Thursday, December 29, 2011

Goals for 2012

It's that time of the year again...time to make resolutions for the new year. A lot of times we don't stick to our resolutions probably because we set unreasonable goals. For example, to say, "I'm going to lose weight next year", is not reasonable because there is nothing measurable or observable. You have to set smaller goals and be specific. For example, "beginning in January, I'm going to start walking for 20 minutes three times a week", or "beginning in January, I am going to start substituting a glass of water for one of my beverages everyday for 30 days."

The smaller goals are more attainable. Once you've mastered one goal, create another one, and so on, and so on. The whole process should resemble the outline of a paper, with Roman numerals and sub-categories descending in uniform increments. Each Roman numeral repesents a long-term goal, and the descending letters and numbers represent short-term goals.

What are my goals for 2012? I plan to improve my current fitness plan by adding yoga to my routine three times a week. I also plan to start drinking one gallon of water per day.

What are your goals for 2012?

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Introduction to Grief and Bereavement Issues

Introduction to Grief and Bereavement Issues

Kathryn Patricelli, MA, edited by Mark Dombeck, Ph.D.


While it is true that people require "air, food, water, clothing, and shelter,” in order to survive, we must also add "relationships" to this list because it is a rare person who is able to thrive in the absence of intimate relationships with other people, places, and things.

Grief is the process and emotions that we experience when our important relationships are significantly interrupted or (more frequently) ended, either through death, divorce, relocation, theft, destruction, or some similar process. A related term, “bereavement”, has different meanings for different people, but all meanings refer to the grieving process. While some view bereavement as a specific subtype of grief that occurs when a loved one (usually a spouse) dies, others think of the term as referring to the period of time during which grief is felt and losses are dealt with.

Grief starts when someone or something we care about is lost to us. We do not grieve for all lost relationships; instead, we grieve only for those that have become important to us over time. These can be relationships with people that we have strong connections to, such as family members, spouses, significant others, and friends; places we feel attached to, such as the house we grew up in or our hometown; or things that are important to us, such as love letters, a watch that a grandparent gave us, etc. We may have loved or hated that person, place, or thing, but we feel grief when they (or it) are gone.

There are two types of losses that we may grieve. The first is the actual loss of the person or thing in our lives. The second is the symbolic loss of the events that can no longer occur in the future because of that actual loss. For example, if a child is lost to parents, those parents lose not only their actual child, but also all the many events they expected to share with that child, including birthdays, graduations, wedding days, and other shared events large and small that make up the ongoing relationship with the lost child that is no longer possible because that child has died.

In many ways, we live our lives through our important relationships. Our relationships define us and who we are; they become intimately intertwined into our sense of self (or self-concept) and are thus a living part of us. It is terribly painful to lose one of these key relationships, because with the loss of such an important relationship, we also lose an important part of ourselves. For this reason, grief is not something that happens 'out there' in the world. Instead, it happens inside each grieving person's sense of self which is personally wounded and damaged by such losses. The work of grief is thus the personal work of healing and regrowing the sense of self.

Grief ends when we have gotten past the acute need for the lost other person or thing in our lives and are able to function normally without them. This doesn't mean that we stop feeling sad when we think about older losses; it only means that we are no longer significantly crippled by them.

Grief is a normal and natural process that takes work to get through. It is not easy to let go of close relationships that have existed in our lives. Dealing with the emotions that occur in the grieving process takes much time and energy, and is usually both physically and emotionally demanding. It is normal for people to grieve in very different ways. Some people grieve openly, while others hide their feelings of distress. Some people grieve quickly, while others take a long time to "finish." There is no "right way" to grieve. Each individual comes up with a method of grieving that fits them and their particular loss.

There are a number of conditions that can make it harder for a person to successfully make it through the grief process. For example, sudden losses are harder to deal with than ones that have been anticipated. With anticipated losses, the knowledge that a loss will occur allows people to prepare, both by feeling grief before the fact of the loss and also by planning ways to minimize the negative impact of the loss when it does occur.

The loss of a spouse, lover, child, parent, or best friend is usually more deeply felt than the loss of more distant relations and friends. This is because such central relationships have long and deeply felt histories and an intensity of attachment that does not occur with more distant relationships. Central relationships are more deeply and significantly intertwined into the grieving person's sense of self, and thus leave a bigger hole in the grieving person's sense of self when they are lost.

The amount of support a grieving person can draw upon is critical to how successfully he or she will cope with grief. The more that friends, family and community are present and supportive, and the more that the grieving person is able to accept offered support, the better the outcome tends to be. Isolated people tend to have a harder time.

The "fairness" of the loss is also important. Losses that challenge a grieving person's ability to believe that the world is predictable are harder to manage. It is easier to accept the loss of an aged parent who has lived a full life than it is to accept the loss of a child. Death by disease tends to be easier to accept than death by a random, senseless accident.


Stages and Process of Grief

Even though everyone grieves losses in slightly different ways, there are some regular patterns or stages of grieving that people usually experience. These patterns describe the emotions and mental processes that may be felt at different stages of the grief process.

Horowitz’s Model of Loss/Adaptation

Psychiatrist Mardi Horowitz divides the process of normal grief into the following "stages of loss." These stages are typical, but they don't occur for everyone or always in this exact order.

  • Outcry. People often get upset when they first realize that they have lost someone important. They may publicly scream and yell; cry and collapse. Alternatively, they may hold their distress inside and not share it with others. Outcry feelings may be suppressed by the person who is feeling them so that the feelings are not felt too strongly, or they may spill out uncontrollably. In any event, initial outcry feelings take a lot of energy to sustain and tend to not last too long.
  • Denial and Intrusion. As people move past the initial outcry, they will often enter a period characterized by movement between 'denial' and 'intrusion'. This means that people will experience periods where they distract themselves so thoroughly in other activities and thoughts they don't think about the loss, and also periods where the loss is felt very strongly and acutely, perhaps even as intensely as during the initial outcry stage. It is normal for people to bounce between these opposites of engagement and disengagement. People may feel guilty when they realize they are no longer constantly feeling their loss and are able to engage in other activities and emotions, but it is a good thing that this happens. Distraction and disengagement break up the intensity of feeling characteristic of the acute pain of loss so it is more manageable and less overwhelming.
  • Working Through. As time goes by (days, weeks, months), the movement between denial (not thinking about or feeling the loss) and intrusion (thinking about and feeling the loss very intensely) tends to slow down and becomes less pronounced, with people spending more time not thinking about or feeling the loss, and less time being overwhelmed by it. During the working through stage, people think about and feel their loss, but also start to figure out new ways to manage without the lost relationship. Such new ways of managing might include making preparations to date again (or just starting to think about it), developing new friendships and strengthening existing ones, finding new hobbies, engaging in new projects, etc.
  • Completion. At some point in time (months, years), the process of grieving is completed or rather, "completed enough", so that life has started to feel normal again. While memories remain of what has been lost, the feeling attached to the loss is less painful and no longer regularly interferes with the person's life. Temporary reactivation of grief feelings may occur on anniversaries important to the lost relationship (marriage and engagement dates, etc.), but such upwellings of hurt feeling tend to be temporary in nature.

Probably the most famous formulation of the stages of grief was developed by Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in her book "On Death and Dying". Dr. Kubler-Ross actually wrote about the stages that dying people tend to go through as they come to terms with the realization that they will soon be dead. However, her stages have since been borrowed by the larger grief community as a means of describing the grief process more generally. Coming to terms with dying is certainly a loss experience and an occasion for grief, so there is merit to this borrowing and reason to become familiar with Dr. Kubler-Ross' stages. Again, not everyone will experience all of these stages, or, if all are experienced, they won't necessarily occur in this particular order.

Kubler-Ross' first stage is Denial. In this stage, grieving people are unable or unwilling to accept that the loss has taken (or will shortly take) place. It can feel as though they are experiencing a bad dream, that the loss is unreal, and they are waiting to "wake up" as though from a dream, expecting that things will be normal.

After people have passed through denial and accepted that the loss has occurred (or will shortly occur), they may begin to feel Anger at the loss and the unfairness of it. They may become angry at the person who has been lost (or is dying). Feelings of abandonment may also occur.

Next comes Bargaining. In this stage, people beg their "higher power" to undo the loss, saying things along the lines of, "I'll change if you bring her (or him) back to me". This phase usually involves promises of better behavior or significant life change which will be made in exchange for the reversal of the loss.

Once it becomes clear that Anger and Bargaining are not going to reverse the loss, people may then sink into a Depression stage where they confront the inevitability and reality of the loss and their own helplessness to change it. During this period, grieving people may may cry, experience sleep or eating habit changes, or withdraw from other relationships and activities while they process the loss they have sustained. People may also blame themselves for having caused or in some way contributed to their loss, whether or not this is justified.

Finally (if all goes according to Dr. Kubler-Ross's plan), people enter a stage of Acceptance where they have processed their initial grief emotions, are able to accept that the loss has occurred and cannot be undone, and are once again able to plan for their futures and re-engage in daily life.



Therese Rando's Six R's

Researcher and Clinical Psychologist Therese Rando also has contributed a stage model of the grief process that she observed people to experience while adjusting to significant loss. She called her model the "Six R's":

  • Recognize the loss: First, people must experience their loss and understand that it has happened.

  • React: People react emotionally to their loss.

  • Recollect and Re-Experience: People may review memories of their lost relationship (events that occurred, places visited together, or day to day moments that were experienced together).

  • Relinquish: People begin to put their loss behind them, realizing and accepting that the world has truly changed and that there is no turning back.

  • Readjust: People begin the process of returning to daily life and the loss starts to feel less acute and sharp.

  • Reinvest: Ultimately, people re-enter the world, forming new relationships and commitments. They accept the changes that have occurred and move past them.

Though different in approach and ordering of stages, each of these three models of the grief process share common similarities. They all understand grief to involve an often a painful emotional adjustment which necessarily takes time and cannot be hurried along. This much appears to be universally true, although each person's grief experience will be unique.

Though each person grieves in unique ways, there are common behavioral, emotional, and physical signs and symptoms that people who are grieving typically experience.

  • Physically, persons affected by grief may experience:
    • Fatigue and exhaustion alternating with periods of high alertness and energy
    • Temporary hearing loss or vision impairment (possibly associated with dissociation)
    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Disturbed appetite (either more appetite or less appetite than normal)
    • Muscle tremors
    • Chills and/or sweating
    • Difficulty breathing or rapid respiration
    • Increased heart rate or blood pressure
    • Stomach and/or intestinal problems
    • Nausea and/or dizziness
  • Mentally, persons affected by grief may experience:
    • Confusion (memory, concentration, judgment and comprehension difficulties)
    • Intrusion (unwanted thoughts, arousal, nightmares)
    • Dissociation (feeling of detachment and unreality, disorientation, denial)
  • Emotionally, persons affected by grief may experience:
    • Shock
    • Fear, anxiety or apprehension
    • Anger, irritability or agitation
    • Guilt
    • Numbness, remoteness, depression

  • There are many ways that people can choose to cope with grief and loss in their lives, some constructive and some destructive. Among the more destructive coping methods are people's choice to turn to alcohol or other drugs to dull their pain and/or provide a illusory means of escape from the pressing demands of grieving. Heavy use of either drugs or alcohol may actually extend and prolong the grief period and lead to other serious problems such as substance abuse or dependence (otherwise known as addiction). Additionally, alcohol, and several other drugs and medicines including the benzodiazapines (like Valium, Atavan, Xanax and Klonapin), and the barbiturates have a depressant effect on the brain that can actually lead a person towards serious depression when misused. Magnified feelings of hopelessness and even suicidal thoughts may occur in such circumstances when they otherwise would not. Mixing alcohol with these depressant drugs can be fatal. For these reasons, if alcohol and drugs are to be used at all during a time of grief, their use should be limited, or they should be used as directed by a physician.
    Fortunately, there are many constructive and healthy ways to deal with grief. These can include:
    • Journaling – Many people find comfort in writing out their thoughts and feelings during the grieving period. Some even decide to write letters to the deceased or lost person. This can be a very good way to express feelings that people may not feel comfortable sharing with others and to avoid bottling up of emotions, which can extend the grief process or lead to other physical/emotional problems.
    • Talking with an Intimate – Others find that talking with a close family member or friend is beneficial and allows them to share memories about the lost relationship or emotions that they are feeling.
    • Getting Professional Help – Some people decide that they are not comfortable sharing their feelings with close friends and family. Alternatively, they may feel that they do not wish to burden those around them who are also suffering. In these cases, many choose to speak with a professional grief therapist. In a typical psychotherapy intervention, the therapist will both encourage the person to share feelings and thoughts about the loss and will encourage and challenge them to do things (such as to be a part of social activities, to exercise, etc.) that will help themselves to reengage life and get better. It can be an empowering process to speak with someone that understands the grief process and can help to normalize the emotions or reactions that are being felt.
    • Medication - Grief therapists and other doctors that might be consulted during times of grief may suggest that a prescription for anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications would be helpful. When taken as directed by a doctor, such medicines can be extremely helpful for managing extreme grief symptoms (such as unremitting sadness, anxiety, or confusion, etc.). Since grief is not an illness so much as it is a life process, it is unwise to rely purely on medicines as a way to manage grief related pain. Properly used medicines can take the edge off the worst grief symptoms. They cannot speed the process of recovery and regrowth that must inevitably occur for grief to resolve.
    • Support Groups – For those that don’t want to speak to an intimate friend or family member or a counselor one-on-one, a community-based or internet-based support group is an option. Many people find it comforting to speak with others who are experiencing similar types of loss and who are at different stages of the grieving process. As is the case with individual therapy, support group support can help to normalize what grieving people are feeling.

Many Suicidal Teens Make First Try Before High School


by -- Robert Preidt
Updated: Nov 30th 2011


new article illustration
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 30 (HealthDay News) -- About 40 percent of young adults who've attempted suicide made their first attempt before high school, which suggests that suicidal thoughts and behavior may begin much younger than previously believed, according to a new study.

As part of an ongoing survey, University of Washington researchers asked almost 900 young adults, ages 18 or 19, about their history of suicide attempts.

Nearly 9 percent (78) of the participants said they had attempted suicide at some point. Of those, 40 percent said they made their first attempt before they started high school.

Rates of attempted suicide jumped at around the sixth grade (about age 12) and peaked around eighth or ninth grade. Of the 39 participants who reported multiple suicide attempts, their first attempt was much earlier (as young as age 9) than those who made a single attempt.

The study also found that suicide attempts during childhood and adolescence were linked to higher depression scores at the times of the attempts.

"This suggests that kids are able to tell us, by their depression scores, that things aren't going well for them," lead author James Mazza, a professor of educational psychology, said in a university news release. "We're likely not giving kids enough credence in assessing their own mental health, and this study shows that we can rely on self-report measures to help identify youth who may be at risk for current mental health concerns, including possible suicidal behavior."

Mazza said the study reveals that young adults "who end up having chronic mental health problems show their struggles early," and the findings suggest "that implementation of mental health programs may need to start in elementary and middle schools, and that youth in these grades are fairly good reporters of their own mental health."

The study appears in the November issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.

According to background information from the researchers, about one in nine youths attempts suicide by the time they graduate from high school.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about suicide.

Facebook Launches Service to Help Prevent Suicide

Updated: Dec 14th 2011

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Facebook is using its social-networking prowess to help prevent suicides in the United States and Canada.
The site is launching a service that will allow users to report a suicidal comment they see posted on Facebook using either a special "Report Suicidal Content" link or on the report links throughout the site. The person who posted the worrisome comment will immediately receive an email from Facebook encouraging them to call the toll-free U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or to click on a chat session with a crisis worker.
Both options are available 24/7 and provide free, confidential counseling to anyone in need.
The Lifeline, which has answered more than 3 million calls since it was launched in 2005, is funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Link2Health Solutions, a subsidiary of the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC).
Currently, the Lifeline already responds to dozens of people each day who have expressed suicidal thoughts on Facebook, according to a SAMHSA news release.
John Draper, the Lifeline's project director and vice president of crisis and behavioral health technology at MHA-NYC, said in the SAMHSA release that, "We have been partnering with Facebook since 2006 to assist at-risk users and are thrilled to launch this new service."
And according to Associated Press, lives have already been saved in this way: In July, for example, police intervened to help prevent a man from killing himself after a friend living in California alerted them to distressing postings on Facebook.
"Although the Lifeline on average handles 70,000 calls per month, we have heard from our Facebook fans and others that there are many people in crisis who don't feel comfortable picking up the phone. This new service provides a way for them to get the help they need in the way they want it," Draper added.
"Identification of those at risk is the cornerstone to suicide prevention," said Kelly Posner, director of the Center for Suicide Risk Assessment at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute. "Facebook's innovative services enable concerned users, or 'friends,' to intervene immediately and initiate this life-saving identification process. Reaching people through venues that they use and providing them with referrals is an important and encouraging step in the right direction."
Joe Sullivan, chief security officer for Facebook, said the company is "proud" of the new effort. "The Lifeline's commitment to suicide prevention has enabled people on Facebook to get fast, meaningful help when they need it most, and we look forward to continuing our work with them to help save lives," he said.
And U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin also applauded the launch of the service. "Facebook and the Lifeline are to be commended for addressing one of this nation's most tragic public health problems," she said in the release. "Nearly 100 Americans die by suicide every day -- 36,035 lives every year. For every person who is murdered, two die by suicide. These deaths are even more tragic because they are preventable."
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about suicide prevention.
This article: Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

5 Ways to be Happier, Steadier, and More Balanced in Today's Upside-Down World - By Adele Ryan McDowell

Can you remember when you last felt happy, really happy? Would you like to feel steadier in a healthy, mind-body way that does not involve pharmaceuticals? Is straddling a teeter-totter the last time you consciously considered balance in your life?

Today's topsy-turvy world has us all running madly in every direction. We often feel overwhelmed with what's before us -- and that is, even, before our feet hit the floor in the morning. We are losing our joie de vivre; there is precious little fun and almost non-existent downtime in our lives today. We are masters at multi-tasking; we excel at doing.

Perhaps, it's time to rethink the ways we choose to have a life and the ways we choose to fill a life. The life you are leading now is the life you passing on to your children. Is that what you want?

Here are five strategies to help you re-find the happiness, steadiness, and balance in your life:

1. WAKE UP

I don't mean just get out of bed or off the couch, I mean become m-i-n-d-f-u-l. Happiness studies tell us that being mindful is the number one factor in creating a happy life.

If we are mindful, we are paying attention. We can savor every moment. We are no longer robots or automatons beating down the hours as the days slip by.

Remember the 80/20 sales rule. You get 80% of your business from 20% of your customers, but your spend 80% of your time on the 20% that does not yield the results you want. Apply that to your mind. Where do you focus your attention? Do you feed your time and energy into your priorities? Or, like most of us, do the shiny things distract you and you head off in your own trivial pursuit?

Discern what is important to you and place your powerful attention and intention there.

2. CHANGE ONE THING

Choose one thing you will do differently. Commit to making that change every day for 30 days. Want to do even better? Extend that commitment to 60 days. Really go for the gold, make that 90 days. Seriously, you will be a changed person after those 90 days.

What happens when you commit to yourself and you keep that commitment? You learn to trust yourself. We are very good at giving our word to our boss, our family, and our friends, but what about ourselves? Do we keep our promises to ourselves? Frequently, we do not. Thus, it becomes harder and harder to trust ourselves.

If we want to be happier, we need to build up some energetic muscle tone and personal will power that says, in essence, I can do this: I want to; I am committed and I have given my word to myself. No matter how tiny the commitment, the faithfulness to yourself creates an avalanche of well-being.

Happiness is knowing that you can count on you.

3. STOP

I know, it's a unique thought. To be happy and balanced, I suggest you need to stop and allow yourself to course correct and re-find your center:

May I suggest you take a few deep breath breaks during your day? You will bring yourself back to center, re-oxygenate your body, and tap into the here and now.

Ready for more ways to re-find some balance in your life and increase your state of happiness -- and creativity, too?

• A few hours before bed, unplug all technology. Give yourself some time when you are not required to respond, react, or do. End the mental gymnastics for the day and wind down.

• Employ a daily ritual of quiet time. This can be 20 or 30 minutes of quiet time where you sit with yourself. You can journal, meditate, watch the flickering of a candle, listen to beautiful (melody only) music, and the like. Draw a perimeter around your sanctuary of quietude.

• Take at least one day off a week. Have a full non-work day where you can play, have fun, rest, relax, or just be a slug. We all need time to refill the well. If we run consistently on empty, our ideas, energies, and creativity become compromised. Be inventive, and find revivifying ways to nurture your overworked self.

• Say "No" -- or, at the very least, "I will think about it and get back to you." Ask yourself, does this request make me feel happy? Does it nourish or feed me in some way? Does it excite me? Think twice. Life is short. And you hold the key to your personal well-being.

4. DO SOMETHING EXPRESSIVE

Do you dance to the oldies in your living room? Do you like to create penguin cupcakes on your day off? Do you find great satisfaction in watering the garden and talking to the birds? Are you the queen of collages and vision boards?

What lights us up and turns us on is important. We all know that life does life. When we get exceedingly busy, those activities that feed, comfort, nurture, and soothe us can slip through the cracks.

5. HONOR THE BODY

It's time. We all know it's time, no matter how much we struggle, pout, and resist. It's time to be pro-active and support our physical selves. So, let's begin slowly and work ourselves up to a more optimum way of being. We know we will feel much better; we know we feel happier, stronger (in both mind and body), more productive, and balanced. Really, what's to lose, outside of some old bad habits?

Here are a few reminders to help you kick-start some new choice points:

• Remember the importance of getting enough rest; going to bed before midnight really helps those adrenals. If your body continues to run on empty, you will eventually go clunk.

• Eat well and sensibly most of the time. Aim for 80%; it's a good target. You know the drill: Remember to have some protein with breakfast; limit sweets to after a meal; limit caffeine; and choose colorful, whole foods. You and your blood sugar will remain steadier and more stable throughout the day.

• Move your body in any way that makes you happy; regular physical activity is a definite biochemical boost to happiness and balance.

• Make choices based on what totally resonates with you and your body. This requires that you become mindful of what energizes you and turns over your engine. It can be an "and and" not an either/or. In other words, you can have your cake and eat it, too -- just not for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Create some space and time to treat yourself well.

The greatest gift we can give ourselves and model for our loved ones is a life well lived.

In today's upside-down world, action is our primary modus operandi. Consider tweaking your idea of action and focus, and try these five strategies -- maybe, one baby step at a time. They are proven techniques with big rewards. They cannot hurt, and they can clearly help. Your life will become happier, steadier, and more balanced -- and isn't that, what is all about?

About the Author:

Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D., is the SelfGrowth.com Official Guide to Spiritual Growth, the author of the Amazon best-selling Balancing Act: Reflections, Meditations, and Coping Strategies for Today's Fast-Paced Whirl and a contributing author to the best-selling anthology, 2012: Creating Your Own Shift. You can learn more about Adele and her thinking at http://pro.netatlantic.com/t/22304476/70992193/111022/0/ .

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Ethics workshop

Erin Alexander, LPC and Rhonda Yates-Sloan, LPC will be presenting a workshop on ethics and child protective services reporting. The date is November 12th Saturday from 10am to 1pm. The location is 4203 Woodcock dr. in the conference room of the Goliad bldg 78228. The cost is $25 per person to be paid on paypal before 11/12/2011 to Brighter Future E-Counseling.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Employment Workshops by Brighter Future E-Counseling

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your interest in the employment workshops by Brighter Future E-Counseling. The employment workshop will be held September 22nd and September 29th. Please see flyer for more details about scheduling. There is also a discount coupon for $10.00 off the price if you go to hotfrog.com or vist https://brighterfuturee-counseling.com

Thank you. We hope to see you there.

Carolina Garcia
Liscened Professional Counselor Intern (LPCI)


Employment Workshops

By Brighter Future E-Counseling



6:00pm – 7:30pm, Thursday

September 22th& September 29, 2011



The Goliad Bldg.

4203 Woodcock Dr.

Conference Room, 1st Floor

San Antonio, TX 78228

210-632-1849 (Carolina’s Cell)



Agenda                                                                                                         



Workshop I August 11th -Job Searching & Creating your Resume

Workshop II August 18th – Interviewing: How to Land the Job                            



**FREE career consultation and FREE Resume assistance w/class

Instructors



Carolina Garcia              Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

 Erin A. Alexander                                     Licensed Professional Counselor



Registration and Other Information


Go to https://brighterfuturee-counseling.com to complete the intake form. Be sure to provide an email address. Each class is $50.00 and lasts for 1.5 hours. The class must be paid for 24 hours before the class starts. To receive a certificate of completion for the 90-min course, you must have your balance paid and you must be present for the entire class. Please make all payments online at the above site. Brighter Future E-Counseling is a state approved Continuing Education Provider

These are the recommended relationship books that can be found on Amazon:

The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman
Tell Me No Lies - Ellyn Bader, Ph.D
The Five Languages of Apology - Gary Chapman & Jennifer Thomas
What Smart couples Know - Patricia Covalt
The Lost Art of Listening - Michael P. Nichols
You just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation - Deborah Tannen
Spiritual Connections: How to Find Spirituality Throughout all the Relationships in your Life - Sylvia Browne
Connect: 12 Vital ties that Open your Heart, Lengthen your Life, and Deepen your Soul - Edward Hallowell


These are books recommended for enrichment and self-help:

You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective - Richard Carlson & Wayne Dyer
True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart - Thich Nhat Hanh
Living an Extraordinary Life - Robert White
Developing Self-Esteem: A guide for Positive Success - Connie Palladino
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Workbook - Richard Carlson
Connect: 12 Vital ties that Open your Heart, Lengthen your Life, and Deepen your Soul - Edward Hallowell
 
 
 
 
 
 

List of kids directories and search sites



Activities4KIDS
American Library Association-Great Websites for Kids
The ALA has a comprehensive list of kid sites that have been reviewed in order to be added.



Common Sense Media Website Reviews
A Non-profit started by a father/lawyer who want to ensure a way for parents to know what sites are appropriate for kids, depending on their age, etc...
Kids Net Australia
Great directory site of Kids websites. Includes a Dictonary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia area.



Kids Yahoo Search
This is the kids area of Yahoo.
Kidsclick.org
A great site that lists safe, kid appropriate websites that were added by librarians.



Kidsites.org
This site has a nice list of sites that are specifically for preschoolers.
Linkopedia.com
This site has a good list of kid appropriate sites.



Space Kids
Directory of websites for kids about Space.

Internet Safety

Netsmartz.org
This site is put together by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America and it has invaluable information for parents about keeping your kids safe online and off. I would highly recommend visiting and bookmarking this website.

Educational and Learning Sites

Science and Nature Activities and Experiments for Preschoolers - tons of great ideas to get your young children interested in science and nature. Learning can be fun!

American Museum of Natural History kids site
Education and games about Science and Natural History.
Brain Pop
Animated Science, Health, Technology, Math, Social Studies and English movies, comic strips, activity pages and school homework help for kids.



FunBrain
Online educational games for kids of all ages.
Hearth Song
This site is a great place to find unique and interesting kids toys and activities- that are perfect for birthdays and the Holidays. Price range is mid to high prices.



Kid Info- Directory of Homework and Parent/Teacher Resource Sites
If you are looking for a list of websites for your child or for educational resources for you (a parent) or teacher-check out this top lists of websites for kids and parents.
Lil' Fingers Storybook
Lil' Fingers Storybooks -- Animated Storybooks for toddlers. Animated stories contain large text and big buttons for little fingers!

Art

Art Projects for Kids
Wonderful site to find fun art projects that kids can do easily. Created and maintained by a Kids Art teacher.
National Gallery of Art- kids area
Fun art games and activities to engage your child with art.



PBS Kids- Parents Area- Creativity Exercises
Neat things to do online to help kids be more creative.

Culture

Kids Web Japan
Explore Japan on a kids level and find interesting things to do, see and learn about.

Environment

Environmental Kids Club
All areas about Environment for kids to learn about and play games. Teacher area.

Foreign Language

Chillola.com
A wonderful site for kids learning foreign languages with basic words for Shapes, Colors, Alphabet etc.

General Learning

ABCya
Fun educational learning games and activities for preschool kids.
Alphabet Action
Learning Planet's section for learning the Alphabet. Great preschool online resource.



Education.com
This is a great overall site filled with Educational activities, worksheets and articles on Education.
Sesame Street
Young children can learn about letters, counting, thinking, science, music, art, culture and getting along with others.

History

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government
Fun and educational site for kids to learn about history and the U.S.

Math

Math Playground
Action packed math site for elementary and middle school students featuring math games, math word problems, math worksheets, logic puzzles, and math videos.
PBS Kids Early Math Games
Great information and fun resources to help your child build his/her early math skills at PBS Kids parents section.

Money

US Mint kids section
Games and informative videos about the US Mint and money in the United States.

Music

NY Philharmonic Kids
a wonderful and fun Kids site all about Music. Composing, instruments, games and more.
Play Music
Provides information about musical instruments, composers, and musicians. With Shockwave plug-in, visitors can also play interactive musical games.



San Francisco Synphony Kids Site
Fun and educational kids site all about Music!

Nature and Animals

Animal Planet
Games and interactive features for kids at Animal Planet.
Dino Dictionary
Profiles of over 300 known Dinosaurs, fun games.



Kids Go Wild- Wildlife Conservation Society
Check out this site to learn more about lots of animals. Fun facts, information and things to do. Great site for kids.
Kids Planet
Facts, games, a teacher's section,information on saving endangered species. Fact sheets on over 50 species of Animals.



National Geographic Kids site
Great site for kids with games and information about animals and nature at National Geographic Kids.
National Wildlife Federation
Fun facts and games about wildlife and their environment on a kids level. Home of Ranger Rick.

Reading

Free Children Stories
A wonderful site of free stories for children by Daniel Errico. Some flash, flip the page stories and fun rhyming stories.
Giggle Poetry
Children's poetry by Meadowbrook Press. Lots of funny poems, poetry contests and more! Ideas for educators on teaching poetry in fun and interesting ways.



International Childrens Digital Library
Wealth of online stories for children in many different languages.
Kid Soup
Preschool and Kindergarten online Resource.



Kindersay
Educational site for kids to learn letters, words and signing.
PBS Kids Reading Language Section
Great information and fun activities for kids learning letters, sounds, and to read.



Reading Rockets
A wonderful site devoted to Teaching kids to Read and helping those struggling to Read.
Starfall
A free website to teach children to read. Perfect for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. Contains exciting interactive books and phonics games.



StoryPlace
Spanish & English versions. Listen to interactive children's stories, play with on-line activities, print out take-home activities.
Tumble Books
This is a fun site for kids, parents and teachers to utilize for Reading. Hundreds of animated books for Kids with audio.



Word Girl
PBS site that encourages kids to learn words and get them ready for reading.
Ziggity Zoom
Online beginner stories for children to be read with, or without, audio. Original stories and illustrations by Sharon Pierce McCullough.

Science

FOSSweb
Outstanding Science site for kids, parents and teachers.
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/quick/quick.html
Science Activities and Experiments for kids. I especially liked making nature and dinosaur fossils with my kids. The recipe is very easy and found at
click for fossil directions



Inner body- Human Anatomy Online
Do you have a child that wants to be a doctor- check out the different systems of the body- skeletal, digestive, nervous and more. A site geared at kids over 7 or 8- lots of big words and drawing of each body system.
Kids Astronomy
Powerful and fun resource for kids, exploring astronomy and other space related topics. Play games, learn through interactive applications, and much more.



Kids Discover
Natural and Social Science magazine for kids 7-12.
Ology
American Museum of Natural History site for kids. Learn a lot about astronomy, paleontology, and the definitions of other "ologies" on this site.



pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci
Science experiments and activities for kids at PBS Kids.
Science Explorer- Home or School Experiments for Kids
Make science experiments with household items- find out how to make a volcano, sun clock, balloon blow up, chopper, and tons more.



science.preschoolrock.com
Science and nature activities and experiments for preschoolers. Tons of great ideas to get your children interested in science and nature. Learning can be fun!
The Magic School Bus
Fun facts, games and science information for kids and teachers.



Weather Channel Kids' Site
Information and games about the weather.

Family Activities and Crafts

http://www.bakeanddo.co.uk
A fun cooking website for children packed with easy and delicious recipes as well as plenty of fun arts & crafts activities. Written by children for children. All of the recipes have easy to follow instructions and all are tried and tested by children before being included. The site also contains plenty of fun arts & crafts activies to keep children occupied. Competitions encourage children to try their own recipes out and to submit the results for the chance to win some great prizes. This is a great way to encourage children to learn to cook and to take an active interest in food.
Crayola
A fun site for kids, parents and teachers with lots of coloring pages and craft ideas.



Familyfun.com
Family Fun has great ideas for parents for arts, crafts, cakes, and holidays.
First Palette
Great creative site for kids crafts and family activities.



Kaboose.com
This site has lots of parenting information and activities for kids and families.
Looledo
Creative Kids Crafts and Science Projects from Recycled objects.



Mamma Felice
Italian website featuring fun family crafts and activities.
Parents.com
This magazine and website has lots of great parenting information, ideas for kids activities, reviews and birthday party ideas.



Spatulatta
Spatulatta teaches children to cook with free step-by-step videos, encourages children to eat more vegetables and fruit, and makes the link between farm and table.

Cooking for Kids

Cupcake Kid Cafe
A fun site all about Cooking, run by 7 year old Rachel who features fun recipes, videos and cooking games for Kids.

French Sites for Kids

Le Petit Velo Rouge
A fun French site for kids with Coloring, Games and more.

Fun and Entertainment

Kids 7 and up

American Girl
A real online fun place for girls. Create e-cards, do fun activities, post your photo and play games.
Barbie
Fun activities, crafts and other online fun all revolving around Barbie.



clubpenguin.com
Virtual playworld
Disney Princesses
Games and videos for all little princess lovers. Official Disney Princess site.



Fox Kids
A site with shows for kids and games based on the shows.
Funology.com
This site is about the Science of Having Fun- it is educational and fun- it has a few games, jokes, brain busters and more.



Go Girls Only
A fun site sponsored by the Girl Scouts of America. Fun and games for girls.
Kerpoof- Draw, Make a Picture, Write a Story or Make a Card
A site for kids 4 or 5 and up. They can make a card, picture, draw or create a story. This site was recently purchased by Disney.



Kid Videos- by kids, for kids
This is a monitored site that allows kids to create and post videos and watch other videos by kids. Each video is reviewed to ensure it is appropriate to kids.
Kids' Candian Broadcasting Site
This Site has lots of games and activities based on tv shows that run on this Canadian Broadcasting station.



Lego
Fun kids site with games, comics and movies.
Little Director- kids can animate their drawings
Neat site where kids can make movies and shae with friends. Sign-up may be required.



NASA Kids Club
Fun and games for kids 7 and up.



PBS Kids-News Flash Five Kids News
This site is designed to give kids (7 and up) a place to go and learn about what is happening around the world in the news with the appropriate amount of content for kids and the broadcasters are virtual kids (animated). It is a neat site to go to with your older kids.
Playmobile
Variety of online games and 3D catalogue.



Poptropica
Poptropica, a virtual world for kids to travel, play games, compete in head-to-head competition, and communicate safely. Kids can also read books, comics and more.
Primary Games
Fun site for teachers, parents, and kids featuring free educational games, coloring pages, interactive e-books.



Seussville
A site by Random House that has games and printables from the Dr. Seuss books.
Seussville
Seussville Games. Here are lots of games for you to play. To keep you entertained all day!



Up To Ten
Educational and Fun games and activities for children aged up to ten years old.
webkinz.com
Virtual playworld for kids. In order to play you have to have purchased a webkinz stuffed animal. Although many kids younger than 7 may go to this site, I believe it is most appropriate for kids older than 6 and that can read the information.



Woogi World
Online virtual world for young children.

Preschooler-6

Boowa & Kwala
Wonderful and fun Kids site. Children's music plus great illustrated stories. A preschool activity center with over 800 games for kids aged up to six. English or French.
Candyland
Coloring pages and fun activities related to Candyland.



Cincopatas
A fun site for preschoolers with lots of different types of online activities.
Gofrette
A fun and games site for the younger set. In French or English. Based on a favorite tv character, Gofrette.



Jump Start
JumpStart is a series of educational games produced by Knowledge Adventure. The series is distributed as Jump Ahead in the United Kingdom.
Kid Soup
Preschool and Kindergarten online Resource. membership subscription.



kidmango.com
New!
My Little Pony
This is a cute site geared to little girls who love My Little Pony. Features games and activities for preschool kids.






Painting games
Coloring online and Coloring pages.
PanWapa
A Sesame Workshop site for fun and education for young children.



Peep & thr Big Wide World
Play science games and activities with Peep.



Poisson Rouge
Online activities for Preschool children.
RayLit
Fun learning with educational games, videos & activities for kids.



Sesame Street
Educational site featuring Sesame Street characters in videos and games to play.
Speakaboo
A fun site for Reading with lots of books to choose from, read by celebrities.



The Color
All coloring website for kids with original graphics to color. Lots of themes.



The Mouse Club
Free games, activities, stories and puzzles for Kids 4 - 10.
Thomas & Friends
This site offers a number of favorite characters for children to interact with through games and fun activities. The star, of course, is Thomas the Train.



WebTots
Online toddler games, kids games, puzzles, drawing, colouring, music with sound recorder.
\Ziggity Zoom
Fun preschool games for kids. Educational games that combine fun with concepts of color, language and numbers.

Grandparent Resources

Grandparents Digest
A site for grandparents and their grandkids for fun crafts, recipes and things to do. A fun family site.
Granny Look
If you are a grandparent looking for information about things to do with your grandkids this site is a good resource.

Health and Nutrition

Healthy Children, Healthy Choices information from the CDC
Information for parents about healthy eating for your family provided by the Centers of Disease Control's government site.
Kidshealth.org
Good site for kids health information.

Health and Medical

Ask Dr. Sears- kids health topics
Good resource with articles on many kids' health topics by the well-known family of pediatricians and published authors.
Dr Greene- Pediatrician- website about kids' health topics
Good resource about kids health topics by a Pediatrician.

Nutrition

Food Facts- Find out What Ingredients are in your Food
www.foodfacts.com is a site that gives you nutritional information for hundreds of food products and food items at restaurants. Use this site to find out what you are really eating.



Portion Distortion-slideshow
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute-Obesity Education Initiative offers a informative slide show about portion sizes and eating right.

Natural & Organic Living

Kiwi Magazine
Excellent Kids magazine and online magazine devoted to natural and organic living for families.

Parenting

Mommie 911
A site just for moms that offers parenting information, health and nutritional information for their children and great product reviews.

Baby

Curious Baby
A site devoted to new moms, pregnant moms and everything about Baby. Recipes, Health, Shopping, Product Reviews.
justthefactsbaby.com
Site for parents about top topics facing new parents about baby.

Going Green

Growing Up Green
Discovering modern Eco options for Kids.

Mom Blogs

Homemade Mamma
Fun Family site in Italian and English. Crafts, food and fun projects.



Leap into Art
A fun family site about art, food and fun.




Parenting Magazines Online

Cookie Magazine
A family magazine for parents with style.
iVillage
Daily expert advice for parents.



Parenthood
From birth to school age, a great resource for parents with articles on health, nutrition and parenting styles.
Parenting
A magazine devoted to all aspects of parenting.



Parents
An online parenting magazine for parents on the go.
Todays Parent
A good parent resource magazine for kids. In print and online.

Travel

Best Kid Friendly Travel
A site devoted to fun places to travel to with kids. Discount and specials info.

Safety

AllerMates
Allergy education site and Allergy awareness products.
Consumer Products Safety Commission
Parents this site has product safety and recall information at the Consumer Products Safety Commission website. For the toy safety page
click here.



Kids be Safe Online Site
This site is run by a mom/grand mom who has devoted her time to informing parents about being safe online and keeping your kids safe. It is a good resources for parents to use and read up on website safety.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Good site for parents with information about car safety and car seat safety guidelines at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.



Smokey Bear Kids
Games, Facts and Fun surrounding the idea of Fire Safety.

Shopping

Happy Sacks Reusable Sandwich Bags
This company offers a reusable sandwich bag option and snack bags for you or your child's lunches.
Oompa.com
A great site with kids toys and gifts.



Piggy Paint
Non-toxic Nail Polish for little girls.
Posh Tots
Exquisite childrens furniture, decor and bedding.



Saf baby
#1 Resource for safe products for babies.
The Silly Wagon
Check out this hip, cool, stylish site for boutique style kids clothes, shirts for mom, toys and some home decor products for your child's room. www.thesillywagon.com



TheSarutGroup.com
A great site for unique and fun, whimsical gifts.
Walmart.com Earth Friendly and Organic Products
Walmart offers hundreds to thousands of Earth-Friendly and Organic Products for your baby, child and home. Whether you ever enter a Walmart or not you can order tons of affordable orgaic and Earth-Friendly products from Walmart.com/earth. I recommend checking it out. They even offer Reusable Diaper Covers and Biodegradable Diaper Liners.

Art

Stubby Pencil Studio
Eco products for Creative kids. All types of art supplies for kids plus more.

Baby Gifts and Products

Kate Quinn Organics
This site offers organic kids, toddler, mom's clothing and bedding and bath items.
SkipHop.com
A site with neat and trendy Baby gifts and products.

Children's Clothing & Accessories

Baby Petunia
Kids, Clothing, Bedding and Decor for ages from newborn to 12 years.
Kid Bean
Earth-friendly, labor-friendly vegan products for your kids and the entire family. Cotton organic Pajamas.



Kids Wear
Fun kids tee shirts for all ages and sizes. Cool kids T shirts for all occasions. Boys Tee Shirts, Girls Tee Shirts, Tuxedo Tee Shirts.
Trendy Togs
Trendy clothes for kids from exciting clothing designers just for kids.

Children's Room Decor & Furniture

Land of Nod
Shop the Land of Nod for high quality kids furniture; including kids bedroom furniture, playroom furniture, kids bedding and everything for your nursery.

Toys and Games

Maukilo
European and American made children's toys.
Moolka
Wonderful creative childrens toys, many from European companies.



Smarter.com- Toy Shopping
Shop Smarter.com for a wide selection of toys for babies & kids from top online stores. Find scooters, learning toys, games & much more for low prices.

Teacher Resources

Sites that offer outstanding resources to both teachers and parents that are homeschooling.

Early Learning HQ
Early learning resource site for teachers and parents. Free printables.
ESL Printables
Teacher and parent resources for learning the English language.



HomeSchool Central
Resource site for Homeschooling parents.
Internet 4 Classrooms
Resources for teachers of all grades to use in the classroom and for parents to use at home.



Teaching Ideas
Teaching Ideas and Resources for all subject categories.

Where to GO & What to DO

Kids Linked
Find Family Activities and Events in your neighborhood. A great parenting resource for things to do with the kids.

New York City

Mommy Poppins
Get more out of NY with the Kids. This is a terrific site that highlights all the events, museums and fun things for kids to do in New York.

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