Clergy, social workers fear fallout from Okla. abortion laws
Associated Press
Similar concerns are being raised by social workers, many of whom believe a prohibition on advising women about abortion services conflicts with their code of ethics that requires them to respect a client’s wishes, said Steven Pharris, head of Oklahoma’s chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. “The changes in laws have kind of criminalized a big part of what we do, so it’s changed our role with clients,” Pharris said. “It’s created a chilling effect on what we can and can’t say.”

[Audio] Some 2,000 mental health care clinicians in California are on strike
NPR
Clinicians say their employer, Kaiser Permanente, is breaking state law by taking too long to connect patients with therapists. They say patients have to wait up to eight weeks to get an appointment. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Almost 2,000 mental health care workers have walked off the job in California. They work for Kaiser Permanente, and they want their employer to hire more people – more psychologists, more social workers.

Susan Lager is a member:
How Healthy Couples Handle Tough Times
PsychCentral
Tough times are a reality for every couple. Couples may face major life transitions, such as a new baby, new job or retirement, said Susan Lager, LICSW, a psychotherapist and relationship coach in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. They may face ongoing stressors, such as a spouse’s ill health or a negative work environment, she said. They may face losses, such as the death of a friend or family member, or a financial crisis. While tough times affect us all, they can pile on additional stress to your romantic relationship.

Sonyia Richardson is a member:
Social media posts warn people not to call 988. Here’s what you need to know
NPR
Sonyia Richardson, a licensed clinical social worker who owns a counseling agency that serves mostly Black and brown clients in Charlotte, N.C., said she didn’t immediately tell her clients about 988 when it launched. Even though she’s a member of her state’s 988 planning committee, she said she needed time to develop trust in the service herself. When she learned at a recent committee meeting that fewer than 5% of 988 calls in North Carolina led to a law enforcement response, she felt reassured. “There are going to be issues perhaps with 988, but it might be one of the safer options for us,” Richardson said. With suicide rates increasing among Black Americans, the community needs more ways to save lives, she added.

Marcus Wade is a member:
Are East Texans concerned about safety in the upcoming school year?
KYTX
One Tyler counselor said, generally speaking, it’s not the students in East Texas who are concerned about safety. So who’s more concerned, is it the students going back to school or is it the parents? “So it’s the parents who kind of have concerns of how things are going to be safe, even though it didn’t happen in this area,” said Marcus Wade, a licensed clinical social worker.

Angelo State University Adds Third Doctoral Program
San Angelo Live
Angelo State University has added a new Doctor of Social Work (D.S.W.) in clinical social work degree program that is the first of its kind in Texas and the third doctoral degree now offered by ASU. The D.S.W. in clinical social work can be completed either on campus or totally online, and classes will begin this coming fall 2022 semester. It is offered through the Department of Social Work and Sociology within ASU’s Archer College of Health and Human Services, and applications are now being accepted.

Joel Bobby is a member:
Coloring is good for your health
Mayo Clinic Health System
What used to be known as a simple, fun activity for kids now is a tool for practicing good mental health. Coloring has increased in popularity recently, especially for adults. While children’s coloring books feature cartoon characters and simple designs, adult coloring books have intricate patterns of flowers, artwork, mandalas or animals. Books are available for purchase, and you can print free coloring pages online. For people who prefer a digital version, many coloring apps are available for mobile devices.

Sandra Eagle is a member:
Why Small Businesses Matter: Sandra Eagle, LCSW Transformational Psychotherapy
Hamlet Hub
What is your best-selling product/service? Psychotherapy with all ages and the gamut of issues. My approach is a blend of understandings and techniques from the consciousness/wisdom and psychotherapeutic traditions to facilitate breakthroughs and growth. I am also certified in Somatic Experiencing and in Integral Somatic Psychology, both trauma schools that help clients know how to partner with their nervous systems to promote well-being and skillfulness and to heal issues of rage, panic, and depression.

Richard Brouillette is a member:
6 Signs of Emotional Deprivation Schema
Psychology Today
Schemas come out of childhood experience and are our brain’s way of trying to understand what the “rules” of relationships are so that we can anticipate and react as needed. The problem is that these rules are based on what’s going on within our family, with all its unique qualities. And often the rules don’t apply outside the family. So, when we become adults, our brain keeps reacting to life rules that actually no longer apply.

Jennifer Silvershein Teplin is a member:
How To Support Your Significant Other When Work Is Driving Them up a Wall
The Everygirl
You can’t know how your partner is hoping to feel supported without asking them. While they might just want you to listen and rub their feet some days, other days, they might want advice. “So often we try to take our best guess, read our partner’s mind, or behave how we would want our partner to behave if we were having the frustrating moments,” said Jennifer Silvershein Teplin, LCSW, founder and clinical director of Manhattan Wellness. “While it’s nice to try our best in supporting our partner how we think they want to be supported, the simplest way to make sure we’re giving them what they need is to ask their preferences.”

Lourdes Dolores Follins is a member:
Queer conversion therapy is still practiced in the US: Experts say we need to talk about it
Medical Xpress
Lourdes Dolores Follins, a New York-based clinical social worker who primarily provides therapy to LGBTQ people, says it’s crucial people know the practice impacts all kinds of queer people including the transgender community. “The people that are portrayed as having experienced these these horrific experiences, they’re usually white, they’re usually middle class and they’re usually cis men,” Follins said. “There are so many people who are Black and brown and indigenous, who have experienced conversion therapy, whether it’s called that or not. It’s important to keep having conversations, keep exposing people for what they’re doing.”