ACA-NY FREE Advocacy Preparation & Conference Day

Dear students,

As graduate students, we have heard several words frequently: legislation, scope of practice, excessive caseloads, and advocacy. In our classes, we are told about the need for: clarification regarding Mental Health Counselors’ qualifications to diagnose, school counselors to staff elementary schools, and more reasonable student/counselor caseloads. Additionally, we are told how important it is for us to advocate for our profession and future clients. Initially we believed that our individual actions would do little to impact or facilitate change. We doubted that we could make a difference or that anyone would listen to our voices as students. But we have since learned that we were wrong. As individuals, we make a big difference. As a group, we make an even bigger difference. If all counselors (of all specialty areas and experience levels) come together and advocate for the profession, things will change, legislators will listen.

On February 1, 2013, ACA-NY is holding a FREE Advocacy Preparation & Conference Day. The conference boasts several exciting workshops, including some focused on advocacy skill development. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the advocacy plans of NYSSCA and NYMHCA (a real bonus for those of us pursuing both mental health and school counseling credentials) and tour legislative buildings. Some sessions are focused on marketing yourself and your professional counselor identity. The keynote speaker, Marty Mack, New York State Executive Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs, will be speaking about the impact of existing laws on counselors. Specifically, he intends to cover the following areas: Kendra’s Law and gun control has on counselors, licensed mental health counseling and diagnosis, and prescription drug abuse. And of course, who can beat a free breakfast and lunch? The conference event is also a great way to begin networking with other counselors and counseling leaders across the state. Register for the conference event using the following link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FYFQNWJ. Register early; once the event reaches capacity registration will close.

In closing, ACA-NY's leadership can only do so much to promote our profession. Legislators listen to their constituents much more than leaders of organizations. All of our futures will be shaped by our collective willingness to advocate for our clients and our profession. We encourage you to join us in further developing our collective advocacy skills and to network with other counselors across the state. This Conference is our chance to learn how to create change, to promote our profession, and to take charge of our futures.

See you in Albany,
Cassandra Fleck, Co-Chair of ACA-NY Communications
Jessica Hess, Co-Chair of ACA-NY Communications

New York LGBT Health Month

Mandatory Counseling Internship Meetings

Please mark your calendars

For any Counseling or CSSA student wishing to intern Fall 2013, attendance at an internship application meeting is mandatory.  We have separated out these meetings by program - you must only attend the meeting for your program.

**You must receive advisor approval to go on internship. The advisor approval form is in your program handbook that you received at orientation. If you cannot find your handbook, you can locate a copy online here: http://www.strose.edu/academics/schoolofeducation/counseling/departmental_news and print the form.
Schedule a meeting with your advisor now to get permission to go on internship. You will also need a current resume.
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School counseling internship application meeting Thursday January 31st at 3:00 pm in the Symposium, Lally 3rd Floor
Questions? Contact Mike Richter richterm@strose.edu
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CSSA internship application meeting: Wednesday, 2/13/13 from 3 pm -4:30 in the Symposium and

Mental Health Counseling internship application meeting: Thursday, 2/14/13 from 3 pm -4:30 in the Symposium
Questions? Contact Heidi Ziemke ziemkeh@strose.edu

Announcing Spring 2013 Course in MBCT for Prevention of Depression Relapse

Announcing Spring 2013 Course in MBCT for Prevention of Depression Relapse

We are pleased to announce the availability of an innovative, empirically-supported course for people who suffer recurring episodes of depression: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).  This course is the first of several mindfulness courses to be offered in Woodstock, NY, beginning this spring.  MBCT is an eight-session program clinically shown to bolster recovery from depression and to be effective in preventing relapse.  The course will take place on Sunday mornings in March and April, 2013.

In his introduction to the MBCT manual, Jon Kabat-Zinn describes this adaptation of his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program: “Developed by leading scientist-practitioners, and solidly grounded in current psychological research, the approach integrates cognitive therapy principles and practice into a mindfulness framework.” For over ten years now, study after study concludes that MBCT can shift a person’s relationship to the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations that lead to a downward spiral into depression—especially for people who have previously experienced this painful and frustrating condition.  MBCT participants learn an evidence-based combination of mindfulness practices and cognitive therapy techniques which result in the ability to observe patterns of mind and stay in touch with the present moment rather than descend into habitual rumination -- a hallmark of depression.

In the recent second edition of the training manual, Kabat-Zinn describes the MBCT course in a way that echoes our own attitude as instructors:  “…participants are treated more as guests than patients, with warm hospitality and respect for the courage they show, even by turning up.”

To learn more about us and about the interview process in which we carefully consider the suitability of MBCT for each potential participant, please visit our website woodstockmindfulness.com <http://www.woodstockmindfulness.com>. You will also find further explanation of the MBCT program and links to the extensive body of research on mindfulness-based therapies, as well as details about future courses and enrollment information. We look forward to sharing MBCT with you.