Counseling FAQ

Visit our Website Past Newsletters Counseling FAQ May 3, 2011 This past month I had the privilege to present an employee orientation to a group of extremely courteous men. I have oriented employees on the benefits of their EAP hundreds of times, but somehow presenting the topic of counseling to a group of men usually makes me slightly nervous. Perhaps it’s because my Dad overdid the “Men don’t cry or have emotion” routine, or maybe it’s because I have presented to a group of men who literally laughed as soon as I said counseling. Either way, I always get a bit nervous. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself with an entirely different experience this month. Every gentleman gave me their full attention, asked questions, and even shared their own experiences with MINES. I was in awe of their openness and kindness. I know my perception is largely based on what I have experienced in my life but this event truly warmed my heart. Getting anyone to understand the benefit and process of counseling isn’t always easy unless they have experienced it for themselves. The theme for May is “Mental Health Matters,” and our first communication is a quick guide to understanding what counseling is and how it can be used. Read more on this topic here… Britney Kirsch Account Manager

[insert opinion here]

Since recommitting to our blogging efforts here at MINES, we have seen a tremendous response in viewership.  In the Marketing Department here, we like statistics and so we watch for data that help us make informed decisions.  I wanted to share a couple of interesting statistics with you all:

• Since January 1, the number of views has increased by 50%
• The most searched term that has brought viewers to our blog so far this year was, “healthy decision making.”

We’ve been working very hard to provide useful information to those that visit our blog and want to use this venue for sharing with you as well.  We want you to comment with feedback, “like” the posting if you find it useful, retweet it if you think it’s valuable, or share it with your friends and colleagues in any other way you’d like.  The more you share with us about your interests and what you’d like to see, the more we can focus our attention on providing content you want to see.

Ryan Lucas
Marketing Supervisor

Happenings from Account Management

Labor’s Community Agency is a nonprofit organization that serves as the community services arm of the Colorado AFL-CIO.  They provide assistance to union members, their families, and the community at large.  The phone number for the LCA is prominent on MINES’ resource contact list and given to those with nowhere else to turn for assistance – they have never let us down.  As with any organization that does this type of work, volunteers and donations are a big part of what keeps them going and each year at the annual meeting they pay tribute to those that help.  This year the Community Services Award was given to Judy Braun (a long-time MINES employee who retired last year).  Two MINES member organizations were also acknowledged:  Sheet Metal Workers Local 9 received the Community Excellence Award and Volunteer of the Year Awards were given to Ed Knox and Michael Hixson, both with IBEW.  A big “Thank You” to all for the support of this organization that touches so many lives in a positive way.

Until next time!

Peggy Hill
Britney Kirsch
Account Management

Incarceration Doesn’t Solve the Problem

MINES and Associates is proud to be partaking in the Access to Recovery III program. This is a federally sponsored program that helps those with substance abuse problems and little economic resources to get help kicking their addiction and becoming productive members of society. It also may be a step in the right direction for our government and our society.  Our government, at the federal, state, and local levels, spends billions on enforcing our current drug policy with little to no effect on overall drug usage. The costs for one year of incarceration only (i.e., excluding law enforcement and court costs), is approximately seven times higher than one year of court mandated drug treatment.  The efficacy of prison on rehabilitating inmates is abysmal as well. Approximately 67 percent of prison inmates will offend again in the three years following their release compared to only 16 percent of drug court graduates being rearrested for drugs. Seven times the cost for only 40 percent of the success rate with no tangible effect on overall availability of drugs or on their usage? From an economic stand point, this doesn’t make any sense.

The other side of this is the human side. Many addicts have underlying psychological and physical conditions that they are self-medicating with their illicit, or in the case of tobacco and alcohol, legal substance of choice. For example, in some cases of depression a chemical in the brain called dopamine may be low. This can be elevated to normal levels with medication from a medical provider or can be extra-elevated with street drugs such as cocaine and meth. Someone who tries the illegal drug before getting medical treatment may continue to use the illegal drug to treat their depression eventually becoming physically dependent and an addict instead of treating their depression with medication and therapy.

There is, of course, much more to this debate than a blog post can allow but perhaps it is time for an honest debate about how we treat people who may be damaging themselves but have not committed any other crime against another person or someone else’s property. What do you think about this issue?

Mike Mines
Executive Vice President, Finance & Operations

 

Psychology of Performance – 23 Shanti Bhavan

As many of you know I am functioning as an ambassador of the firm doing volunteer consultation at Shanti Bhavan, a school for very poor children in India who would have very few opportunities in life had they not been admitted to Shanti Bhavan.

I will provide some video/audio of the piano recital put on by the students of our former colleague Allegra Boggess and photos of the first ever Shanti Bhavan chess tournament, plus the two daily martial arts classes.

We had 97 children participate in the chess tournament. The chess boards range from those purchased at local stores to paper boards and pieces that were homemade. In addition, there are some pictures of the tae kwon do and jujitsu classes I am teaching. The classes are taught in the grass for falls and throws and on the clay/rock soccer fields – no mats, no air conditioning, and Frisbees for kicking pads.

From a performance stand point two important elements are represented in these examples.  First, high levels of performance can be achieved with few resources and making the best of those available. Second, enthusiasm, passion, and persistence, along with appreciation for the opportunity, can carry one to heights one may not have dreamed of.

www.shantibhavanonline.org

Namaste,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

Happenings from Account Management

Welcome To…

Our new client organization:

CPC. This Academic Research Organization is an independent company staffed with business professionals who understand the complexities of clinical research and commercial drug development.  They are dedicated to improving health through clinical research and integrating evidence into community prevention programs.

Congratulations to…

18th Judicial District, whose Mental Health Court celebrated its first anniversary, presenting tens of thousands of dollars in savings to taxpayers, along with a couple dozen success stories. The program, a collaboration between the staff at Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network and the 18th Judicial District, diverts the mentally ill away from prison. The goal, those behind it say, is to shut the revolving door that moves the mentally ill in and out of jail or prison but rarely addresses the disease at the root of their crimes.

A chance to commit to treatment under the supervision of a judge is offered to people with serious mental illness who are charged with felonies that don’t involve violence or sex crimes. In exchange, they stay out of prison.  Congratulations on improving the human as well as financial condition.

Until next time!

Peggy Hill, Account Manager
Britney Kirsch, Account Manager

Happenings from Account Management…

Bear Tales

Many companies host Benefit & Health Fairs in the late fall & early winter.  This is an opportunity for employees to meet with the benefit providers, ask questions, and learn about services that are available to them.  It is also an opportunity for your EAP Account Managers to hear what is working well, what needs improvement, or what changes or additions to your EAP programs would be most appreciated.   As employees (and sometimes the families as well) wind their way through the tables manned by benefit providers and companies offering services we like to have something to draw people to the EAP table.  MINES has long used the “Really Big Bear” as a raffle to pull people to our display.   It is not unusual to have the winner re-gift this prize to another person or enterprise.  We have heard of the “Really Big Bear” finding a home in child care centers at churches and community centers, in offices where burdened or distressed employees are seeking direction or comfort, with Grandchildren, and with Toys for Tots.

Below is the “rest of the story” for the South Suburban Parks and Recreation bear given away last fall.  The generosity displayed and the culture of caring promoted by the act make a heartwarming story.

Peggy Hill
Account Manager

Lola, who has fully recovered, at home with her “Really Big Bear”

“On November 12 , I went to Buck Recreation Center for our annual Health and Benefits Fair with South Suburban Parks and Recreation. While I was there I visited the various tables set up with information and freebies. I only filled out 2 cards for drawings. One was with MINES and Associates. Since I am one of those people who never win anything, imagine my surprise when my name was drawn for the big, beautiful, soft brown teddy bear. During this time one of our manager’s  2 year old daughter, Lola, was in the hospital severly ill after being exposed to E. Coli.  Even though I knew the bear would be larger than her, I knew I wanted to give it to her. James gave us updates on Lola’s condition through Facebook so we knew what was going on. He came in one day to attend a meeting and I told him I would like to give her the bear. He took it home and took pictures of her with it. I want to thank you for this beautiful gift. I thought you might like to know what happened to it, who received it, and where it found a home. James and I both want to thank you.”

Linda Vestal
Registration Office Supervisor, Goodson Recreation Center

Worry Free Finances

“If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.“
- Benjamin Franklin

This is the time of year when many people resolve to turn over a “new leaf” and make important changes in their lives.  For a lot of us, that includes changing the way we manage our money.  With the over-spending that tends to occur around the holidays, it’s easy to decide to make a budget – but the hard part is sticking to it.  Below are some online tools to help you do just that.

www.mint.com

www.kiplinger.com/tools/budget

www.mvelopes.com

www.budgettracker.com

If you feel like you would benefit from more personalized help getting started, you may consider checking with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org ) for accredited financial consultants in your area.

Happy New Year!

~The HealthPsych Team

Psychology of Performance – 20 – Early Attachment and Adult Performance Implications

Our early attachments to our primary caregivers may have significant implications for our ability to perform throughout our lives. The good news is that there are mindfulness techniques that can help integrate the information and energy associated with the various attachment categories so that as adults our performance does not have to be limited by the early learning associated with these attachments.

Siegel &  Hartzell, M.Ed., (2003, p.102-112) in their book, Parenting from the Inside Out, describe four patterns of attachment derived from the work of researchers such as Mary Ainsworth, Mary Main, and Erik Hesse, among others. As infants we most likely have one of the following patterns (which can vary by caregiver): Secure, Insecure-Avoidant, Insecure-Anxious/Ambivalent, or Insecure-Disorganized.

Secure attachments are described as having a parental interactive pattern characterized by the parent being emotionally available, perceptive, and responsive. The child sees the parent as being a source of comfort during times of distress, a safe haven, being available, and a secure base. This creates a sense of well being from which the child can go into the world to “explore and make new connections with others” (p.104).

Insecure-Avoidant patterns are associated with parents who are emotionally unavailable, imperceptive, unresponsive, and rejecting. These children avoid closeness and emotional connections to the parent (p.104).

Insecure-Ambivalent patterns are described as having parents who are inconsistently available, perceptive, and responsive and intrusive. The child cannot depend on the parent for attunement and connection. The child develops a sense of anxiety and uncertainty about whether they can depend on their parents (p.105).

Insecure-Disorganization patterns are created by parents who are frightening, frightened, chaotic, disorienting, and alarming to the child. This pattern is often associated with abuse. This creates a situation in which abuse is incompatible with a sense of security. The child develops coping responses that lead to difficulties in regulating emotions, trouble in social communication, difficulties with academic reasoning tasks, a tendency toward interpersonal violence, and a predisposition to dissociation – a process in which normally integrated cognition becomes fragmented (p. 106).

The good news is that for those with insecure attachments there are mindfulness techniques described in Siegel’s book, Mindsight, that can help the individual integrate the insecure attachment memories, patterns, and information in a manner that frees them up from “automatically or habitually” engaging in the pattern in their adult relationships.

The implications of early attachment for the psychology of performance are significant. Secure attachments allow for a base of security which in adulthood can manifest in collaborative interactions in the business environment, for example. The social psychology of group performance is enhanced when members can communicate directly and problem solve from a position of trust. Contrast this with an avoidant attachment pattern in which a team member has a fundamental approach to relationships that is one of distrust and self-reliance. This team member is there in name only and will be perceived as not cooperating, being a maverick, and “not playing well in the sand box.” The anxious attachment style may show up as an accommodating or pleasing style. This person sacrifices their own opinions so as to fit in, may frequently be checking in with the “boss” for approval and reassurance. The group loses this person’s gifts as the person may give in rather than be proactive on a decision point. The disorganized attachment style may contribute to significant disruption in a work group or team’s performance because the person will become overwhelmed during a conflict with either a chaotic or rigid response, either of which can disrupt the flow of energy and information needed for higher performance.

The culture of an organization often is set by the leader of the organization. Part of the definition of culture is the shared set of assumptions as to how we do business. From this, it is possible to see how the impact of the leader’s attachment could influence the culture of the organization. For example, if the leader has an anxious attachment, the organization may have a strong press to accommodate customers, resulting in a high emphasis on customer service which could range from being useful to problematic if taken to a dysfunctional level.

Have a day filled with mindful integration,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

Planning Your Company’s Holiday Party

It’s that time of the year again; time to plan the company holiday party!  What are your company’s plans?  Company holiday parties are important because they allow for team building, employee appreciation, and interaction in a social atmosphere.  But with publicity about lawsuits and keeping budget constraints in mind, planning the company holiday party can be a stressful endeavor.  Don’t worry, balancing employee expectations and morale with the realities of finances and liabilities can happen!

The holiday party here at MINES was held last week.  To start, the party planning was opened up to everyone throughout the company and ended up consisting of four party planners.  We made the decision to hold the party on site in a conference room to save on funds and utilize open space.   In order to dress up the conference room a bit, the party planning committee met off site one afternoon and purchased inexpensive decorations from stores such as Safeway and King Soopers.  Employees from all over the company made suggestions for activities and food, and we ended up with the famous White Elephant gift exchange and ordering Chinese food from Yen King with a potluck dessert table.  The party was a success, complete with a thankful speech from our CEO, visits from previous employees, holiday songs thanks to a musically-inclined employee, and hilarious gifts passed around including a “grow your own therapist” and a funky metal pig that was a hot item and stolen many times.

Here are some tips to make your holiday party inexpensive, fun, and non-alcoholic:

• Invite everyone to join in your party planning and encourage ideas for food and activities from everyone – you will be amazed at the creativity!
• Consider supporting local charities by holding a toy or coat drive or perhaps even voluntary monetary donations.  MINES’ employees always enjoy participating and it’s a great way to give back during the holiday season.
• Spread out the seating area and include activities that encourage everyone to move around and mingle with coworkers they don’t know very well.
• Hold the party during the workday.  Not only will this save money, but will lower the expectations for alcohol.  Plus, employees appreciate the long break!
• Encourage the President/Owner/CEO to give a thankful speech.  Likely they will plan on it, but ask anyway. Hearing thanks for a busy year really means a lot to everyone!
• Don’t hang mistletoe! Yes, when I read and heard this before, I thought it was silly…but consider what mistletoe might bring and which policies could be violated.
• Be sure to insist that the holiday party is voluntary.

If you are considering serving alcohol at your company party, click on the following link for helpful information from the U.S. Department of Labor:  http://www.dol.gov/asp/programs/drugs/workingpartners/sp_iss/send.asp

Dani Kimlinger, MHA
Human Resources Specialist