Season 2 Episode 1: Having FUN!
Depression Part 2 (Episode 13)
In this episode Brandi and James get a little deeper into what to do about depression. One of the big keys is growing in self awareness so you know when you need help and how to get it. It is easy to ask someone to help you move because it is obviously a two person job. Dealing with the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual challenges of depression are no different.
Types of Therapy
Some types of therapy that were mentioned in this episode are:
- CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.
- DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) is a type of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Its main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories (Shapiro, 1989a, 1989b). Shapiro’s (2001) Adaptive Information Processing model posits that EMDR therapy facilitates the accessing and processing of traumatic memories and other adverse life experience to bring these to an adaptive resolution. After successful treatment with EMDR therapy, affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated, and physiological arousal is reduced.
Emotion Wheel
One of the main topics was the need to grow in self awareness especially as it relates to your own emotions. This Colorful emotion wheel could be helpful for that https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/emotion-wheel
Resilience with Geoff Whiteman, LMF (Shop Talk Episode 12)
Join Brandi and James as they interview Geoff Whiteman, LMF discussing his research on resiliency and cross cultural workers. His study was completed by 892 workers representing 41 nationalities and serving in 148 countries. He will be speaking a Missio Nexus in September https://missionexus.org/innovate-2021/ on what the data said about organizations and resilience.
Visit his website at ResilientGlobalWorker.org to find out more and sign up for his newsletter.
Grab your copy of the UNIVERSAL HUMAN NEEDS WHEEL and other go-to interventions Geoff uses to help promote resilient growth among global workers at: bit.ly/RGWpodcast
Resource Recommendations:
Depression – Part 1
Notes from the episode
If the number of people depressed globally every year represented a country’s population, it would be one of the biggest countries in the world ( Globally, more than 264 million people of all ages suffer from depression annually (WHO).) In this first episode James and Brandi discuss what depression is and how and why it might be more prevalent amongst cross cultural workers.
I had a black dog, his name was depression (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCrniLQGYc)
World Health Organization (WHO) At its worst, depression can be a frightening, debilitating condition. Millions of people around the world live with depression. Many of these individuals and their families are afraid to talk about their struggles, and don’t know where to turn for help. However, depression is largely preventable and treatable. Recognizing depression and seeking help is the first and most critical towards recovery. In collaboration with WHO to mark World Mental Health Day, writer and illustrator Matthew Johnstone tells the story of overcoming the “black dog of depression”. More information on the book can be found here: http://matthewjohnstone.com.au/ For more information on mental health, please visit: http://www.who.int/topics/mental_heal… Disclaimer: This video may contain links and references to third party-websites. WHO is not responsible for, and does not endorse or promote, the content of any of these websites and the use thereof.
A Christian perspective of Depression (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXecSlwVBTQ&t=333s)
TCK part 3 with Dr. Lindsay Stone
TCK’s and Trauma focusing on the research of Dr. Lindsay Stone. Dr. Stone is a TCK/MK herself and her research focused on stories of TCK’s and identified specific trauma categories they often experience.
Episode 9: TCK part 2
One thing the globally mobile lifestyle requires from us all is to adjust to change. In Third Culture Kids: Growing up among Worlds, David C. Pollock and Ruth Van Reken introduced the concept of ‘building a RAFT’ to help ease us and our children through moves to new cultures.
RAFT stands for:
- Reconciliation
- Affirmation
- Farewells
- Think Destination
But RAFT is not only for moves across cultures. It is a change model for transitions of all kinds and can help us adjust in times of rapid change, ambiguity, even turmoil, such as what we are experiencing today.
(For full details on RAFT, please refer to Third Culture Kids, now in its third edition, by David C. Pollock, Ruth Van Reken, and Michael Pollock.)
TCK – Part 1
(Third Culture Kids)
Families in Global Transition resources www.figt.org
Lauren Wells coaching, training & resources www.tcktraining.com
Interaction International resources https://interactionintl.org/resources/
TCK Connect groups https://interactionintl.org/programs/tck-connect/
Third Culture Kids
In this publication, the authors explore the experiences of those who have become known as third culture kids (TCKs) – children who grow up or spend a significant part of their childhood living abroad. The book is rich with real-life anecdotes and examines the nature of the TCK kid experience and its effects on maturing, developing a sense of identity, and adjusting to one’s passport country upon return. The authors give readers an understanding of the challenges and benefits of the TCK life and provide practical suggestions and advice on maximizing those benefits. (Amazon)
Feelings Wheel
Grief (Part 2) – Dr. Ted Wueste
One way to process your own grief is through writing of a lament. Here is one way to engage in that process.
Writing your own lament
By James Covey (adapted from Healing Teen’s Wounds of Trauma)
One positive way to deal with the hard things that go on in our lives is to create a “lament.” A lament is a way of expressing our pain to God when we feel bad. It might be done in words, in music, in dance or any other form of creative expression.
A lament helps us expose all the stuff that we have tried to hide and share it with God. This is a good way to start telling your story and releasing painful memories. As it becomes more comfortable for you to share it privately with God, creating a lament can lead to sharing your story with another person when you are ready.
There are many examples of laments in the Bible. Trauma after trauma happened to the nation of Israel as a community (wars, captivity, displacement, famines) as well as to individuals (abuse, rape, abandonment, murder). Many of them found comfort in bringing their pain to God. They had an honest way of speaking to God where they poured out their complaints to him, sometimes even as they declared their trust in him. There are over 40 laments in the book of psalms (making it the most common type of psalm). Laments have the elements below in them but they must have a complaint to be a lament. It is helpful to also have a review of God’s faithfulness and a vow of trust in God.
Parts of a Lament
- Address to God.
- Review of God’s faithfulness in the past.
- Complaint. (must have this)
- Confession of sin / Claim of innocence.
- Request for help
- God’s response.
- Vow to praise / statement of trust in God.Examples Psalms 142, Habakkuk 3:17-18, Psalms 130, Psalms 13Here is Psalm 13 and the parts of a lament in it. This might help you in creating your own.1. How much longer will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How much longer will you hide yourself from me? 2. How long must I endure trouble? How long will sorrow fill my heart day and night? How long will my enemies triumph over me? 3. Look at me, O Lord my God, and answer me. Restore my strength; don’t let me die. 4. Don’t let my enemies say, “We have defeated him.” Don’t let them gloat over my downfall. 5. I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me. 6. I will sing to you, O Lord, because you have been good to me.Vs 1-2 Address to God and Complaint Vs 3-4 Request
Vs 5a Statement of Trust
Vs 5b-6- Vow to Praise
Grief (Part 1) – Dr. Ted Wueste
Shop Talk with Brandi and James Episode number 6 (Subscribe on wherever you listen to podcasts)
followers of Christ to learn to listen to God in the context of contemplative, abiding prayer where God is enjoyed and desire for Him stirred. As I’ve learned and grown deeper in my own intimacy with the Trinity, a passion has developed to help others experience the joy of discerning God’s work and presence in their lives. Believing that God is always at work, I love the ministry of spiritual direction as a means to become aware of and responsive to Him. I desire to create a safe place for people to listen, explore, and respond to the Father.
Find out more about Dr. Ted Wueste at https://desertdirection.com/
Listening
Active Listening Skills
- S – S stands for sitting squarely. So you sit and face the person that you are talking to. We should sit attentively at an angle to the person, so that we can look at them directly and show that we are listening to them and paying attention to them.
- O – O stands for having an open posture. Do not cross your arms as this can make us appear anxious or defensive.
- L – Lean forwards to show we are interested in what the person is talking about. It also means that the person can lower their voice if they wish to, if they are talking about personal issues, for example.
- E – E stands for eye contact. Maintaining eye contact again shows that we are interested and listening to what the person has to say. It doesn’t mean stare at the person as this can make them feel uncomfortable, but maintain good, positive eye contact.
- R – R stands for relaxed body language. This shows the person that you are not in a rush to get away, but are letting them talk at their own pace.
- https://www.acsedu.co.uk/Info/Psychology-and-Counselling/Counselling/SOLER-A-Counselling-Skill.aspx
James and ellie 