Addiction is something that is more than just chemical but it can also be behavioral. It is an urge inside that pushes one to do certain things that are not beneficial in excess. It distorts something and turns it into something negative for one’s life. Addiction can come in forms of drugs to certain behaviors.
Addiction can trap one in many different ways. Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Counseling Certification
The article, “Understanding the Different Types of Addiction, From Chemical to Behavioral” by Sara Lindberg takes a closer look how addiction works. She states,
“Addiction can take shape in two ways: overusing or misusing substances or excessively engaging in behaviors despite the negative consequences either results in. These two types of addiction are typically recognized as chemical or behavioral.”
Addiction can be difficult to overcome. Sometimes it takes counseling and in other cases, it takes drastic measures to remove oneself from a certain type of drug, crowd or activity.
Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals looking for a four year certification in Substance Abuse Counseling.
Grief is natural but sometimes it can go wrong during the adaptation process. Individuals can fall into grief complications. Prolonged Grief is one type. Usually complications to loss are due to a variety of reasons regarding the nature of the loss, a persons own coping abilities and support. Prolonged Grief can turn into Depression if not careful. When complications in the grieving process manifest beyond normal grieving, it is important for individuals to find help from a licensed counselor who is certified or well versed in grief counseling.
Prolonged Grief is a complication in the grieving process. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification
The article, “What Is Complicated Grief?” by Markham Heid takes a closer look at the nature of Complicated Grief, its symptoms and how to deal with it. He states,
“Complicated grief is now called ‘prolonged grief disorder,’” says M. Katherine Shear, MD, the author of the study in The New England Journal of Medicine and the Marion E. Kenworthy professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York, who studies grief and bereavement. “The difference between normal or healthy grief and prolonged grief is related to whether certain defensive responses that are a normal part of early grief become persistent and overly influential in mental functioning.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Grief Counselor.
Many individuals suffer from mild depression. They are able to function but something does not seem right in their life. The mild depression is enough to wear on them. Many need a little help to overcome this type of depression so they can fully restore themselves to life with new vigor.
If you have felt slightly off for the last few weeks or months, it may be mild depression. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Program
The article, “Treatment for Mild Depression” by Sonya Matejko looks at the symptoms of mild depression and how to find the help one needs. She states,
“Even mild depression is different from just feeling a bit tired, sad, or irritable. After all, you’re human! Fluctuations in mood are common, and it’s natural to have days where you feel worse than usual. But what about when those emotions don’t go away after a couple of days, or even a couple of weeks? Maybe you can’t even point to exactly what’s wrong, only that you don’t feel like yourself. While everyone’s experiences and symptoms can and usually do differ, you could be going through a mild depression.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.
Any type of emotion can be enhanced when drunk or intoxicated. Anger is no exception and in many cases displays itself in destructive ways when drinking occurs. Fights, abuse, and aggression are all associated with excessive drinking due to the lack of inhibitions that occurs while intoxicated. Fueled with enhance emotions, it can be a dangerous combination.
Anger and drinking come together too many times. Please also review AIHCP’s Anger Management Consulting Program
The article, “How Does Alcohol Use Interact With Anger?” by Bernard Golden looks at how alcohol and anger come together during intoxication. He states,
“Consuming alcohol can serve as a distraction from a range of negative feelings, including anger. And all too often, as in Ryan’s case, it reflects displacement, directing anger toward a target that is not the source of an individual’s original anger. Under the influence of alcohol, those already predisposed toward anger may vent or, more seriously, direct their anger toward a target that might be experienced as less threatening than the original target.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Anger Management Consulting Certification Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Anger Management Coaching.
ADHD or Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder unfortunately is not curable but it can be managed and with proper counseling and training one can cope with it and have a very successful life. One can even utilize some of its effects and use them for positive outcomes.
ADHD unfortunately has no cure but it can be managed. Please also review AIHCP’s ADHD Consulting Certification
The article, “What causes ADHD and can it be cured?” by Gregory Fabiano takes a closer look at the disorder and how to properly cope and manage it. He states,
“Most psychologists think about ADHD as a characteristic that, like eye color or height, can’t be changed. Doctors can’t cure ADHD, just like they can’t double the length of your legs. If someone had a hard time reaching a high shelf, would you tell them they just need to be taller? Of course not. But you could suggest they use a stepladder. The good news is there are ways that people with ADHD can overcome the challenges this condition brings. Evidence supports two distinct kinds of treatments.”
Please also review AIHCP’s ADHD Consulting Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in ADHD Consulting.
AIHCP offers a variety of nursing certifications for nurses and other healthcare professionals. Nursing has the unique element of diversity. One is able to go into a variety of different areas of healthcare as a nurse. Certifications can help a nurse diversify his or her career. AIHCP offers a variety of nursing certifications ranging from Case Management to Legal Nurse Consulting, as well as Forensic Nursing, Holistic Nursing, Healthcare Manager and Nurse Patient Educator.
Please review AIHCP’s various nursing certifications and see if any meet your academic and professional goals.
Life Coaching covers numerous aspects of human life. Life Coaches not only motivate individuals towards better health, but they also help inform individuals about healthier life styles, as well as helping individuals reach and attain goals. Life Coaches can help individuals who need the added push and added knowledge in life, but also in any type of recovery.
Please review AIHCP’s Healthcare Life Coach Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Life Coach
Care of the dying is essential. All human beings deserve to die with dignity. They deserve not just to have their physical needs met but also their spiritual, emotional and mental. The dying deserve to die with dignity-minimization of pain and comfort. They should die with kindness and love. Unfortunately this is not possible for all, but for the ones who are able, family, chaplains and caregivers can provide the love and support to help the dying leave this world with peace.
Pastoral Thanatology is key in this. It looks at pastorally helping the dying in all phases of human existence. It goes well beyond the physical but also addresses fear and grief as well as helping family better help the soon to be deceased.
AIHCP offers a four year certification in Pastoral Thanatology. The program in online and independent study and is open to qualified professionals.
Those who are unable to properly express their grief due to belittlement, stigma, social indifference, or ignorance experience Disenfranchised Grief. Examples include pet loss grief, loss of a loved one who died under stigmatic circumstances, or those who are not considered close enough to the loss to deserve attention. The belittlement or total disregard of those who grieve for certain reasons is a big problem in society. All loss and grief from that loss should be treated with empathy and love.
Many are not able to openly grieve. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification
The article, “Disenfranchised Grief: How to Cope & When to Get Help” by Hart Haraguchi takes a closer look at the nature of Disenfranchised Grief. She states,
“Disenfranchised grief, sometimes called hidden grief, occurs when a loss is not publicly acknowledged or validated through traditional norms and rituals. Those experiencing disenfranchised grief feel isolated, stigmatized, and ashamed. While it can feel overwhelming, there are ways to support yourself through your grief including creating a mourning ritual, connecting with others who understand, and talking with a therapist.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Grief Counselor.
With grief comes change. Change is one of the elements of grief that makes it so uncomfortable. The change of no longer having a wife or husband, or the change of no longer having your mother or father. It can be also be a change that does not involve death. The change can involve no longer dating someone, or switching jobs. With all change comes adaptation, challenge, emotional re-balancing, and time. Grief is the result of change and attachment to what was changed. Hence, change is a constant.
Ancient philosophers also had a difficult time understanding change. They pondered if everything is in a state of change and flux, is there any permanence in anything. Is someone the same or constantly someone new. Obviously, change does not alter the substance or permanence of an individual. Accidental qualities change within a person or a thing, but the person remains the same person, but it is obvious change alters. It is the person’s ability to cope with change and understand the nature of change in life to better equip a healthy attitude conducive to success in an ever changing reality.
Loss and change are the ingredients of grief itself. How one copes with grief and the change that comes with it is essential and part of life itself. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Program
One thing that is greatly effected by change is identity. Identity is who a person is and how one perceives oneself. When role is altered due to loss, identity can sometimes become confused and muffled in the chaos. Individuals may start to lose themselves in the chaos of loss if they are not able to better anchor themselves. It is critical during loss and hence change for one to be able to retain identity but this is harder than it may seem and many struggle during loss to retain their sense of self.
Loss of identity can be common for many individuals who define themselves with their vocation, career, or relations with others. Mothers who lose a child, may no longer feel they are a mother. The cruel loss of losing a child can make a woman feel like she is no longer a mother. This strip of identity of motherhood can be a horrifying loss for the person. Many women who lose a child, may make statements such as “I am not longer a mother” or “I used to be a mother, but no longer am”. It is important to help these women understand that their identity as a mother is permanent regardless of loss. They will forever be mothers and nothing can ever alter that. Unfortunately the loss can be so devastating as to attempt to even strip these grieving individuals even of such titles. One can apply this standard of title to anything. It can be applied to a grieving father, brother, uncle, or even a position.
This can also be applied to individuals who lose certain abilities. A runner who loses a leg, or a person who loses his or her sight. Or even the loss of youth as individuals come to grips with a mid life crisis. What one once was or what one could once do, poses serious changes to individuals. Individuals may feel they are no longer who they were and may not recognize themselves. The reality is change occurs within any organism and change, both good and bad will occur. These changes cannot define the individual at the core but they can affect secondary attributes. How one is able to cope with the changes is key to life. Unfortunately sometimes, others face changes that are far more difficult and require far more effort and time.
Identity can also be effected in other ways. Change, whether bad or for the good is always difficult. The change alters one’s perception of oneself and in some cases how others view the grieving. An individual who changes will face a period of adaptation regardless. If one ceases an individual bad habit, then that change will create new struggles as well as new paradigms. Removing oneself from a party scene for example, may pose a challenge in and of itself but also create new difficulties with older friends. Others may no longer wish to associate since the same shared activity is no longer part of one’s life. Hence loss of friends and new challenges of finding new friends can make one question identity.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals
Ultimately, one can fall into a fear of not knowing thyself. Who am I? Who am I not? Grief and bigger changes can cause an existential crisis in some that requires counseling and help to truly find oneself again. Grief and change are powerful things and can erode one’s very foundation if one does not cope. One can lose a sense of self and become isolated and question one’s own very reality. It is natural to have fears of change, to struggle with these changes, and come out different. However, just because one is different after change, does not mean one is another person. One may have different outlooks and different perspectives, but it does not mean, one’s identity or true self is lost. YOU are still YOU. Just like physically YOU were different when younger, YOU can be different emotionally and mentally due to change of loss. It is important to hold on to the anchor of self despite the storm of change around oneself. Life is about change, but it is about how YOU change with it, not your very identity itself.
In all stories of our life, it is important to not allow the bad chapters in our life to become isolated from the story of YOU. While the story changes, the book title is still YOU. How one incorporates the past chapters with the present in writing the future chapters is key. Change is part of life and without it there is no existence. It is important to be open to change, even difficult change throughout life if one wishes to live. Some change may be very terrible, some minor, and others pleasant, but whatever the change, it will affect oneself. How one connects the changes in life to the overall theme of one’s story is key.
If you would like to learn more about Grief Counseling Training, then please review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling
Resources
“Whats Your Grief” article on “Change, Identity Loss and Grief by Eleanor Haley. Please click here
