Virginia Satir: Becoming More Fully Human (excerpt) -- Thinking Allowed ...

Comedian Turns Addiction Counselor

Comedian Turns Addiction Counselor

"A smile is the shortest distance between two people." - Victor Borge -
....and....
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."  - Tom Robbins -

Remembering: Today is .... The Gift!

"Caring2Create Art Parties" - Acrylic, in CARING 2 CREATE...

"Caring2Create Art Parties" - Acrylic, in CARING 2 CREATE...

Soothing for Fridays...

The street paver is here... the sound is "grating." The T.V. in the living room... the sound is "grating" too.  The phone calls and non-stop caretaking.... 
Do you hear "grating" in your environment?  The copier, phone, too loud voices or, even, demands, requests and inattention to YOUR needs?  It's time for a break.  It's time for "self-care".

• We need Hugs....
• We need Humor...
• We need Gratitude (just one)
• We need To Breathe
• We need A Meeting 
• We need to Accept... (this one goes down better with a cup of coffee, a walk, sharing and listening.)

 Did I mention music? Doing something creative?  I just noticed that street paver just left... gotta go find that Hug!
How about doing some "morning papers" again with Julia Cameron ...haven't read her yet?  Check out her "creative recovery"... and inspirational snippets on side-bar of every page..... I'm remembering:  "Today is....The Gift."

"A Good Day" video - Brother David Steindl-Rast

"A Good Day" video - Brother David Steindl-Rast

Mug - CafePress

 Get your own Counselor Mug... or gift it!!! Check it out:
Mug - CafePress

My Pooh Quote of the Day....

 Grab a cup of coffee and be good to yourself ... Breathing in and out helps!

"Even when time is a problem, most of us get our work done.  We keep our houses reasonably clean.  We care for our children.  We take the car in for an oil change.... We do what we have to do.  What we want to do, however, may never get done....Program your mind with this: Recreation is required.  It is not optional.  Look at the word: recreation.  The time you to it re CREATES your soul. There's no waste in that." - The Tao of Pooh - by Benjamin Hoff.

Remembering: "Today is .... The Gift"   ---- Looking for a new coffee cup? Check out my new Gratitude Cup below:


http://www.cafepress.com/+mug,464619945

Sept. 20 marks important day of recognition for addiction professionals | Articles & Archives | Addiction Professional

Sept. 20 marks important day of recognition for addiction professionals | Articles & Archives | Addiction Professional

Gift Your Staff... A Gratitude Tree

See at: www.pjmcnallyart.com

The Arts and Healing..

As an artist and retired counselor, I am very impressed at how far we are coming in recognizing the importance of creativity and the arts in our hospital treatment programs.

"This summer the first complete survey of the arts inside of U.S. hospitals was done by Americans for the Arts, the Society for Arts in Healthcare and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Cultural programs are increasing in number and quality as hospitals find that the arts "comfort, console and sustain" patients and improve in-hospital results." - Agnes Gund, President Emerita and Chairman of the International Council of the Museaum of Modern Art. (June 7, 2010/huffingtonpost.com)

 Creative interventions and actions are needed in healthcare ... in caring for patients... and in supporting and lifting up our peers, clients and all healthcare staff.

A great book that may be helpful for those of you who do not come from an art background is "The Creative Connection: Expressive Arts As Healing" by Natalie Rogers.
It is simple, straight-forward and helpful to the counselor.

Have a beautiful day ... remembering: "Today is .... The Gift."

Art therapy program at homeless shelter helps women rebuild lives, defy stereotypes

The Gift of Counseling ...

It is a quiet Sunday and I was touched by the smile and gentle clapping that greeted me from my father as I entered his bedside this morning. I don't know that he is aware of how he made my day with those two simple gestures toward me. He has Alzheimer's. Do you, like me, ever feel that you have to do a lot of hard work and preparation to make a difference in someone's life? A loved one, a client or yourself? It is a quiet Sunday-maybe- because my heart is full.
Before I go... a quote or two:

"If nature has made you a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart.  And, though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full; and, you can give out of that." -Frances Hodgson Burnett-

"Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another." - George Eliot -

The simple, wonderous acts of love like my Dad's reminds me of the magic moments other's experienced in the book and movie "Chocolat" Chocolat- a book by Joanne Harris.  Enjoy your Sunday.... Remembering:  " Today is...The Gift."

Road to Recovery September: Language Matters

Book Review: Remembering the Little Picture Book...

No War and Peace review here today.  Some of you may remember reading a little book as a child that followed a little boy who went out on a walk one night with nothing but an over-sized purple crayon and had one great adventure.  He used his imagination, but was also cautious to assure his safe return home.  I couldn't help but think how this little boy's adventure can mirror the journey recovery takes us on ... whether as client or counselor.  But, that's for you to judge.  A good read. I highly recommend it for yourselves and, maybe, even to be read in group.  As New York Times Book Reviewer Deborah Solomon says, "Do we look at art to learn things, or to feel things?"  Oh! The title of the book.  "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson. It was first published in 1955 but still inspires.  Enjoy... and have a good day.  Remembering:  Today is...The Gift.

How do we Attend?

"To attend"... often it just rolls off my tongue.  How about you?  Attending this meeting, this church, this class etc. My interest in being more "mindful" I found that this word "attend" comes up a lot as part of that practice.  And so, I looked up the definition of "attend".  It didn't just mean showing up - sit down and share.  It states some of the following: to take care of; look after; pay attention to; to await --- and my favorite form the Latin: to stretch toward.  And so, it appears that " attend" is, indeed, an active verb! To Attend means for me that I become active in my caring ... not just talk but action.... action stretching toward a person or a goal.

"Listening is an attitude of the heart - attracting and healing." - anonymous-

"The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself." - Henry Miller -

"A dog that barks all the time gets little attention." - Argentina Proverb -

And, last but not least:

"Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves.  They shall never cease to be entertained."

Remembering: "Today is .... the Gift!"

Do You Know You Are Empowered!

1. Sometimes it seems as if the Counselor is just buried in those charts, or taking two steps forward, one back.  But, take just a moment to connect with peers and ask "Am I really making a difference?" ....Not trying to get heavy here... but, asking that question may prove to bring some insight into why we do what we do. 
2. Questions:  Do I have expectations of my place in another's recovery? What is my part in their recovery? Is my self-image dependant on certain outcomes? And, if I cannot control outcomes, what can I control? 
3.  Counseling a person with this disease of addiction is being aware of the chronic, relapsing process often part of the recovery process.  So.... Is the outcome I look for having done the best that I can...remaining teachable... staying currant of best practices...inhance my skills and remember to provide positive "self-care".
4. 

   Remember: " To Counsel is a Gift"... 
   

I Feel Inspired To Paint!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, all of you... It really is when I have an attitude adjustment.  Life is good!  But... for some, today, it may be a bit of a stretch to buy into my "natural high". ... So how about I just leave a little Inspirational Stuff here for a Now or for a Sometime Later.

"In order to Change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired."- Anon-

"Service is the rent we pay to be living.  It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time."  -Marian Wright Edelman-

And, my favorite today:  " The wisest mind has something yet to learn." George Santayana-

Take care... remembering: Today is the ....Gift.

Check out my website for new images:
http://www.pjmcnallyart.com

I added "Counselor Art"....

The Counselor: Is it Outcome or Purpose?

It is often the case with counseling an addict that we spend numerous individual and group counseling sessions with a client and, sadly, they leave treatment early or relapse soon after discharge.  When this happens, all too often, how do we view "ourselves" after?  In other words, is my self-image affected.  Do I judge my purpose in being a counselor by my client's outcome that I can't control or by the processes/skills I can continually enhance and update through training and guidance?  Am I true to my Purpose... my Gift? 

"Believe when you are most unhappy, that there is something for you to do in the world.  So long as you can sweeten another's pain, life is not in vain." - Hellen Keller-

"To live for results would be to sentence myself to continuous frustration. My only true reward is in my actions and not from them." - Hugh Prather-

 Remembering .... "Today is the Gift.."