Has your involvement this summer in community-based work impacted your motivation to engage further in community issues, research or service?
Most definitely. This project has opened up a world of new possibilities for me. In particular, it has made me realize that instead of pursuing an MSW in Social Work, I would rather obtain a PhD in Clinical Psychology. I never thought that I truly love research; however, I have found that when you find your true interest (trauma and kids), the research becomes enjoyable...fun. In addition, I have really loved creating a coping skills treatment program and measuring its results. I am hoping to continue testing this program, with more formal measures, in the fall. With a PhD, I will have the capability to create treatment programs targeted for minority youth (a section of our population which to this day the mental health field does not adequately serve). We need empirically supported methods for African Americans, Latinos, Asians, etc. To say that a program tested on Caucasians will apply to all other ethnic groups is simply not acceptable. Furthermore, we also need to be looking at socio-economic status. As in many instance, far to often, low-income, minority groups find themselves left behind in the dust (their voices forgotten). The future must work to stop this trend. There is initial work out there, but we need more people to help in this challenge. I hope to be one of these forerunners, working and collaborating within the field to create new empirically-supported treatment programs to help minority youth.
What assistance will be most helpful to you in the fall semester in wrapping up your Bryan fellowship?
The support and guidance that I have received from everyone in regards to this project has been remarkable. I could not have asked for a better network of support. I really cannot think of anything else that I will need, other than the same level of encouragement and care that I have received these last 3 months.
Please share recommendations you would have for future Bryan Fellows knowing what you know now.
My biggest recommendation would be to make sure that you establish a relationship and form of communication with your mentors. I met face-to-face with my community and faculty mentor every week and would email/call about 2 to 3 times a week. Whenever a challenge arose, I knew that I would have support and backup to overcome the issue at hand.
Also, make sure that you pick a topic you find highly interesting. This project will take up a lot of your time and energy. Find something you are passionate about...and it will be worth every minute of it :) I loved every minute of this project. It's a great feeling to love what you do while also making a difference in this world.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Last Two Group Sessions
The eight week group program of Forgotten Voices officially ended last Monday. It really is hard to believe how fast this summer flew by...
The second to last session focused upon the topic of anger. The children were divided into two different groups, based upon age. Within the groups, we worked on skills related to anger (identifying, expressing, coping, and problem solving). The children learned new words to express their feelings (rage, envy, jealousy, irritation, etc). We used anger thermometers to represent our current anger levels. The Turtle Technique from Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was used to help children learn how to better solve problems. The 5 step process entails - STOP - GO IN YOUR SHELL LIKE A TURTLE - RELAX - THINK - DO SOMETHING. The children really liked this method, and we practiced the technique with role plays. Finally, we worked on some ways to cope with our anger (breathing, mindfulness, yoga, using the 5 senses, and other distraction methods). All of the children really seemed to enjoy this session, and most cited it as their favorite session in the post-group evaluations.
The last session was centered around the topic of choices. The take home message was that we all have choices in life. Some choices are good. Some choices are bad. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide how he or she wants to act. The children divided up into two groups and created a skit with puppets centering around a problem. Using the Turtle Technique, both groups worked out the problem and choose an effective and healthy solution. After this activity, the children played a review game as a means of summarizing all of the programs themes. Candy was awarded for participation. Lastly, we had an award ceremony, as each child was given a certificate for the successful completion of Forgotten Voices. A party followed with treats from Loco-Pops, balloons, confetti, and noise makers. The session marked a great ending to a wonderful group experience.
Having finished all of the post-group interviews, the results are phenomenal. Our assessment and evaluation tools show remarkable success. Upon comparison with the Pre-Group Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, all children either stayed stable within the normal range for targeted issues, or made improvements (moving from an abnormal/borderline score to a normal score) on the Post-Group Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Also, all parents indicated on the Post-Group Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire that they have seem improvements in their children since the beginning of the group. In addition, on the individual evaluations, all of the children stated that they liked the group and expressed interest in joining another program in the future.
Amazing results. Great project. Future plans...most definitely. We will be back at this transitional housing facility for another group starting the beginning of October. We will continue to assess results, tweaking the program with each run, and working to ensure the success for these remarkable children.
The second to last session focused upon the topic of anger. The children were divided into two different groups, based upon age. Within the groups, we worked on skills related to anger (identifying, expressing, coping, and problem solving). The children learned new words to express their feelings (rage, envy, jealousy, irritation, etc). We used anger thermometers to represent our current anger levels. The Turtle Technique from Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was used to help children learn how to better solve problems. The 5 step process entails - STOP - GO IN YOUR SHELL LIKE A TURTLE - RELAX - THINK - DO SOMETHING. The children really liked this method, and we practiced the technique with role plays. Finally, we worked on some ways to cope with our anger (breathing, mindfulness, yoga, using the 5 senses, and other distraction methods). All of the children really seemed to enjoy this session, and most cited it as their favorite session in the post-group evaluations.
The last session was centered around the topic of choices. The take home message was that we all have choices in life. Some choices are good. Some choices are bad. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide how he or she wants to act. The children divided up into two groups and created a skit with puppets centering around a problem. Using the Turtle Technique, both groups worked out the problem and choose an effective and healthy solution. After this activity, the children played a review game as a means of summarizing all of the programs themes. Candy was awarded for participation. Lastly, we had an award ceremony, as each child was given a certificate for the successful completion of Forgotten Voices. A party followed with treats from Loco-Pops, balloons, confetti, and noise makers. The session marked a great ending to a wonderful group experience.
Having finished all of the post-group interviews, the results are phenomenal. Our assessment and evaluation tools show remarkable success. Upon comparison with the Pre-Group Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, all children either stayed stable within the normal range for targeted issues, or made improvements (moving from an abnormal/borderline score to a normal score) on the Post-Group Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Also, all parents indicated on the Post-Group Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire that they have seem improvements in their children since the beginning of the group. In addition, on the individual evaluations, all of the children stated that they liked the group and expressed interest in joining another program in the future.
Amazing results. Great project. Future plans...most definitely. We will be back at this transitional housing facility for another group starting the beginning of October. We will continue to assess results, tweaking the program with each run, and working to ensure the success for these remarkable children.
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