurred. When these types of lethal events are prevented, our nation should celebrate as heroes the students, teachers, and family members who saved lives. This past year we had one such event in Green Bay. Students were amassing napalm, firearms and had a clear plan to create another Columbine-like massacre. Luckily, one student came forth (many students knew and heard about it), and the school/ authorities took the threat seriously. This tragedy was averted due to the student who heard about the pending attack and the appropriate response from professionals. However, through local media and sometimes the grapevine (and we should have a better way of knowing when these thwarted events occur) it appears that there are dozens of these kinds of student, teacher, and family hero scenarios since Columbine that go unacknowledged in our national consciousness. It sometimes seems that our populous wants to learn after a tragedy occurs but devotes far less effort to understanding how these atrocities have been averted. This hampers our societal learning on how to prevent mass shootings in schools.

Lesson 2: We need to be clear on what to look for. Most of the shooters have been suicidal and homicidal for extended periods of time. The public and media have been trying to frame the cause along one variable (e.g., bullying, mental illness, guns, suicidal behavior, etc.). It’s clearly not ONE variable but the combination of variables. The most important one is threat to self and others. This means that the risk signs we normally look for with suicide could be very helpful in deciding what is a real problem. Has he made threats of suicide/homicide? Does he have a plan? Does he have a target group? Does he have a method? Is he obsessed with weapons, firearms, or explosives? Has he communicated verbally or in writing violent tendencies? Does he have a history of mental illness with violent traits? Does he see himself as a victim with many perpetrators around him? It’s not one of these questions that determine the ultimate risk, rather the combination of all of them that requires the need for speedy intervention. Creating institutional mechanisms that can examine risk variables across multiple categories is critical in assessing the overall risk. A focus on only one or two variables distorts the level of potential risk. Clearly, at Virginia Tech, the perpetrator had been suicidal and reported by his peers; a stalker and reported by his peers; a violence concern to his professor(s) and reported by the professor. So this was not a failure of the cohort to recognize the overall fear and risk involved. Rather, it was a failure of the system to consider (or be aware of) the multiple risks in combination. Part of the reform will require changes in state and federal laws surrounding privacy in high-risk situations, but schools should also change their procedures to inquire and take into account these other multiple variables rather than focus on only one that is presented at that period of time. Most K-12 schools have already informally moved to this kind of swift assessment since the Columbine murders.

Lesson 3: Understanding this act as a form of national terrorism, personal glorification, and a desire for eternal fame. This understanding is critical if we as a society want to reduce the number of such tragedies. The main motivation shooters have in perpetrating these events in the way that they are done is eternal memory and fame. They also want to strike fear into the hearts of every American for many years to come. This means the country should respond to these events as they would to terrorist acts, acts of suicide, and attempts to destroy our morale. Decades of social science research clearly show that glorification of perpetrators in the media right after an event increases the chances of these events happening in the months and years following a saturation of information on perpetrators in the media. A focus on the victims and the pain caused by the tragedy leads to a decrease in copycat events. The public has a right to know information; however, the guidelines and deliberations on what events to show and how to show them should follow similar guidelines surrounding terrorism and suicide. These kinds of guidelines might be helpful to schools in the way they frame the issue to students and faculty. It may encourage a greater alertness and clarity about the need to respond and inform if similar situations appear in their settings. Over time, this type of response may help in reducing the number of copycat events.

Lesson 4. Pre- and post-crisis planning need to include many citizens. Compared with other countries, the United States has very few members of the public trained in how to help and respond in a crisis. Much of my work has been in Israel where most of the people have training in basic crisis principles and response. Hence, in a crisis the EMTs and police have thousands of civilian helpers and allies to help evacuate, secure perimeters, triage, and everyone knows where to go and how to respond in a timely manner. In the United States, the entire immediate crisis response is professionalized to police officers, firefighters, and a small group of crisis workers. There is no reason that all U.S. high school students and college freshmen can’t take basic emergency training courses to increase our national and local capacity to handle disaster events. Clearly, 9/11, the Oklahoma bombing, the many school shootings, Hurricane Katrina, pending earthquakes, and other forms of natural disasters in recent years have shown that our population could be better educated and prepared to be assets in crisis situations. In the same way we educate about CPR or how to use the Heimlich procedure or basic safety classes on riding a bike, or driving a car, we can create short pre-during-post crisis units in health classes (both at the high school and college levels). This would be especially important for schools in high-risk areas (e.g., California with earthquakes). This way our country could have millions of responders rather than populations that feel helpless and are unsure how to respond when the need appears. In the same way that learning CPR and the Heimlich empowers people who learned these skills, basic crisis knowledge could help students feel that they can help and contribute if called upon.

Teachers College Record, Date Published: May 23, 2007
http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 14497, Date Accessed: 10/10/2007 11:20:16 PM

Running Groups

2007-09-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

I'm losing my thoughts, left and right, with increasing regularity. It's a problem. At any rate, I ran the first session of a solution-focused group for five third grade boys, last week. The intern who will co-facilitate had another meeting to attend, so another intern (at the end of her placement) sat in.

Thus far, this kind of "support" feels to be more of a hindrance than a help. I don't like being observed. In fact, I hate it. I feel much more confident and competent just walking in and doing it on my own. I understand the principle of having a kind of human lifeline in the room is supposed to decrease the anxiety, but that's really not my experience: it makes me want to bolt. I know a lot of it stems from my insecurities and irrational convictions related to my perceptions of constant judgment by others. I'm trying to get over that. This first group, however, also brought up the beginnings of quasi-ethical (perhaps, more ideological) points of contention and reminded me of just how hard it can be to run a group with another person.

For me, when I'm in a teacher's classroom, I try to adhere to his/her version of "appropriate behavior" as much as possible, without sacrificing my own values and ceasing to function as my authentic self (or whatever). It's a different beast, however, when a session is on your turf. This first session was particularly difficult in that the intern with whom I was co-facilitating would only be there the once and I, as previously mentioned, was experiencing my typical anxiety related to the presence, observations, and perceived judgments of my "superiors".

Also: they're boys. Boys after recess. And I'm comfortable with a level of "chaos" that others find infuriating. In my opinion, they weren't horrible at all. Testing, sure; but that's what kids are going to do the first time they're in a new group, with a new adult: test. Of course, I'll sit in on a classroom lesson with my supervisor and the "calling out" and volume that she's OK with makes me want to climb out of my skin. These boys know each other well and this, of course, impacts the dynamics of the group. We discussed group guidelines and they talked over one another regardless. Fairly quickly, they began to police each other, but without any real thought as to how what they said about another child could also be reflected back on themselves. This isn't surprising and while it wasn't my favorite thing, I felt confident that a shift could be made in future sessions.

What threw me was the co-facilitator's response to the kid-on-kid policing: she loved it. She said that it would only become more pronounced and spoke of this as an extremely positive thing. I think I see where she's coming from, in that such self-regulation potentially speaks to group cohesion, but with kids, group process functions a bit differently. Kids calling each other out and putting each other down for not sitting up or talking out of turn doesn't feel right. Maybe it's because there is such a disconnect between what they're saying and what they're doing. To me, it seems more that they reprimand each other for the purpose of gleaning individual attention from the adult facilitators, not because they feel the group suffers from such disregard of agreed upon rules. And the other intern was clear to say that she did not allow for personal put-downs (i.e. "that's stupid" or "shut-up"), but these kids possess not an ounce of tact and when they instruct another child to sit up, it sure sounds like a personal attack.

So, how much of this is just me? Is there a right or wrong? The other intern intimated that best-practice was to let the kiddos work out these issues completely on their own. I have a strong bias toward following the rules by demonstrating the rules, otherwise it feels like this hypocritical free-for-all. I guess I'll see how the group goes this week and what differences there will be with the introduction of N. as co-facilitator. To be continued. . .

Suicide and Self-Injury, Continued

2007-09-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

(Ross, S., & Heath, N. (2003). Two models of adolescent self-mutilation. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 33, 277-286. )

The gist: "Two models, the hostility and anxiety reduction models, were simultaneously tested in order to determine whether SM in adolescence was characterized by greater feelings of anxiety and hostility" (Ross & Heath, p.1, 2003).

even after further reading, I still feel unclear regarding the anxiety reduction model and the hostility model - I need to keep working at it

beginning understanding: anxiety reduction model relates to feeling overwhelmed, a need for release and for feelings to stop -- hostility model relates to an inability to express hurt/anger/pain and as such, individual cuts 'to feel'

state variable - more anxious as a direct result of SI behavior
trait variable - more anxious to begin with, SI somewhat secondary
seriously, I'm just not connecting with this article and I can't see the relevance of the research - Why is this an assigned article over countless others? - I'll have to come back to it, I suppose

Hurry, J. (2000). Deliberate self-harm in children and adolescents. International review of psychiatry, 12, 31-36.

The gist: This is a British article discussing deliberate self-harm in children and adolescents. In this instance, deliberate self-harm seems to refer to both self-injury as well as parasuicide. Given the year, this article is rather dated in many respects, but I think it serves as an interesting comparison to research, definitions, and practice here in the United States.

my understanding of parasuicide is as follows: parasuicide refers to repetative, near-lethal behavior that exists without the explicit intend of suicide - driving too fast, dangerous work without the right equipment, binge substance abuse, etc.
in my mind, parasuicide is not the same thing as self-injury
parasuicide, deliberate self-harm, uncompleted suicide, attempted suicide - these are sometimes used interchangeably, but don't necessarily mean the same thing - why such messy operationalization?
similar patterns in reporting to child abuse and neglect (i.e. severe underreporting)
impulsive vs. compulsive behaviors - DSM-IV classifications
the UK seems to lump in SI with everything else. Why?

N. (Australian) suggests that the Commonwealth tends to lag behind the states by about a year in regard to such things - also made a fine point questioning whether this lumping relates, in part, to differences in health insurance policies - private vs. socialized and so on

factoring in age and cognitive development

"Adolescents can understand the concept of death cognitively. However, it is not clear that they internalize the end of their own lives, particularly younger adolescents. It would not be uncommon for students even as old as 16 to view death as magical, temporary, and reversible" (Lieberman, Poland, & Cassel, in press)

English Learners

2007-09-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

So:
I need to learn Spanish.
According to the official data, there are 877 children at my school, 677 of whom are classified as English Learners. The majority of the staff is bilingual and a handful of the classrooms are taught almost expressly in Spanish. The chart paper with brainstorming sessions about Astronomy is covered with words I don’t know. The work stapled to the bulletin boards outside of the class is much the same. Kids ask questions in Spanish and the teacher answers in English. And I love it. But I also have questions.

“Fair play”, my fellow intern N. would say, as she is from Australia and her speech is peppered with a number of other such charming expressions. These kids need the opportunity to learn problem-solving skills and pull apart concepts as much as they can. Not knowing English doesn’t make them stupid. Nevertheless, their tests are in English, they are effectively judged based on their English proficiency, and I wonder when and where that transition is made. I want to talk with the kiddos in Spanish, and in my head I begin to try, but I stop myself from speaking because I don’t remember any more than my numbers, colors, and names of some barnyard animals. This is obviously a problem. I’m realizing that my French is actually more present and accessible than I thought possible, which is a pleasant surprise, but it’s not as if that really helps me in this context. I started a list of phrases/words I’d like to pick up as soon as possible. (“good thinking”, “I like the way you. . . “, “good listening”, “I need you to keep your chair flat”. . . .) Is this going to be enough?

Random sort-of thoughts relating to English Learners in the context of schooling:

How to approach the subject of difference -- particularly culture and specifically language -- within the context of individual, as well as group sessions

My thoughts and experiences as a white, monolingual, young woman working in a bilingual school setting

When I'm teaching a lesson in the classroom and a student is reluctant to participate, is it because he/she is shy, does not relate to the subject at hand, isn't listening or does he/she not understand. And if the child does not understand, is it because of my volume, my pacing, my word choice, or is it a language-related barrier? This last bit is a completely new experience for me.

I'm taking a Spanish class at the city college beginning next week and I ask the impressionables to help me at every turn. This builds rapport and trust, but is it going to be enough to really improve my conversational skills?

A Systems Approach to the School

2007-09-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

1. The system is greater than the sum of its parts. Think of a car that is shiny and new and ready to drive off the dealer's lot. Then picture a pile of car parts -- all the same ones that are in the new car. Given the choice, which would you like to have? Most people would choose the fully assembled car because it is more than just a pile of parts. It is a fully operational system.

2. In a system, all people and all parts of the system are connected. Everyone in the system has a role in how it functions. In other words, it is not likely that there are simply "bad" kids in the school without all the other components of the system (including the parents) making a contribution to their failure or their acting-out, even if that contribution is inadvertent.

[couldn't the same could be said for "good" kids and prosocial behaviors?]

3. The system will always work towards maintaining itself, for better or worse. This state is called homeostasis, meaning that the system, in this case, the school, will strive for some kind of balance. Systems may sacrifice individuals, even whole groups, to achieve that homeostasis.

4. The system will discourage change. In an attempt to keep the balance of the system, the system will discourage change; it will discourage differences or unusual and atypical behaviors. Difference is punished; conformity is rewarded.

5. Interactions between people are circular, not simply a series of causes and effects. To make positive and lasting improvements, we must look at the whole network of interactions between and among people in the organization. For example, expelling a student who acts out will rarely bring an end to the problem; usually someone else will fill that problem role. That is the same as saying A (the acting out) leads to B (getting expelled) leads to C (resolution of the problem), and that is the end of the process. From a systems perspective, that is only a small fraction of what is happening in the system. The interactions that happened before the child acts out at school and the programs and planning that must be put into place after the child is expelled are equally important, and essential to figuring out how the system is functioning.

[in this situation the problem is the behavior and how it is negatively affecting the classroom environment. as such, the point stands that a new student will inevitably rise to step into the abandoned role of "attention-seeker". what is not considered, however, is the additional lack of problem-solving for the initial student whose needs are certainly not met through expulsion.]

6. Some systems have scapegoats. Systems that are not working well, or are unhealthy in some meaningful way, tend to produce scapegoats.

Taken from: Garbarino, J., & Delara, E. (2003). An educator's guide to school-based interventions. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Suicide Prevention and Self-Injury

2007-09-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

New Resources:

The California Endowment (a private health foundation that provides grants to community-based organizations throughout California)
LAUSD Suicide Prevention Unit - Richard Lieberman
Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
Signs of Suicide SOS
Teenscreen

Suicide Prevention and Intervention (Lieberman, R. (2007, September 12). Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Presented at LAUSD PSW district training at the California Endowment Center):

October-November - highest incidences of suicide and suicide attempts in schools
emerging trend - shift from firearms to strangulation (i.e. the "choking game") as access to firearms becomes more difficult / regulated for youth
importance of the contagion factor
community models of crisis intervention do not fit well in schools
"widening the circle of care"
depression and hopelessness in suicide - similarities in experience - violence against self vs. violence against others - in either situation there are feelings of disconnection and hopelessness / needs are not being met - where is the overlap?
root issue: students need to connect and feel a sense of belonging

Self-Injury (Lieberman, R. (2007, September 12). Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Presented at LAUSD PSW district training at the California Endowment Center):

Finally, they've stopped calling it self-mutilation (for the most part)
again, the importance of the contagion factor - as more evidence speaks to the detrimental effects of group assemblies, magazine articles, and talk shows that intend to decrease the stigma, but generally provide more of a "how-to", is this research having any effect on the number of pieces in the media?
don't laugh - I learned to cut by reading an article in 17 Magazine when I was in high school - it is a valid concern
correlates with control and structure / comorbidity with eating disorders / reflect on how I choose to lose and then regain a sense of control in my own life
do not discourage SI, threaten hospitalization, use punishment, act shocked or say anything to cause guilt or shame, agree to hold SI behavior as confidential, make deals in an effort to stop SI, make promises you can't keep
however maladaptive, this is the student's primary coping mechanism and it should not be taken away from them - importance of working together to find more healthy coping mechanisms, but accepting SI until that point is reached
motivational interviewing (MI) and stages of change model

An Explanation of Sorts

2007-09-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

I lack organization and good penmanship, but have a lot of ideas and questions that sort of bludgeon me on a daily basis. As such, it occurred to me that starting yet another blog - this time for the express purpose of reflection and retention - might not be too terrible of an idea. My intent is to type my half-thoughts and questions, here, as they arise, as well as keep a running log of new resources I come across in my PSW work in the field.

The end result? Hopefully I will be able to identify patterns and themes in my own learning in addition to having a somewhat coherent collection of questions and interests as I either move into the working world, post-graduation, or continue on to get my PhD in either social work or school psychology. Here's hoping.

References (in progress)

2007-09-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

Allen-Meares, P. (2007). Social work services in schools (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

Garbarino, J., & Delara, E. (2003). An educator's guide to school-based interventions. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Gatto, J. T. (2002). The exhausted school bending the bars of traditional education. Berkeley, Calif: Berkeley Hills Books.

Hurry, J. (2000). Deliberate self-harm in children and adolescents. International review of psychiatry, 12, 31-36.

Kozol, J. (2005). The shame of the nation the restoration of apartheid schooling in America. New York: Crown Publishers.

Lieberman, R. (2004). Understanding and responding to students who self-mutilate. Principal Leadership, 10-13.

Lieberman, R. (2007, September 12). Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Presented at LAUSD PSW district training at the California Endowment Center

Lieberman, R., Poland, S., & Cowan, K. (2006). Suicide prevention and intervention. Principal Leadership, 11-15.

Ross, S., & Heath, N. (2003). Two models of adolescent self-mutilation. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 33, 277-286.