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Twice-A-Year Mental Health Assessments

When we consider the potential side-effects from psychotropics (i.e., weight gain, diabetes, high-blood pressure), and the additional medications necessary to reduce them, seeking a psychological expert before a condition becomes problematic makes for a smart approach for a healthier quality of life.

 

 

 

 

Vikki

 

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Can’t Do It

This blog has discussed Family Violence and Brain Injuries in earlier posts.

 

I’ve always loved the various sports teams throughout the region and hometown.  Rooting for them is always a practice, whether professional, or non-professional.

Unfortunately, after deep consideration, I can no longer watch the game of American Football.

It stands to reason athletes can become injured from time to time, and hopefully those conditions are minor.  However, it’s hard to rah-rah-rah, and then worry if they’ll experience brain injuries, and take their lives because of those conditions.

Also, because of revelations/allegations of family violence (i.e., domestic abuse, child abuse) by some of the athletes, I can’t watch the game any further.

My conscience won’t allow me.

 

Vikki

 

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Psychology in The Workplace, Corporate Culture

Corporate culture involves many facets within a business.  The post will describe a few of them and how they can make a tremendous difference for employees.

Corporate Culture (i.e., How we do things around here — attitudes, behaviors, business practices)

Goodness.  A healthy corporate culture promotes harmony, collaboration, and better relationships among employees.  Staff can perform job assignments effectively when silos are torn down.

Appreciation.  When people are listed on departmental charts,* it should tell them their presence is important to the company’s future.  They have desirable qualifications:

  • Valuable skill-sets
  • Expertise
  • Personal traits
  • The company looks upon them in high regard

Wardrobe.  It stands to reason employees are expected to wear suits, or uniforms, at certain businesses.  They have direct contact with patients, customers, clients and potential clients.  However, for many other companies less formal attire should become the a norm. Wearing professional casual clothing allows a more relaxed work environment for employees.  They’ll have the ability to concentrate on work activities to bring the firm value.

Teamwork.  Each member of the organization should be viewed as an active participant to advance the firm towards a prosperous future.

Uniqueness.  Team members are working in unison to fulfill the company’s objectives. Members are similar and unique all at once, and the latter should radiate by allowing employees to be themselves.

Some members are quieter, maternal, studious, extroverted, humorous, social, playful, serious, etc., and a corporate culture allows members to express themselves thusly.  Within reason, of course.  Uniqueness fosters an indescribable good quality to the firm, which can also lead to excellence.

Members can breathe and experience comfort, knowing their uniqueness is welcomed, instead of judged.

Vision, Mission Statements.  Upper management not only has to create these documents, but ensure that every team member understands them completely.

 

Vision = The company’s goals

Mission = Objectives which bring vision into reality

 

Therefore, upper management has to convey to the team on a regular basis what the company’s goals are, and steps required to deliver goals.  The team has to meet criteria with excellence.

Intellectual Curiosity.  Large Worldview.  Creativity.  Critical-Thinking Skills.  Problem-Solving Skills.  The new corporate culture allows members to show brilliance.

They have freedom to expand the company’s knowledge with new concepts, strategies, innovative ideas; search for global-economic trends the firm can look forward to, or circumvent, and at the very least reduce the impact on the company; can suggest that other trends (i.e., business practices, office technology, equipment, etc.) can bring additional value to the firm; creativity flows because team members are using imagination to improve brand image; designing products and services, messages to consumers; members are capable of discovering problems within the company, analyzing issues from several perspectives, and selecting the best solutions; also, members are proactive because they can determine potential difficulties within the company, and have remedies available as a mechanism.

Professional Development.  Another approach healthy corporate culture demonstrates to employees you’re the most important asset the company has, is by creating and implementing a training center, or contracting vendors for routine employee training sessions.

The gesture informs employees that not only should the company grow, but employees should grow as well.

Bottom-Up Management.  Team members in lower parts of the organization can witness if a project is stalled because of production equipment failures; the customer is happy with products and services, dissatisfied, or experienced injury from them; fully aware if a group of employees plan a work stoppage, and many other situations organizations experience. By structuring the company in said form, employees can believe they really are partners in the company’s future.

Leadership Style.  Departmental/Business Unit leaders have to embrace humility above other traits they possess, and then converge the remaining attributes of Level 5 Leadership with Team Management Leadership as a hybrid style approach.

*Or consulted with in other capacities.

Vikki

 

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Good Parenting Matters

Being a parent is a huge responsibility, and there are many fine parents worthy to emulate. Some of the attributes are:

  • Positive attitude
  • Demonstrates affection
  • Respects child’s personhood on many levels
  • Provides constructive criticism
  • Supervises offspring
  • Encourages reading skills
  • Assists in homework assignments
  • Showing up (i.e., PTA, music recitals, school theatrical productions, sports activities, etc.)
  • Teaches child right from wrong, and reinforces acceptable behaviors
  • Reprimands child for negative behaviors
  • Utilizes appropriate disciplinary techniques
  • Makes time for offspring
  • Teaches life lessons

Vikki

 

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Commentary – Behavioral Problems in America

One of the topics addressed on this blog earlier pertains to members of society who are easily offended.  This post speaks further on the subject.

They’re always ready to leap through the ceiling, toss an insult, swing a punch, and worse over circumstances which have nothing whatsoever to do with them, or minute situations. Thus, they’ve imagined negativity where none exists, or their thinking can’t advance clarity because they’re emotionally wound too tightly.

Associations

  • Learned behavior
  • Irritable disposition
  • Anger management problems (Depression)
  • Substance abuse (Legal and illegal drugs)
  • Blow to the head
  • Deep-brain Injury
  • Lack of emotional maturation
  • Lack of strong coping mechanisms
  • And, of course, associations waiting to be discovered through research

And there are members of society who look for insults.  It has to be stated that whatever a person looks for they will certainly find.  Because of their negative mindset, their view is limited.

A good argument can be made that people look for offenses because they see themselves in a negative light.  They project how they feel about themselves (damaged self-esteem) onto people they may, or may never have personally met.  No intimate knowledge (family, friends, life events, conversations with, etc.).

These issues are pervasive across America.

Two important aspects in life are having that easy-does-it attitude, and a high tolerance level.  Also, when a person can state they have self-efficacy, believe they’re a good person, AND are always a work in progress, that’s what healthy self-esteem resembles.

Tragically, many people in this country can’t utter those words with conviction, and without arrogance.

So now the question is:  How to lift up individuals with these mental health difficulties?

First, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can assist people learn new thinking patterns and strong coping mechanisms.  Individuals with an irritable disposition can learn to have patience with themselves before they can extend same onto others.  Second, medication and CBT can help people with anger management issues.  Third, people suffering with substance abuse will require extensive therapy (rehab) to eliminate substances and understand the why they reached for these substances in the first place.  Healthy coping mechanisms can help them when facing challenging life events.  Fourth, individuals with a blow to the head, or deep-brain injury have to be placed under strict supervision with their families and numerous specialized doctors.  Fifth, people with low emotional maturation will have to…and here’s the blunt truth…grow up!  Finally, a therapist using CBT may find out that some individuals with unhealthy coping mechanisms also have learned helplessness.  The clinicians can promote self-efficacy for these patients.

But how many of these individuals will actually seek therapy?  Some individuals turn up their nose to the idea of obtaining mental health treatment.  And if they do enter therapy, they’ll have to realize that the clinicians can only do so much for them.  Patients have to perform the majority of the work to get on the road to recovery.*  Too many patients want quick fixes.

And as I’ve stated earlier, patients should never view themselves, nor refer to themselves as a mental health condition.  They’re human beings first, their condition is secondary.

*Patients with a blow to the head, or deep-brain injury have more critical health situations.

 

Vikki