A Vision for Today’s Family

Stephanie May, Psy.D.

The idea of “Today’s Family” has transformed many times over the last several decades. Our lives seem anything but simple. Everyone is going in different directions at different times. And so, in this hectic time where people would rather text message than talk, we would love to inspire you and your family to connect.

So many times, families turn to us once a problem has already occurred; and while there are effective solutions to assist a family in this time, the question is…Why wait until then??? Do you really want to live your life reacting to this problem or that surprise? Or do you want to take active steps to be as healthy and happy as possible?

Below you will find some key suggestions to create a connection in your family and learn more about yourselves and each other:

• Write a clear vision statement for your family. For example, “Our family is joyful, fun, and full of love and gratitude.” This statement is written with intention and the goal in mind. Be clear that this is going to occur, even if it is not yet true today. Sit down and write your family’s vision statement together and then put it on your refrigerator for all to see.

• Create a “Family Contract” which outlines agreements between all family members as to how they interact with one another. Some possibilities include: “Talk to each other with respect” – or- “Call if you are running late”. Just like the vision statement, this should be written together and then posted in a visible locale.

• Enroll in personal development opportunities. There are a multitude of workshops, trainings, and courses for this reason. No one gave you a manual on being a wife or husband, or parent for example, so this is the perfect area to seek growth proactively.

• Listen with your full attention when you ask each other about your day. Be aware of what differences you create when you are truly fully present with each other versus when you are distracted.

• Sit down together. Let this time be focused and dedicated to what activity you have chosen. Turn off cell phones, televisions, and even computers. (Yes that includes Mom and Dad too!)

Our message is simple: Learn about yourselves and each other! Learn like you are mastering something. And even better, learn proactively! This is what creates connection.

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This Year I Will….

Lauren Finch, Care Support

As the New Year approaches, we are encouraging all of our clients to look forward with optimism and enthusiasm. Our staff promotes the opportunity for growth and change and there is no better time to reflect than the start of a year. During the next few days, Care Support will be passing out cards for clients to write down their goals and aspirations for 2012. With clients’ permission, the resolutions will be posted in Building 3. With this, it is our hope that clients will be encouraged to commit to their resolutions and will, furthermore, be inspired throughout the months to see their resolutions through. Resolutions can vary from client to client based on each therapeutic and personal need. Care Support is available should a client need help with ideas in selecting a resolution and also to provide support for achieving their 2012 goals.

Further questions regarding New Year goals can be addressed during check in time with Lauren and Jestine or directed to the Care Line at 561-866-5954.

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Just the Facts: Depression

What is Depression?
Clinical depression is not just “the blues” and people experiencing the effects of depression cannot just “snap out of it”. Researchers classify depression as a disorder of the brain. In fact, brain scans of people suffering from depression show noticeable differences in the areas of appetite, sleep and behavior. People with depression report feeling sad or “empty” and often lose interest in people and activities they once enjoyed. For many people these symptoms may be mild or will dissipate after a short time, but for others, the effects may be persistent or severe enough to interfere with their daily activities.

Depression often accompanies other mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders (especially PTSD), eating disorders and substance abuse. This combination of illnesses may make diagnosis of one or the other condition more difficult to uncover – and to treat.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
• Aches, pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease – even with treatment.

Treatment
The most common treatment methods for depression are medication and psychotherapy. For many patients, especially adolescents, the combination of the two is the most effective method of achieving positive results.

While there are a great variety of effective and well researched medications to choose from, selecting the right medication for the individual requires a qualified and experienced medical professional. Each person will react differently to any given medication, and it may take a trial of 2 or 3 different prescriptions before finding the one that achieves the best results.

Psychotherapy helps patients understand their condition and assists them in making necessary adjustments in their environment and behaviors to alleviate the triggers or symptoms of depression. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), especially, can help people alter their negative thought patterns.

People suffering from depression can help themselves, too. Exercise, proper diet and knowing when to seek the advice of a professional are all important tools to achieve life-long mental wellness.

Adapted from NIMH, NIH Publication No. 11-3561 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml

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Recovery Tip of the Month:

Keep It Simple

Keeping it simple in recovery doesn’t mean to keep things on the surface. Speaking honestly about your past actions brings up resistance, fear and anger (often projected onto others). However, admitting the truth unburdens you, it allows you to deal with the realities of life with greater effectiveness, and this helps you to see options you couldn’t imagine while in your active addiction. Keep it simple: tell the truth, experience the feelings, feel the relief, and move on.

- Anni Johnston, LMHC, BC-DMT

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Recipe of the Month

Submitted by:  Chef Andy

Sweet Potato “Mash”
3-6 Sweet Potatoes (or more depending on how many people you are serving)
Apple Cider
Cinnamon
Salt & Pepper
Cream or Butter (optional)

1. Peel sweet potatoes & cut into 1-2 inch cubes
2. Put potatoes in saucepan and add apple cider to almost cover the potatoes
3. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it cook until sweet potatoes are very tender and the liquid has begun to thicken
4. With an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth (Alternatively, you can process in small batches using a regular blender)
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper & cinnamon.  Add a touch of cream or butter if you like

Open Enrollment for Winter Codependency Book Group

Jennifer Bilot, LMHC

 What is Codependency?

Codependency is a common problem in relationships of all kinds: between parent and child, husband and wife, friendships and more. It is sometimes called “relationship addiction” and often afflicts friends and family members of people suffering from addiction or other health issues.  A codependent relationship is usually one-sided and destructive.

WebMD suggests three questions to help identify a codependent relationship:

1. Is the relationship more important to me than I am?
2. What price am I paying for being with this person?
3. Am I the only one putting energy into this relationship?

Codependency is learned behavior and, therefore, something that we can and must learn to overcome. This book group will build on the skills and tools presented in the book “The New Codependency” written by codependency expert Melody Beattie.  We will cover topics such as skill building in boundary setting, communication techniques, healthy emotional expression, acceptance of life circumstances and detachment.

My Codependency Book Group will be held on Tuesdays at 11:00 am beginning on December 6^th.  (Register in Building 2.)  A limited supply of books are available for purchase. Please come to the first meeting prepared to discuss the first section.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Fad Diets

By Christie Caggiani, RD, LD/N

“Did you hear about the latest diet? My friend went on it – it’s amazing!” Can you count how many times you’ve heard or said something similar?

Fads. We hear about them in everything from music, to jeans to cars. They can be fun, flashy and seemingly harmless mementos of our time. When it comes to fad diets, however, the results can carry serious, long-term consequences. They are promoted as a quick-fix answer for weight loss, shouting claims that promise results by following rigid, quirky and/or depriving food plans. Often, they will go against actual science, or provide deceptive medical claims that are not backed by true research.

The one thing that all fad diets have in common is that they prey on emotions. Marketing is what drives them, and they are intended to make you feel as if you’ll finally be whatever you want to be if you simply follow their plan. They tell you you’re insufficient, inadequate, unacceptable – and that all will be cured by simply following their rules.

Fad diets come in all forms, formats, shapes and sizes. Typical promises and requirements often include one or more of the following:

•Quick and guaranteed weight loss (usually greater than 2 pounds per week)
• Eat anything that you want
• Eat as much as you want
• Never feel hungry
• Never need to exercise
• Rigidly limited food choices or exclusion of complete food groups
• Actors portraying doctors or medical experts
• Requires purchase of special food, supplements or products
• Requires attendance to expensive seminars or purchase of an expensive program
• Uses before and after photos as marketing tool
• Sounds too good to be true

What are the dangers? Research shows us that a diet is often the trigger that activates an eating disorder in someone who may be at risk. The allure of a structured diet seems innocent enough, but the power of self-control soon turns into an out-of-control feeling once an eating disorder takes root. Over 35% of “normal” dieters progress to pathological dieting, and of those, 20-25% progress to partial or full-syndrome eating disorders^[1]. The nature of diets is for them to work only when we are “on” them, so it stands to reason that because 95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight in 1-5 years^[2], returning to yet another diet increases the risk of eating disorder development with each repeated attempt.

Fad diets have the additional danger of seeking changes through more radical means than even “conventional” diets. When the body senses a significant deficit of calories and nutrients, the brain is triggered to think more obsessively about food and to seek control – either through avoiding food further or overeating it to avoid starvation. In either case, the relationship with food becomes altered. Inadequate or unbalanced eating will lead to a multitude of physical side effects, including loss of muscle mass and lean tissue, increased risk of heart disease, kidney stones, gallstones, gout, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.

The powerful diet messages can seem hard to avoid, in fact 91% of women recently surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting, 22% dieted “often” or “always”^[3]. The abnormal (dieting) is made to appear the norm – but it is anything but normal. In order to turn the tide away from the rise of eating disorders, we must first resist the urge to jump on the latest diet bandwagon. Take your power back from the fad, and vow to take care of your body, not destroy it.

[1]Shisslak & Crago, 1995,[2]Grodstein, et al., 1996,[3]Kurth et al., 1995

Recovery Tip of the Month

Recovery is about learning how to live with discomfort, difficulty and challenge, despite a past of running from pain and constriction through substances, food, and/or compulsions.   Don’t try to escape from challenge, because every time you face a challenge head on, you’ve just made a major leap forward in your recovery.

Acupuncture and the Five Elements

By Doreen Cott, AP, L.Ac.

Classical 5 Element Acupuncture is drawn from the ancient wisdom and understanding of the 5 Seasons. (Yes, five, not four seasons.) Its reliance on the laws of nature and its ability to reach all levels of illness – body, mind and spirit – set it apart from other systems of medicine.

In Chinese medicine it is recognized that the essential ingredient of life is “Qi,” the vital force that controls the function of all organs and systems in the body. The ancient Chinese masters observed that Qi moves in cycles. These five phases of the journey of Qi became known as the five elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. These five elements describe the characteristics of Qi as it moves through seasons and lifetimes and as it manifests on a day-to-day level, both in nature and in us. When nature is healthy, Qi is flowing through its five phases in balance and harmony. Similarly, when we are healthy our Qi flows in the correct strength and quality and when one of the elements is depleted or excessive in strength, the symptoms of illness result.

During the upcoming months, we will examine the five elements more closely and explore how we can “fine-tune” our bodies and our minds to harmonize with each season.

Autumn: The Metal Element
Autumn brings the harvest of crops, shorter days and preparation for winter. The metal element, from rough ore to sparkling gemstones, symbolizes the process of refinement and its resulting products. In this season, it’s time to make sure everything pure and necessary is used and maximized, and that anything unnecessary or wasteful is eliminated. Metal energies concern mental and spiritual activities, including the workings of the mind, the intellect and communication The inability to be open to new ideas or the rigid holding on to old thoughts and useless information could both point to an imbalance in metal.

The lungs and the large intestine are associated with Metal in Chinese medicine as both deal with purification and elimination. The lungs take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide through breathing. The large intestine absorbs water and completes the absorption of nutrients, minerals and vitamins and then eliminates waste. A balanced Metal diet consists of vegetables and whole grains while necessary for our bodies year-round because they serve as cleansers for the intestines, have added significance in Autumn. Additionally, hearty, rich and warm foods, including meats, nuts, fish and oils, and strong flavors like Roquefort, pepper and mustard play an important role in a Metal diet. Similarly, root vegetables – such as potatoes, carrots, garlic and onion – are particularly healthful, as are spices like cayenne, ginger and curry all of which promote good digestion and elimination.

The Awesome Power of Group Therapy

By Dr. Stephanie May

For many people, asking for helping in private is hard enough. So when your therapist or doctor recommends group therapy, it is extremely common to fear embarrassment and to have the desire to run in the opposite direction. Yet, there is an awesome power to this thing called group therapy, because it serves as a “mini-world” for you, and is designed to be a safe place to practice all the new skills you are learning.

Imagine, for instance, that I was trying to teach you how to ride a bicycle, without actually asking you to get on the bike. This would be ridiculous, and at best you would be an awesome imaginary cyclist! So, when you talk about wanting to make new friends, for example, and increasing your trust in others, group therapy becomes the place that you get to actually practice this.

It is also very common for people to look for differences from others in group therapy. It is always recommended that you “stretch” yourself to look for similarities first and foremost. Instead of thinking: “I can’t relate to what they are saying,” ask yourself these questions:  “In what way am I similar to this person?” and “How do I relate to what they are saying?” When you look for the similarities, this enhances your ability to connect to others, and create great relationships! Further, it allows you to learn that much more about yourself by listening to others insights and experiences.

Here are three quick tips to remember when attending your groups:

1. Take risks! The more you practice in group, the better you will get at your skills outside of group.
2. Don’t give advice, unless it is asked for from another member. Instead, you can offer your personal experiences and how you relate to what the other person is saying.
3. Another great contribution to group is to ask the other members for feedback. This communicates that you are open to hearing from them how you show up in a group setting with others. You are sure to grow quickly when considering this information.

By Raul Rodriguez, M.D.
Medical Director

Methadone, administered properly, is a highly effective treatment for opiate withdrawal and pain management. But it is also associated with a great many myths and urban legends. Let’s sort out a few of them right now.

Myth: Methadone rots your teeth
FACT: Taken in liquid form, methadone will not harm tooth enamel if patients brush properly after ingestion. That being said, there are a couple of reasons why methadone patients may have excessive tooth decay. Opiate dependence can lead to frequent vomiting which will wear away at tooth enamel over an extended period of time. Furthermore, people with an opiate dependence often do not care about proper dental hygiene and may go extended periods without brushing their teeth.

Myth: Methadone ‘gets into your bones’.
FACT: Many patients undergoing methadone withdrawal report feeling pain “in their bones”. A common side effect of detoxification is a heightened sensitivity to pain, and while the pain may appear to originate in the bones, methadone does not impregnate the bones or weaken them in any way.

Myth: Methadone is the hardest detox of all opiates.
FACT: Withdrawal from a prolonged use or high dose of methadone can be more difficult than withdrawal from other substances. Fortunately, recent advances in medical science and the emergence of medications such as Subutex and Suboxone have significantly eased the withdrawal process. The truth is that methadone withdrawal, when supervised by an experienced professional, can be done safely and with minimal discomfort.

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Caffeine: Comfortably Cutting Consumption

By Christie Caggiani, RD, LD/N

How much? When? Is it good or bad for me? Caffeine confusion is a common topic of discussion and is surrounded by fears of headaches and morning lethargy if they are to “give it up”. We know that a little caffeine can be helpful for mental alertness, however, if you find that your energy and moods are dependent on it, you’re likely drinking too much. To make some changes, take the following steps:

Write down the coffee, tea, energy drinks and soft drinks you drink for a few days. This will help you understand when and how much you drink.

Decrease intake gradually over 1 or 2 weeks by eliminating ½ cup of coffee/tea or 8 ounces of soda each day.

Switch to “half-caff” in the morning and decaf in the afternoon. Eliminating caffeine late in the day will help restore restful sleep. Well rested, you will have more energy during the day and feel less need for caffeine.

Substitute caffeinated drinks with beverages such as Teecino® or Pero®, herbal tea or water with lemon.

Exercise or keep active during the times that you used to drink coffee, tea, and soft drinks. If you get adequate activity, you will have more genuine energy and feel less need for caffeine.

Fuel yourself. Caffeine only stimulates the central nervous system, it doesn’t provide actual fuel or energy. If it’s been 3-4 hours since you’ve last eaten, you probably need food, not coffee! Include a mix of carbs and protein at all meals and snacks regularly throughout your day to ward off caffeine cravings.

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Safe Sailing in the Sea of Life

By Dr. Patty Shutt
Clinical Director

Relapse Prevention is a set of life skills that are anchored in self-awareness. Recovery is far more difficult than just “don’t pick up.” Sobriety simply opens up the doorway to self-awareness. Facing difficulties, while maintaining awareness is the foundation for building mastery and self-esteem. A person who is buoyed up by “real” supports that come from within can truly begin the process of rebuilding. Each day that one faces life challenges with awareness and courage, another board is set in place for building the boat that will soon sail safely in the sea of life.

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Meet The Therapist: Dr. Stephanie May

Dr. Stephanie May

Tell us about your practice.
I received both a Masters and Doctorate in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and did my post-doctoral training at the Renfrew Center, a nationally recognized eating disorder treatment center in Coconut Creek. I have spent much of my career specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, improving self-esteem, and strengthening relationships between couples.

How do you approach therapy?
My highest priority in working with my clients is to form a collaborative relationship that is based on respect, dignity, compassion, and results. It’s important for me to take the time to get to know and understand each client as a whole person so that I can give them the specialized individual care they deserve.

What is your “Radiant Woman” workshop?
The workshops are dedicated to helping women (adult and teen) improve self-esteem and create a healthy self-image. I am really proud of how the Radiant Woman workshops have developed and all the wonderful people I have connected with.

What do you hope your clients gain from therapy?
I want my clients to be healthy and present in their lives. I want therapy to not just be a “good experience” for my clients, but would like for them to walk away from the experience knowing that something tangible was created in their lives as a result.

What brought you to Delray Center?
I am thrilled to be a part of this dynamic team of professionals. It is refreshing to work with so many people who value a holistic approach to healing. I look forward to expanding my practice here.

Anything else?
I love to backpack, especially in the mountains of Colorado. Also, I am a practicing Yogini!

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THE NEW CO-DEPENDENCY: A Special Summer Book Study
Moderated by Jen Bilot, Med., LMHC

Codependency is a common problem in relationships of all kinds; parent/child relationships, marital relationships, friendships and so on. It is something that we learn and, therefore, something that we can and must learn new skills to overcome. This Book Study will include skill building in boundary setting, communication techniques, healthy emotional expression, acceptance of life circumstances and detachment.

See Jestine in Building 2 to sign up and purchase your book. Please register by June 20th and come to first session prepared to discuss Section 1 of the book. I look forward to seeing you there!

THE NEW CO-DEPENDENCY
Mondays 12:00 – 1:00 pm
4-Week Session Begins June 27th
(Group will not meet on July 4th)
$100

Delray Center and The Sacred Treehouse will be closed on Monday July 4th.