On Tuesday, August 3rd, NYC’s Mayor Bill Blasio announced the “Key to NYC Pass” initiative. This is the nation’s first initiative requiring patrons who gather for indoor dining, gyms, concerts, and performances to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Proof of vaccination is required for the employees of these establishments as well. This initiative goes into…
Author: ayokatheblogger
Part Two: Aphantasia
I’ve had an overwhelmingly positive experience when I’ve revealed that I have aphantasia to family and friends. It’s the funniest thing in the world to communicate one’s unique experiences –so many textures, layers, and depth to unpack. We generally assume that we all have similar experiences. Having to explain the absence of a mind’s eye…
Do You Have a Forceful Approach with Clients?
While thumbing through the 3rd Edition of Miller and Rollnick’s book on Motivational Interviewing, I came across the concept of heart and mindset. It got me thinking about a few things. As helping professionals, we have all come across wording that speaks to the client being the expert on their life and lived experiences. It…
Pause, I’m Not Ready To Do The Mental Work
“I’m Not Ready To Do The Mental Work Required For Our Sessions.” What a profound statement. It’s a big deal when clients can articulate that they are not ready to do the mental work required when engaging in mental health counseling. Let’s define mental work. Mental work captures the work that goes into working on…
In My Opinion: How to Approach Your Thoughts, Ideas + Beliefs
By choice, I’ve been getting myself immersed into “controversial” topic areas, and I must say I have enjoyed myself. LOL. What does that mean? Well, it means that as a collector of information and someone who prides herself in developing her ideas and beliefs, I’ve been purposefully subjecting myself to ideas and thoughts that are…
Lesson #1: Rest is Not Wasted Time!!!
Let’s define, still. I define stillness as being able to pause, come to a complete stop. It is both a mental and a physical act. It’s the intentional act of being present. I’ve always struggled to feel comfortable with being still. It wasn’t something that was encouraged when I was young. Sitting around doing nothing…
Say What, Professional Quality of Life? What’s That?!
I recently attended a webinar in which the presenter discussed the Professional Quality of Life Scale. The ProQOL comprises thirty Likert scaling questions that measure three domains: compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. The ProQOL is specifically designed for those in the helping profession. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines the helping profession as a career that provides…
Personal Journey: Lacking Inspiration
Lately, it’s been harder and harder for me to find inspiration. I can’t pinpoint the source as it ebbs and flows. But I’ve found these feelings to be frustrating, especially on those days that I feel like I should be inspired. For me, inspiration is an internal spark. Sparks that can go off at any…
New York City’s Greenwich Village Forever Changed: Fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
New York City is filled with such a rich, eclectic history. I recently paid a visit to NYU’s Brown Building. The Brown Building, formerly known as the Asch Building, was the tragic site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911. On March 25th, 1911, the fire at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory took the lives of…
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? and How Can Our Mental Health Benefit From Using It?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy treatment that focuses on changing our automatic negative thought/belief responses. CBT works to address the client’s present-day thoughts, moods, and behaviors. CBT is used to identify, challenge, and replace these negative thoughts or beliefs. CBT is built upon three tenets. What we think affects how we feel and act. How we act affects how…