Lately, in my posts on this page, I have mentioned being an exam prep coach. As a result, I have gotten some recent private messages asking about coaching–questions such as “What it entails?” “What is it?” “How can it help?” So today I thought I would take the time to write up some information about what I do as an exam prep coach. Please note that each coach is going to vary in style, process, etc. so this is simply what I do as a coach. Other exam prep coaches will have their own strengths and processes to help you pass your exam.

Coaching is included in some packages purchased from AATBS. Customer Service will help guide you with packages that suit your particular needs.

The amount/type of coaching differs for the various licensures and packages offered

--Scheduled in 15-30 minute sessions, mostly by phone, some by email. I prefer to do all of my coaching sessions by phone for clear communication and understanding. 

--Scheduled by appointment with availability on weekends and weekdays

--All coaches are licensed in the disciplines in which they coach for exam prep

What is coaching?

• One on One Support

• Personalized and individualized for each customer based on important considerations such as--Learning style, Date of exam and amount of time to prepare, How to study efficiently, How to stay accountable and consistent, Burn out prevention

When I work with customers, we examine and break down test taking strategies

--We review questions together

–Examine thought process--Are you Overthinking? Making Assumptions?, Overlooking Key Words?

--Together we identify concerns, amplify strengths

--How to comprehend and retain content material, even breaking it down by content looking at different strategies for different areas of content

We also look at more than just the exam itself…

• Discuss anxiety management strategies

• Help to identify thoughts associated with exam

• Time management

Coaching also includes:

• Building confidence in your test-taking abilities

• Removing uncertainty of preparation

• Feeling prepared for exam day

• Knowing and understanding material beyond memorization…To pass the exam

With the overall goal: To be a better clinician/licensed professional

Photo by SHVETS production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-psychologist-consulting-patient-in-office-7176027/

Come back soon for a question related to confrontation!

Over the last few weeks, the posts have talked about various SW techniques such as interpretation, summarization, active listening, etc. Most of those can be summed up in a paragraph, however I believe this one needs its own post due to specific guidelines of when to use confrontation, as well as the confusion that I see at times with what confrontation means.

Sometimes in my work with helping people prepare for their licensure exam, I will see how some are confused with this term. They are confusing this term with what we think of "confrontation" in society. Please note, confrontation in SW has a different meaning...

What is confrontation? When using the technique of confrontation (also called challenge), you engage in respectful and gentle efforts to help a client recognize that he is  using distortions, deceptions, denials, avoidance, or manipulations that are getting in the way   of desired change (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2003). You challenge and invite the client to examine a thought or behavior that is self-defeating or harmful to others and to take action to change it. Here’s an example:

Client: “He goes out every weekend and gets drunk. When he’s home, he’s hung-over. I really don’t mind, he deserves some fun, but I feel that our relationship should mean more to him than it does.”

Social worker: “First you said you don’t mind his behavior, then you said you feel your relationship is not as important to him as it is to you.”

Confrontation may be used in a similar manner to help a client see his role in a problem or to point out patterns in a client’s behavior. Behavioral patterns often emerge gradually during the course of your work with a client (e.g., patterns of impulsive or fearful behavior). If you notice a pattern, you should call it to a client’s attention if it is interfering with his problem-solving ability.

Guidelines for Using Confrontation Effectively: 

• Use confrontation in an atmosphere of warmth, caring, and concern: (a) Do not use confrontation until you and the client have a good working relationship. Confrontation will be effective only if a client feels respected by you and has similar feelings toward you. (b) Do not confront or challenge a client when you are feeling angry. Confrontation must come from a place of genuine concern for a client; it should never be an expression of anger or frustration.

• For confrontation to be effective, it must be used at a time when a client seems ready to hear and consider your message. Avoid using confrontation when a client is emotionally upset. For example, if you challenge a client who is feeling depressed, he may feel criticized and withdraw from the relationship.

• Pair a challenging message with a positive observation about the client (e.g., one that recognizes his strengths) and follow it with empathic responsiveness.

• A challenging message should be descriptive and nonjudgmental. When confronting a client, include a detailed description of his self-defeating or negative behavior and concrete examples of how it creates problems for him.

Has there been a time in your work that you have used confrontation with a client? Share below in the comments!

A therapist is working with a family in which a child has recently begun exhibiting behavioral problems at school. During sessions, the therapist observes that whenever the parents attempt to address ongoing marital conflict, the child’s symptoms intensify, shifting attention away from the couple’s issues. From a systemic perspective, the child’s behavior is BEST understood as:

a. A sign of unresolved individual pathology within the child that requires individual treatment
b. An attempt by the child to gain attention and control within the family system
c. A homeostatic mechanism that functions to stabilize the family by diverting attention from marital conflict
d. Evidence that the parents lack effective behavioral management strategies for the child

Astor Services, a leading provider of behavioral and mental health services in the Hudson Valley and The Bronx, is dedicated to nurturing the emotional and mental well-being of children, adolescents, and families. With a history spanning over seven decades, we are committed to providing comprehensive care and support to help our clients thrive.

Astor Services, NYS-Licensed Article 31 outpatient mental health clinic, is looking for enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to work in a fast-paced, educational and challenging environment. This is an amazing opportunity to continue to learn and practice with a diverse population that experiences a variety of mental health diagnoses.

Apply to this opportunity at Triad Jobs Marketplace.

In a world of 24-hour gyms and entertainment that you can stream any time and place, it’s no surprise that sleep often gets shortchanged. “We’re in this culture where we like to wear sleep deprivation as a badge of honor,” said Jessica Payne, PhD, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Notre Dame and cofounder of The Brain-Based Leader, an organization that provides neuroscience-based leadership development programs. “But we wouldn’t spend a third of our lives asleep if it wasn’t truly essential.”

Keep reading here.

Is there any EPPP study groups i can join or if anyone is interested to make one? Thank you

Preparing for the EPPP takes a lot of hard work, but passing isn't just about what you memorize. It's about how you handle the multiple-choice format. When a question feels tricky or confusing, your best tool is a steady, systematic process of elimination.

As you go through your practice questions this week, try using these five core elimination strategies:

• Watch out for "half-right" choices: An answer has to be completely true to be correct. If the first part of a choice sounds great but the second half is inaccurate, cross it off right away.

• Look for polar opposites: If two choices are direct opposites, the question is usually testing that specific concept. Most of the time, one of those two opposing options is the correct answer.

• Find the "umbrella" answer: Keep an eye out for broad, comprehensive choices. If one option is wide enough to naturally cover the points made in the other choices, it is very likely the right answer.

• Filter out extreme words: Be careful with absolute words like always, never, or completely. Psychology and ethics have a lot of gray areas, so the correct answer usually uses more balanced, conditional language.

• Make your guess and move on: Don't let a tough question ruin your pacing. If you can eliminate two options, you've turned a random guess into a 50/50 coin flip. Make your best pick, flag it, and keep moving forward.

This exam is a marathon, but you have the tools to handle it. Trust your prep, stick to your strategy, and just take it one question at a time.

Kolmac Integrated Behavioral Health and Concerted Care Group (CCG) is a leading outpatient treatment provider in the Mid-Atlantic region. We are committed to treating individuals whose lives have been impacted by substance use and mental health disorders. We do this by providing compassionate and evidence-based treatment, aimed at improving the quality of life for those we serve.

We are currently in search of an experienced Addiction Counselor for our Cumberland, MD location. The Addiction Counselor position at Kolmac Integrated Behavioral Health and all of its subsidiaries ("Kolmac" or the "Company") is held by someone who is innovative and committed to learning and developing their counseling skill, working and collaborating with an innovative, inter-disciplinary team. This position requires someone who is invested in patient care and brings a solution-focused attitude and outlook.    

Apply to this opportunity at Triad Jobs Marketplace.

People can feel many different things when they retire. Not only is it a time of great change when you can put your interests first, but it can also be a time of massive growth. For some, this is the first time that they’ve managed to separate their identity from their job. However, some retirees report feeling a surprising thing once they’ve punched out for the last time: Invisible.

Keep reading here.