Stress Management Consulting Article on How Stress Damages the Self

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

It is well known stress is a silent killer.  Stress in nature can start disease and death within an organism.  Stress can also gradually erode a human being’s overall health if not controlled or maintained.  Prolong stress is not healthy for the body or mind.

Long term stress can lead to serious health issues. Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Certification

 

The article, “Stress, the silent threat” Michael van Soest explores how stress can damage the body.  He states,

“Studies have shown that one to three adults suffer from the effects of unmanaged stress. Many of us don’t even realize how stressed we actually are; often becoming accustomed to being tense, so we think of it as normal. It damages our health, our work, our relationships. It destroys families, businesses, and lives. It costs companies staggering amounts every year in health costs, absenteeism, and poor performance. In fact, stress built up over a long period can reduce our ability to regenerate, which means less energy and tolerance to combat daily stress.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Stress and its negative effects over long term can permeate into every aspect of life.  If not coped with or handled, it can lead to later serious health issues.

Please also review AIHCP’s Stress Management Consulting Certification and see if the program meets your academic and professional goals.

Christian Counseling Training Article on Pastoral Burnout

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Pastors, Priests, Ministers and Pastoral Caregivers can all face burnout. It is human nature to burnout if over worked, or bombarded with other needs.  It is important to also care for oneself and ensure enough sleep, rest and spiritual retreat is given.  It is also important to identify signs of burnout and how to properly deal with it.  God’s grace can go a long way but our human bodies need an occasional spiritual and physical retreat.

Many pastors, minister or priests face burnout but keep pushing themselves. Please also review our Christian Counseling Training Program

Pastors need time to heal.  They also need their own spiritual advisors to help guide them through it.

Please also review our Christian Counseling Training Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.

Anger Management Consulting Certification Article on Kids and Anger

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

It is important for parents to teach their children at a young age to control their emotions and anger.  Anger and uncontrolled emotion can ruin lives.  Hence it is critical for children to learn anger management skills at a young age.  Children cannot be permitted to express uncontrolled emotion without consequences and guidance.

Teaching children to control anger is a key parenting step. Please also review our Anger Management Consulting Certification

 

The article, “Anger Management: Helping You and Your Kids Stay in Control” by Eugene Beresin looks at how parents can better help their kids control their anger.  He states,

“Here are some ways kids and parents can manage anger. These skills need to be tailored to the age of your child, and for everyone, they require practice on a regular basis.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review AIHCP’s Anger Management Consulting Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.

Learning to control anger is a skill that is necessary for social interaction.  Teaching kids how to properly manage anger is a top priority in parenting.

 

Healing The Healers: Different Ways Healthcare Professionals Can Manage Their Chronic Pain 

Posted on by Joseph Gerard

Tablet with the text Pain Management on the displayWritten By Lucy Peters

Around 30% of physicians experience chronic physical illness and pain, with 82% experiencing concomitant chronic mental concerns, according to a study of 248 physicians conducted by the University of Ottawa. As such, there needs to be some changes occurring in the field of medicine — especially when it comes to the concept of chronic pain management. So, to this end, what are a few different ways that healthcare professionals can manage chronic pain?

Chronic Pain-Specific Medication

A study conducted by the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine found that healthcare practitioners limit or avoid controlled pain medications due to their practice guidelines and regulations. Despite this, the discomfort that comes with chronic pain can become so debilitating that they achieve relief through chronic pain-specific medication that’s over the counter or prescribed, such as Oxycodone, Ibuprofen and Morphine. But for doctors who are not comfortable relying on medication, thankfully, there are other options to pursue.

Alternative Care

Chronic pain affects a substantial number of nurses. A study by Gaziantep University found that 84.2% of nurses experience chronic lower back pain of moderate severity. Instead of using any medication, they have found that turning to alternative care like chiropractic adjustment and acupuncture provide relief. Those that undergo chiropractic adjustments reported in a JAMA Open Network’s published study that after six sessions, they have less pain intensity, higher satisfaction in their care, less disability, and more mobility.

Physical Therapy And Exercise

Medical professionals are constantly in motion, and chronic pain hinders this. The pain may also cause a lack of physical activity that opens the gates to other health issues. As such, physical activity is necessary. Aerobic exercises are an effective way to treat chronic pain, according to a study conducted by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center. They found that walking or stationary cycling are moderate impact activities that relieve pain.

Psychiatric Support

Chronic pain is an emotional and mental battle, according to Linda Girgis, MD. She shared her story of being a practicing doctor that got into an accident that left her with a displaced, comminuted proximal humerus fracture. This event effectively made her a chronic pain patient for the rest of her natural life. She soon realized that chronic pain takes a rather strong emotional and mental toll, as the pain made her normal activities no longer possible, and her patients did not care about her pain — only the inconvenience her condition had caused them.

This is precisely why the study conducted by the Department of Psychiatry of George Washington University found that psychological interventions for chronic pain are necessary. Psychiatric support for medical professionals that suffer from chronic pain can help them recalibrate their perspectives and process their pain in a safe and healthy environment.

Living with chronic pain can feel like a continuous battle—especially for the very professionals that are tasked with looking after the health of others. This is why there need to be further studies on managing pain and improving the way the topic of chronic pain in healthcare professionals is addressed. As soon as there is an established way to fully heal the healers from their chronic pain, the better the field of healthcare will be as a whole.

 

 

 

Please also review AIHCP’s Holistic and Integrative Health Care Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program in online and independent study and open to qualified professionals.

Funeral Associate Certification Article on Funerals and Grief during COVID

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Funeral Directors face new challenges with grief during COVID.  Families who lose loved ones to COVID are unable to properly grieve.  Funerals are limited and public condolences are prohibited in many cases.  In addition, many families feel disenfranchised due to the stimga of COVID and the issues surrounding it.

Grieving and funerals during COVID face challenges for the bereaved to properly express themselves. Please also review our Funeral Associate Certification

 

The article from “Whats Your Grief”, “5 Ways Funeral Directors Can Help Families When A Death Is Disenfranchised” looks at in-depth regarding this issue.  The article states,

“Recently, the world has been focused on deaths from COVID-19. And these deaths certainly have the potential to be experienced as disenfranchised.  Notice I say “potential to be experienced as disenfranchised”. It’s important to note that disenfranchised grief is a subjective experience. People want, need, and receive different things from family, friends, and community. And it’s not a guarantee that everyone who experiences a particular type of loss will feel stigmatized or a lack of support and validation.”

To read the entire article, please click here

COVID has made grieving our dead difficult for not only those who die of it but for funerals in general.  Funeral Directors are faced with a new challenge of helping others express grief and find closure without traditional norms.  Please also review our Funeral Associate Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.

 

Grief Counseling Certification Article on Remote Grief Counseling and School

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

With covid, life is upside down in all facets.  Providing grief support like any health or mental issue has turned to telecommunication.  Remote care and counseling or over the phone guidance has become a new norm.   Schools also are facing issues as debates begin on re-openings.  Many have grief issues with covid and other anxieties.

Grief Counseling at schools will face new challenges as they open for the school year during covid. Please also review our Grief Counseling Certification

 

The article, “Providing Remote Grief Support to Students and School Communities” from “Whats Your Grief” takes an indepth look at the challenges of providing grief counseling to schools and students via remote.  The article states,

“It stands to reason, a higher number of children will be carrying the burden of loss when they return to school this year, whether they are grieving the death of a loved one, or a non-death loss. While at the same time, there are new and significant barriers to receiving the types of support teachers, parents, counselors, and community members are accustomed to providing.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review our Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals

 

Pet Loss Grief Counseling Training Program Article on the Value of Pets

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Children have a hard time understanding death depending on how young they are.   Some children do not see death as permanent.   It takes time for them to fully comprehend that once something or someone dies they do not come back.  Pets because of shorter life spans teach children the circle of life faster than a family death.

Children learn about death from a simple goldfish to the more painful loss of a dog or a cat.  They are able to learn the nature of death and how to grieve.  Pets teach children so many things and death is among one of the most important life lessons a pet can give a child.

Pets teach children about empathy, love and responsibility. Unfortunately with all love comes loss and pets also teach children about death. This may be painful but is a useful life lesson. Please also review our Pet Loss Grief Counseling Training Program

 

The article, “Kids and Pets: A Winning Combination” by Diane Morrow-Kondos looks at kids and pets and what can be gained by having one.  She states,

“This is a nice way to say children experience death through the loss of pets. Having a pet teaches children about the cycle of life from birth through death. Yes, it is heartbreaking to see your beloved pets die, but we learn that all creatures, including humans, eventually pass.”

To read the entire article, please click here

From responsibility to learning empathy, the importance of animals in the lives of children is critical.  Death is no less an important lesson in life.  It breaks the heart because loss and love are so interwoven.  Loving an animal and grieving an animal is essential to understanding life itself.  Please also review our Pet Loss Grief Counseling Training program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.

What are the Biggest Data Security Risks in the Healthcare Industry?

Posted on by Joseph Gerard

Padlock and keyhole in a printed circuit. Digital illustration.Written By Lucy Peters

The current global health crisis is doing more than wreaking physical havoc; it is also affecting data security, exposing potentially sensitive patient data and putting the efficient functioning of healthcare organizations at risk. In some parts of the world, there has been a 150% increase in cyber attacks in recent months, with the stress of the pandemic causing many organizations to lose sight of cyber security at a time in which it is most under threat from new advancements in AI and other technologies that make attacks swifter and wider in scope. What are the main threats to data security in the healthcare sector and what steps can be taken to reduce them?

Phishing Attacks

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, many organizations – including the Oregon Department of Human (ODHS) Services – fell prey to phishing attacks. Indeed, the latter suffered a breach affecting some 645,000 patients, compromising over two million emails after just nine employees responded to a phishing email. In order to counter this threat, organizations need to rely on technology such as multi-factor authentication to prevent malicious emails from making it to employees’ inboxes. Employee training is equally important in preventing cyber attacks; in some organizations, simulated phishing software is being used to train and test employees’ abilities to respond to such a threat. Investing in training is a highly efficient way to combat a problem that is costing companies hundreds of billions of dollars every year.

Insider Breaches

Research by Egress has found that about 63% of healthcare data breaches are caused by human error, while around 20% are caused by sending information to the wrong recipient. The famous UW Medicine breach (which exposed the data of around 947,000 patients) was caused by a misconfigured server that made private documents accessible to the public. Healthcare organizations should set up identity access management rules to be followed strictly by staff. They should also implement controls covering the printing of sensitive documents. New content aware print management tech tracks information on who printed a document, where it was printed, and the contents of a document. This can boost compliance and minimize security breaches.

Cloud Security

Research by MarketsandMarkets indicates that the cloud model is increasingly appealing for healthcare decision makers, as most organizations need solutions to deal with an exponential growth of patient data. The benefits of the cloud are indubitable, yet alongside them comes a host of new threats — including malware and ransom attacks. Solutions to the problem include performing regular backups (these should be stored offline or in a separate network from the main one), encryption, and the conduction of a full cyber risk assessment on all third party vendors and contractors.

The healthcare industry is increasingly relying on digital sources for the storing of sensitive data. Some of the main threats it faces include phishing, insider breaches, and cloud security issues. These can be tackled both through education of personnel and through the adoption of effective solutions such as efficient IT management services, a regular backup system, encryption, and the reliance on a professional IT team that is on the beat when it comes to new developments in cybersecurity threats – including AI-based threats.

 

 

 

Please also review AIHCP’s Case Management program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program in online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a Case Management Program

Healthcare Manager Certification Article on Employee Mental Health

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Managers in any field or industry need to be helpful towards the mental health of employees.  Healthcare managers who work also need be aware of their staffs mental needs.  Nurses and other healthcare professionals need to be mentally sharp and aware and signs of mental depression or issues can be dangerous.  Healthcare managers need to be aware of their staff’s overall morale and mental well being.

Employee mental health in healthcare is critical to mission success. Healthcare Managers need to be attentive these needs. Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Manager Certification

 

The article, “8 Ways Managers Can Support Employees’ Mental Health” by Kelly Greenwood and Natasha Krol look at how managers can help their employees.  They state,

“As we navigate various transitions over the coming months and years, leaders are likely to see employees struggle with anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, and PTSD. Those mental health experiences will differ according to race, economic opportunity, citizenship status, job type, parenting and caregiving responsibilities, and many other variables. So, what can managers and leaders do to support people as they face new stressors, safety concerns, and economic upheaval? Here’s our advice.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Manager Certification and see if it fits your academic and professional goals.

Hypnotherapy Certification Article on Insomnia

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

A good’s night rest is a key to good health.  Sleep debt is a huge problem for many adults.  Lack of sleep can lead to many health issues and poor daily work or academic performances.   Individuals who deal with lack of sleep and insomnia look for many ways to try to find the best way to fall to sleep.  Hypnotherapy is an alternative therapy that has helped some find the sleep they so desperately need.

Hypnotherapy has been observed to help others overcome insomnia. Please also review AIHCP’s Hypnotherapy Certification

 

The article, “Hypnotherapy Promises Hope for Insomnia Sufferers” by Robert Mueller looks at how hynotherapy can help one find sleep.  He states,

“Frustrated with her medication and irritable from sleep deprivation, Celine attended her first hypnotherapy session after searching for a different type of treatment. She saw rapid changes, sleeping through the night for the first time in over a year. In an interview with the TMHR, Andrew Gentile, certified hypnotherapist, notes that it is “not uncommon that hypnotherapy is a one-time session in treating insomnia.”

To read the entire article, please click here

With so many Americans suffering from lack of sleep and insomnia, it is to get the help needed to achieve healthy sleep hours.  To learn more, please review AIHCP’s Hypnotherapy Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.