UNDERSTANDING LEARNING PROBLEMS

Title:  How Children are affected in the School
Thursday, December 15, 2011

Presenter:  Dinorah Otero  LCSW R

      There exist diverse perspectives that provide explanations about the topic of learning disabilities. The workshop aimed at considering the child and adolescent in his/her singularity. In some occasions, a parent who perceives that a child presents difficulties to learn at school may get worried about it and request for help. The child before his/her birth occupies a place in the discourse and the fantasies of his/her parents. Which is the place of this child? We may also question how a learning problem is signified by them. Other times, it is a teacher or a guidance counselor at school who may identify that a child has a problem to learn.  Then, parents, teachers, and therapists would consider that a child presents a learning disability and attempt to solve it. What about the child? What does he/she have say about it?

     The discussion in the workshop mainly revolved around approaching a learning problem as a symptom that implies an enigma. A child/adolescent through his/her problem to learn at school is saying and showing something. It depends on each parent as well as each of us, workers of schools and clinics, what to do with it. Instead of applying interventions for making the subject and his/her symptom to shut up, we can offer a space in which his/her suffering would be listened, thus, opening the possibility of finding a different solution.

Resourceful links to follow:

Book in Spanish:
Problemas de Apredizaje Psicoanalisis 

Movie:

My Left Foot

Links offered by a participant at our workshop:

Quality Services for the Autistic Community 

New York Families for the Autistic Community 

Autism Awareness - Westchester Convention Center 

THE BULLY

Topic:  Putting an End to Kids Bullying Behavior

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Presenter:  Emily Rentas  LMHC

This workshop focused on the increasing awareness and events as a result of bullying.  This can be present from the early developmental stages of children into adulthood.  Recent news headlines and incidents have sparked a campaign across the nation shedding light onto this serious growing trend.

Discussion emphasized the understanding and definition of bullying is as well as commonly held beliefs and ideas school professionals may have when dealing with this problem.  In addition, relational aggression, which is the most difficult form of bullying to spot because of the subtle covert bullying, was touched upon in order to further educate professionals in increasing awareness of potential situations. This form threatens social status and acceptance, which is a important in a child’s emotional and social development. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. have become a technological form of relational aggression as it can damage relationships, reputations, and bring other serious consequences, even in physical tragedies.

Most importantly, the workshop and discussion focused on several empowerment tools and aids professionals can use during times of crisis as well as further education for children for a healthy development of self. Although school professionals are asked to deal with these situations, empowering children to increase their own awareness and awareness of the situation can lead to more effective problem solving skills. This also included the signs of more serious issues or complications where a school professional can consider outside referral for mental health and family treatment.

Resourceful links to follow:

Pacer Center 

Highmark Bullying Prevention Institute 

Chancellor Regulations: Student to Student Bias-Based Harassment, Intimidation, and/or Bullying 

Video-How to Unmake A Bully 

UNDERSTANDING GENERATIONAL AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

Topic: Social Changes and School

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Presenter:  Dinorah Otero LCSW R

The discussion on the workshop went beyond the topic of migration and focused on the impact of social changes in the school and within the family. There is a predominance of “new symptoms”, such as substance abuse, bulimia, anorexia, and cutting which would be associated to the hypermodern society. The “society of the market”, better known by the spread of new technological items, appears to be invasive. The person then seems to turn into an object which can soon become disposable.  The rupture of social bond and the transformation within the family may be thought of as an effect of the hypermodern society. 

Our civilization may be characterized by the fallen of ideals and the promotion of consumer objects such as cell phones, computers, and the use of internet. These objects are also offered to children and adolescents who appear to be pushed to achieve an immediate and unlimited satisfaction.  Through excessive use, technology would create the illusion of fulfilling a satisfaction, commanding their life. Many children and adolescents nowadays appear to turn away from the traditional values, exiling these values from history. One may question if this is applicable only for children or adolescents; wouldn’t it be possible to generalize it?

These changes would also be accompanied by a devaluation of knowledge. The school transmits values that now may appear to the child as obsolete. The workshop concluded with a debate on the challenges that these changes imply to parents as well as workers of education and mental health. It also led to reflecting upon new ways to approaching to this matter.

Resouceful Links to Follow:

The Culture of Hypermodern Civilizations and Contemporary Symptoms

Cross-Cultural Barriers to Mental Health Services in the United States

World Psychiatric Association

WHEN CHILDREN ARE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE- A closer look at verbal and physical abuse in cases of family domestic violence

Topic: Domestic Violence

            Thursday, November 3, 2011

Presenter- Yaberci Perez-Cubillan  LCSW-R

The primary goal of this workshop was to increase awareness and education in regards to the different therapeutic tools used to assess and treat victims of domestic violence. We discussed how to use genograms, ecomaps and time lines to gather information and to create a clinical formulation.  In addition, we discussed how these therapeutic tools can help to normalize, validate and engage our patients in a more organic way.

This workshop covered the signs of abusive behaviors; the stages of development in children and the criteria use to diagnose Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Lastly, common trauma symptoms among children and adolescents were identified.

Although, it was clear that school officials encounter a lot of limitations providing clinical interventions, we cannot minimize the great effort made to connect these families with appropriate services. 

Resourceful Link to Follow:

SAFE HORIZON   

LOW SELF ESTEEM - Depression

Topic: Depression,Self-Injuries,Evidence Based Techniques  

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Presenter- Yaberci Perez-Cubillan LCSW-R

The primary goal of this workshop was to increase awareness and curiosity in the topic of depression in the adolescent population.  We focused on how to monitor and analyze problematic behaviors using techniques derived from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. A lot of time was spent teaching colleagues how to incorporate the use of diary cards, chain analysis and safety planning in their therapeutic work.

We explored how to become more mindful about our presence, interventions and own resistances treating this population. We agreed that when in doubt, the best intervention is to make a mental health referral. We ended this workshop using a grounding exercise revisiting the importance of self-care.     

Resourceful Link to follow:  

National Alliance on Mental Illness