Articles from the Week of November 10, 2023
Explanation for Interesting Quotes and Fascinating Facts: While scanning the Internet for counseling articles, I sometimes run into these quotes and interesting facts, and add them as I go along. If you’re not interested, you can just jump to the Counseling Articles.
Interesting Quotes
Parenting without a sense of humor is like being an accountant who sucks at math.
Amber Dusick
Why don't kids understand that their nap is not for them but for us?
Alyson Hannigan
When your children are teenagers, it's important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.
Nora Ephron
When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out.
Erma Bombeck
I went out with a guy who once told me I didn't need to drink to make myself more fun to be around. I told him, I'm drinking so that you're more fun to be around.
Chelsea Handler
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
Thomas Edison
“Everyone needs about eight hugs a day to feel healthy.”
Virginia Satir
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
HELEN KELLER
Fascinating Facts (from InterestingFacts.com unless otherwise noted)
How much do you believe the average fluffy cloud weighs?
Answer: 1.1 million pounds (Source: Needtoknowfacts.com)
What common mall feature was initially an amusement park ride?
Answer: The escalator (Source: InterestingFacts.com)
What President had at least 40 pets in the Whitehouse?
Teddy Roosevelt, who was President from 1901 to 1909, is reported to have had 11 horses, five guinea pigs, a badger, a hyena, and flying squirrels, to name just a few. His children also had pets, including a bear named Jonathan Edwards, a “dancing” Pekingese dog, and a snake named Emily Spinach, christened by Roosevelt’s daughter Alice “because it was as green as spinach and as thin as [her] Aunt Emily.” (Source: Historyfacts.com)
Who is the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Prize?
Malala Yousafzai
“Malala Yousafzai, born on July 12, 1997, is a Pakistani activist known for her advocacy of girls' education. She gained international recognition for her courageous efforts to promote education for girls, even in the face of grave danger. Malala's journey towards becoming the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Prize began when she was just 11 years old.
“Growing up in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, Malala witnessed the Taliban's increasing influence, which included banning girls from attending school. In response, she started speaking out against these injustices and advocating for girls' education through a blog she wrote for the BBC Urdu service under a pseudonym.
“As her influence grew, Malala's bravery and determination caught the attention of the global community. Tragically, in 2012, she was targeted by the Taliban, who shot her in the head while she was on her way home from school. However, this heinous act only further amplified her cause and propelled her onto the world stage.
“After surviving the assassination attempt, Malala continued to advocate for girls' education, becoming an international symbol of resilience, courage, and the right to education. In recognition of her outstanding efforts, Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, making her the youngest recipient of this prestigious honor at the age of 17.” (Source: Recordstrivia.com)
Counseling Articles
Even though the title of this first article doesn’t sound very interesting, it includes some very important information for licensed mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists and substance abuse counselors.
CMS Expands Behavioral Health Services, Prioritizes 'Whole-Person' Health
For the very first time, Medicare is recognizing the need for whole body care, which includes counseling by mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and substance abuse counselors who meet certain requirements, and payments will begin January 1, 2024. See article for further details.
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Parenting With Bipolar — Finding Balance in Motherhood and Self-Care
The author of this article was a hard-charging news reporter, a wife, the mother to five young children, the youngest of whom was an infant, when she learned that she also had bipolar disorder. To many this might seem like an impossible situation. Learn how she has come to balance all of this and even writes a blog titled Not Quite Right: Living with Bipolar Disorder.
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6 Challenges of Bipolar That No One Talks About
Another good article by a bipolar veteran. He talks about 6 challenges he has faced because of his bipolar disorder. If you occasionally counsel those with bipolar disorder, this list of challenges might be some issues that would be helpful discussion starters to see whether exploration of these might be helpful to your client.
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Babylon Bee Fun Headlines
“Kid too sick to go to school just well enough to stay home and play video games all day”
“More Grocery Stores Installing Defibrillators at Checkout for When You See Your Total”
“Husband Hospitalized After Being Crushed by Avalanche Of Wife's Bottles Falling From Shower Shelf”
Elite University ‘Sex Week’ Events Include ‘Anal 101,’ ‘Strap-On Workshop’
As if there wasn’t enough questionable news coming out of Harvard University, we’re now told that this week they will be hosting “Sex Week,” with workshops on anal sex, Caring for Your Coochie: Healthy Vulvovaginal Practices, seminars on sex toys, etc. If you have any teen clients who are trying to decide where to apply to college, they can probably get a better education somewhere closer to home.
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Harvard has a secret back door for ultra-rich kids with lousy grades
You may not have heard of this, but Harvard has a z-list for ultra-rich kids who don’t have the grades to be admitted. About 60 teens per year are sent a letter saying they will be admitted the following school year, and they are encouraged to take a gap year between high school and college. If they take a gap year their high school grades are not entered in the reports of the incoming freshmen, so their poor high school record does not affect the GPA’s of the incoming freshmen.
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Severe Mental Illness: The Ignored Public Health Crisis
This article explores an issue that some of you may already be aware of—how to provide care for the severely mentally ill when they’re unwilling to seek help, and how to do advance planning when caregivers, often the mother, become older and fear what will happen to their loved ones when they pass on. I had not heard the term “HIPPA handcuffs” until I read this article.
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‘It Was Like a Science Class’: Grown-Up ‘Trans Kid’ Details Horrors Of Trans Surgeries In Candace Owens Interview
If you have a strong stomach and want to know what the results of transgender surgery feels like, this article will tell you. Candace Owens says she’s never been more haunted by any interview she’s ever done.
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Why it’s so hard to stop drinking
Matthew Perry says in his life story that he went to rehab 15 times before getting sober. The doctor interviewed for this story says that it usually takes eight years for a person addicted to alcohol to recover (which is defined as one year of abstinence from alcohol). This article discusses why it is so hard and gives some suggestions for those who are struggling.
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Matthew Perry Foundation launched to help people with drug addiction
Since Matthew Perry was single and had no children, but still has considerable passive income from residuals, a Foundation is being launched in his name to help people who struggle with alcohol or drug addiction.
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What to Do When Managing Bipolar Disorder Is Really, Really Hard
This article by Julie Fast, a respected blogger who has bipolar disorder herself, gives some excellent advice on the attitude that is best to take about one’s bipolar.
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How to Stop Sugar Cravings and Boost Your Mood
Probably many of us, whether we have bipolar disorder or not, are tempted to snack on “comfort food” when we’re feeling bored, anxious or depressed. Tanya Hvilivitzky, another respected blogger who has bipolar disorder, recommends some better ways that could be used by all of us, whether or not we have bipolar disorder.
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Keeping Up the Relationship Even When It Hurts
When a teen rebels it is natural to respond in anger. Mark Gregston has good advice about what to do in that situation.
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Psychosis, Panic Attacks, Hallucinations: Bizarre Psychiatric Cases Among the COVID Vaccinated
The link between COVID vaccinations and myocarditis in older patients is now accepted. However, more mental health practitioners are seeing psychiatric symptoms among some people who have recently been vaccinated for COVID. This relationship has not been proven to the extent that COVID vaccines and myocarditis has been, but still is occurring with enough frequency that it would be good to be aware of.
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The Emotional Toll of Being a Caregiver
You may not be aware of it, but there are 48 million unpaid caregivers in the United States today. Together, they provide an estimated 600 billion dollars of unpaid caregiving each year. The majority of caregiving is done by older women, generally spouses, but some of it is done by “sandwiched children” who are sandwiched between caring for their own children and caring for an aging parent or parents. If you are counseling with anyone, it may be wise to give some attention to caregiving, either caregiving your client is receiving or caregiving they are providing.
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Kat Von D On Becoming Christian
I wasn’t aware of the reality star—Kat Von D—and her fascination with the occult, but this story of why she left that lifestyle and became a Christian is quite fascinating. It’s a good reminder that people are watching us. Read if you’re interested.
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Top 5 Homework Frustrations — and Fixes for Each
Children with ADHD often have trouble starting and completing their homework. This author identifies five of the top frustrations parents have trying to get their children to complete their homework and some practical suggestions parents can try. If you counsel parents who have conflicts with their children about homework some of these ideas will work, even if their children don’t have ADHD.
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Should You Really Allow Your Pet in Your Bed?
You may occasionally have a client who asks about the advisability of allowing a pet to sleep with them. This article is a good summary of the medical and psychological data about this practice.
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‘This Is How I Know God Has His Hand on It’: Riley Gaines Made Advocating for Women’s Sports Her Full-Time Job
Most of us have heard about Riley Gaines because of her strong advocacy that males who call themselves transgender females should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports competitions (and often take titles that would go to women). What many of us did not know is that she credits her Christian faith as being the foundation for her life and her advocacy.
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Inside the Minds of Super Agers
Last week my son, who is an ER physician, worked with a lady who was 110 years old and was incredibly sharp. She is an example of what scientists are now calling Super Agers, people whose minds retain the sharpness of people several decades younger. Then the AARP Bulletin just this week had the best article I have ever read on these super agers. I’m not sure whether you’ll be able to access it if you’re not a member of AARP, but if you can, I think you’ll find it fascinating.
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How to file for a restraining order against domestic violence in Palm Beach County
Domestic violence happens here in Palm Beach County: judges issue about 1,000 restraining orders a year. This article spells out clearly how to file one, what safeties it provides, and also includes a telephone number to call in case of emergencies. You might want to save this article to your computer to use when needed with a client.
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Walmart Makes Sensory-Friendly Hours Permanent
Some clients with certain disorders find the amount of stimulation in certain stores overwhelming. Walmart has experimented with reduced sensory shopping times on a trial basis for the last several months and is now making them permanent in all their stores. From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily at stores nationwide they will lower their overhead lights, turn off radios and replace moving pictures with static ones on televisions.
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I wish you all a wonderful week or weekend!
Henry Virkler
