Dominoes

Today I had the privilege of facilitating the coffee break on Coping With Grief as An Agency, and as usual, I am awed by the talent and experience of the participants in our gatherings. We talked about the needs of organizations as well as the individuals in them when there is an organizational loss.

It was clear that it mattered little whether the loss was the result of a death, lay off, firing, or program closure. The needs of the system and its people center around clear, honest communication; time and place to process; appropriate protection and trust; well defined boundaries; and skillful, neutral facilitators. When these needs are met, healing can occur and growth resume.

When they aren’t, further loss and damage is usually the result. What has been your experience with organizational loss and response?

How We Grieve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61JCX0KWY00&feature=email

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAwu88ydStk&feature=email

Thanks again to Pam Mezzina, LCSW, and Tammy Hopper LCSW, for taking us through this extended conversation about Grief and Adolescence. With the participation of other Cabana attendees the dialogue has been about so much more than only that. The links and pictures provided above capture just a few examples of the ways in which we cope and seek understanding when we face losses in our lives.

John

To find out more about SENetwork and the Clinicians' Cabana virtual retreat click

www.senetwork.org

Musings on Grief and Loss: Clinicians' Cabana

To those of you who attended the Grief and Youth session,

Thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend today's session. It is always a privilege to work with those of you who are dedicated to the welfare of young people. I also feel a sense of respect for you and others like you who are willing to explore more closely the intense experience of grief and loss, and how it affects the lives of the youth we serve. It is often a difficult topic.

I am most accustomed to presenting in person - that way I can see how this information is affecting those in the audience. It is almost impossible to talk about grief and loss experiences without it bringing up losses and deep feelings in you - the listeners. That is often the by-product of working with grieving youth as well- we explore our own hurt in a way that sometimes surprises us. I hope if any of you did experience some feelings of grief as a result of today's session, that you will take time to nurture yourself.

In closing, I want to thank each of you for your questions and the insights that you shared today, and thank you again for your commitment to at-risk youth, and especially those facing loss.

Kind regards,

Pam Mezzina, MSW

Good Article on Compassion Fatigue

http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/Ethics/Compassion_Fatigue:_Being_an_Ethical_Social_Worker/

Equinox

Summer is over and Autumn is getting underway. This is football and sweater weather, holidays with family, and busy school schedules. Here in the South, the approach of winter is not such a terrible thing for most of us, but it other parts of the world where I have lived, winter is not for the meek.

Seasonal Affective Disorder can settle in during the long, cold season. Even here in the Sunshine state we occasionally get the "February Blues."

Take a minute and click the link to read up on a fairly ubiquitous syndrome that can affect our happiness, our motivation, and our emotional well-being.

May your cornucopia spill over with bounty!

John

Summer Time

With the youth out of school and with more and more time on their hands, those working with youth in residential facilities face new challenges and questions. Staff, clinicians, and others working closely with our programs attempt to devise therapeutic activities to make the most out of the time the youth are in our care. In light of these summer months, I thought it might be useful to share what the different facilities and clinicians are doing across the Southeastern Network and beyond to help meet the needs of the youth. Hopefully, this topic can create some discussion and generate ideas about how to best meet the our youth's needs in the dog days of summer.

Venting

In returning to our initial topic of self-care, I am well aware that the pressures shared by those in residential care are very unique. Often, the range of responsibilities and duties go well beyond anything that was covered in our educational training. Often, clinicians find themselves riding buses, helping clean up, unclogging toilets, or assisting in room searches. Also, clinicians may find themselves struggling with how to provide structure while still maintaining a therapeutic relationship with the youth. These challenges can lead to endless frustrations and feelings of isolation in a very busy and fast paced world.

As a result, I wanted to create a safe environment in which clinicians could vent and share in each other's challenges and struggles. The goal is not necessarily to solve problems, but this simply is to provide a safe environment to share our struggles with those who can easily associate with our pain and battles.