The Warrior’s Journey Intervention: A Chaplain-Led Motivational, Preparatory Exercise for Enhancing Treatment Success

2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
Wesley H Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Meaning Making ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Treatment Success ◽  
Mental Health Providers ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Trauma Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Psychological States ◽  
Poor Treatment ◽  
Motivation For Treatment

Outcome literature has shown poor treatment engagement in efficacious, evidence-based post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) programs among returning veterans with combat-related psychological symptoms and calls for the development of motivational, preparatory exercises that circumvent stigma-related barriers and are delivered before or during the orientation phase of treatment. The psychological states of hope, meaning, and guilt have been found to impact motivation for treatment and the development and maintenance of post-trauma pathology and symptom severity. Given a chaplain’s less stigmatized role, as compared to mental health providers, and proficiency in assessing these states and providing interventions that mediate change, often before a veteran is enrolled in a PTSD treatment program, this paper introduces a brief, chaplain-led, preparatory exercise called the “Warrior’s Journey Intervention” (WJI). This narrative based, meaning-making exercise is designed to improve motivation for treatment and mitigate post-trauma symptoms by impacting hope, meaning, and guilt through use of a universally shared, metaphoric story of trauma recovery. A case study will demonstrate use of the intervention, observe its effects, and analyze mechanisms of change. Research is recommended at the end of the article to test the hypothesis that the intervention promotes motivation for treatment and reduces symptoms of PTSD and Moral Injury (MI). A standardized manual for the exercise is available from author.

Widowhood and Mental Health: Social Predictors of Mental Health Disorders Among Widows

2021 ◽  
pp. 105413732110541
Author(s):  
Brown C. Taylor ◽  
Jordan Harrold
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mental Health Providers ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Social Predictors ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
The Relationship

This study examines the relationship between three common mental health disorders—anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder—in the first year of spousal bereavement and a myriad of social factors—including the security of health insurance and the presence of children at home—among those who have been widowed. We analyzed a novel survey of 503 widows who had participated in the Modern Widows’ Club Widows Empowerment Event. We then used logistic regression to investigate the relationship between these variables, discovering nuance between them. Our findings further elucidate the need for health and mental health providers to be attuned to the unique psychosocial needs of widows, especially among the first year of widowhood.

Pediatric chronic pain and mental health

2021 ◽  
pp. 136-145
Author(s):  
Maria Pavlova ◽  
Jillian Vinall Miller ◽  
Patrick J. McGrath ◽  
Melanie Noel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Pediatric Chronic Pain ◽  
Poor Treatment

Pediatric chronic pain is prevalent, disabling, and costly. Even if resolved by adulthood, chronic pain confers a heightened risk of developing mental health problems. Indeed, chronic pain is often comorbid with mental health problems, particularly anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These comorbidities are tied to decreased functioning, increased suffering, and poor treatment response. Yet, mental health is rarely directly addressed in pediatric chronic pain treatments. In this chapter, we review epidemiological evidence of co-occurring chronic pain and mental health problems, relevant theoretical models to account for this co-occurrence, and proposed intrapersonal, interpersonal, and neurobiological factors that may underlie these comorbidities. An overview of existing treatments and their efficacy in addressing co-occurring pain and mental health problems is supplemented by a clinician’s perspective on treating chronic pain comorbid with psychological symptoms. We outline future research directions and advocate for an urgent need to assess and treat mental health in youth with chronic pain.

scholarly journals A novel training program for mental health providers in spiritual competencies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Pearce ◽  
Kenneth Pargament ◽  
Holly Oxhandler ◽  
Cassandra Vieten ◽  
Serena Wong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Mental Health Providers ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Spiritual Competencies

Religion and spirituality are areas of diversity and multiculturalism that have yet to be comprehensively addressed in most mental health training programs. Without this type of training, many practitioners lack the competence and confidence to engage in spiritually competent care–clinical practice that recognizes the importance of religion and spirituality in people’s identity, worldview, meaning-making and, therefore, their psychological well-being. Emerging research on treatment outcomes and client preferences, as well as professional ethical mandates, support the need for training in spiritual competencies for mental health care. To address the gap between current professional training and the needs and realities of clinical practice, we have developed an online training program to assist practitioners in building their competency and comfort levels in integrating religion and spirituality into treatment. Spiritual Competency Training in Mental Health (SCT-MH) is a seven hour asynchronous, online program consisting of eight modules. The modules are designed to develop basic competency in 16 empirically-derived spiritual competencies in mental health. The content was derived from numerous instructional materials and peer-reviewed publications, with input from leading experts in the field of spirituality and mental health. It is a multidisciplinary program, allowing mental health providers from any discipline and orientation to participate. The material is applicable for working with clients with a wide range of mental health issues from diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds. In this manuscript, we will discuss how the program was developed, what it entails, who it was developed for, and future efforts to test it empirically.

Development of a Scale to Assess Mental Health Providers' Mindfulness in Session

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Calderon ◽  
Paul E. Hagan ◽  
Jennifer A. Munch ◽  
Crystal Rofkahr ◽  
Sinead Unsworth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Providers ◽  
Health Providers

Addressing COVID-19 Worry and Social Isolation in Home-Based Primary Care

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Elizabeth Weiskittle ◽  
Michelle Mlinac ◽  
LICSW Nicole Downing
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Mental Health Providers ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Home Based Primary Care ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Socially Isolated

Social distancing measures following the outbreak of COVID-19 have led to a rapid shift to virtual and telephone care. Social workers and mental health providers in VA home-based primary care (HBPC) teams face challenges providing psychosocial support to their homebound, medically complex, socially isolated patient population who are high risk for poor health outcomes related to COVID-19. We developed and disseminated an 8-week telephone or virtual group intervention for front-line HBPC social workers and mental health providers to use with socially isolated, medically complex older adults. The intervention draws on skills from evidence-based psychotherapies for older adults including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Problem-Solving Therapy. The manual was disseminated to VA HBPC clinicians and geriatrics providers across the United States in March 2020 for expeditious implementation. Eighteen HBPC teams and three VA Primary Care teams reported immediate delivery of a local virtual or telephone group using the manual. In this paper we describe the manual’s development and clinical recommendations for its application across geriatric care settings. Future evaluation will identify ways to meet longer-term social isolation and evolving mental health needs for this patient population as the pandemic continues.

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