The Self-Directed Daily Inventory

It is tempting to think that a "good" or "bad" day results from a single event. Although a particularly wonderful event can buoy one’s spirits or an equally upsetting experience result in sadness or emotional upset, most days tend to be typical, the result of a series of events or experiences…some “good” and some “not so good.”

Individual events that become the exclusive focus of one’s attention can impact we evaluate a given day. When assessing a given day as “good” or “bad,” considering an isolated event or series of events restricted to a narrow focus of experience during that day can result in frustration if not depression. This is especially likely if several such “bad days” occur in a row. Such experiences foster what professional counselors and therapists refer to as “negative self-talk” or what those familiar with A.A. call, stinkin’ thinkin’.

The purpose of the exercise outlined here is to increase the likelihood of considering the “big picture” when evaluating a typical day. The Self-Directed Daily Inventory (SDI) is a daily activity designed to help one slow down their thinking, step back to consider multiple variables that affect mood, and look at the “big picture.” In doing so, it is possible to realize that things are not always the way they appear to be when considering just a “snapshot” of events in one’s day to evaluate it.

When employing the SDI, identifying specific categories of experience that YOU view as important in evaluating your day and then considering them independently to assess how “good” or “bad” your day was in each of those categories provides a more objective and therefore accurate assessment of one’s true experience. Using a set of evaluating criteria you establish for each of these categories facilitates this “stepping back” to consider the bigger picture. For example, identifying a minimum of five and a maximum of seven key assessment categories you deem important areas in your life and then evaluating your day in each category provides a more realistic overview of that day. Averaging the individual scores assessed for each of these 5 to 7 critical areas then yields a more accurate “score” regarding the day.

Specifically, use a simple “1 to 5” scale to evaluate each category. Describe the criteria that denote the lower and upper ends of this scale for each category with conditions or experiences you believe describe “bad” or “good” for that category. Next, total the scores for each category, find the average score (the total of all daily scores divided by the number of scores), and post this average on a graph to view progress or “change” on a daily basis.

This simple technique “forces” consideration of the “big picture” when determining progress or improvement in regaining personal control in one’s life.

To create your own step-by-step set of instructions, using 7 sample categories. You will need to choose your own important life categories and define the scale used for evaluation for this exercise to be effective. You can find a sample set of worksheets and instructions at https://tinyurl.com/S-DDaily-inventory

3rd Person Self-Talk and Self-Directed Behavior Change; How to Talk Sense to Yourself

Has a friend or family member ever approached you seeking advice on how best to deal with a personal issue or approach an important personal decision? If you are like most humans, the answer is yes. And when approached, were you able to proffer an opinion or provide the requested advice? Again, the answer is likely yes. This is because most of us are relatively good in such situations because we view ourselves as “detached” from the situation. Because of this detachment, we are more objective and offer reasoned advice.

 

Ethan Kross, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, has published research that finds that when individuals conduct their self-talk in the 3^rd person, that is referring to themselves by 1^st name or as he/she, him/her we can achieve that same degree of psychological detachment that enables us to provide more logical and rational advice to ourselves. Consider this example:

 

Instead of thinking, I can lose the weight needed to look good on the beach this summer, I say to myself, Robert, you can lose the weight needed to look good on the beach this summer.

 

Thinking in the 1^st person is a habit that is difficult to break. Why? Because we have likely been doing it for decades! However, when finding myself thinking in the 1^st person, I can “translate” those thoughts into the 3^rd person easily by simply inserting a 3^rd person pronoun or my first name, a nickname I go by, or my last name if that is how others generally refer to me – think “Gibbs” on NCIS – and create that psychological detachment that brings added clarity, reason, and logic to my thinking.

 

This can be a very helpful aid to accomplishing self-directed behavior change. Engaging in 3^rd-person self-talk about losing weight, quitting smoking, drinking less, or exercising more can help prevent self-doubt from derailing a change plan.

 

Before dismissing this idea by saying you do not want to sound like Dobby the House Elf in Harry Potter, remember we are talking about "self-talk" here...that is $10 psychobabble for "private personal thoughts," the ones no one hears except you :)

 

Robert – remember that willpower is a skill that you develop with practice rather than, I don’t have the willpower necessary to succeed; I’ll never be able to change.

Change is an inside job, Robert; one that you can accomplish because it is more about attitude than effort rather than, Change is just too hard for me; I will never be able to do this.

 

What do you think?

 

To read more about 3^rd-person self-talk as an aid in stress management, ending negative self-talk, or quietening anxiety, CLICK HERE.

 

Dr. Robert

Professional Identity and the Internet

A question I sometimes found myself addressing in the classroom and individual conversations with

students was the importance of establishing a personal sense of professional identity as a counselor. Most entering graduate students present in their first-semester counseling classes with a sense of the profession and what its practitioners do. Their assumptions about counseling and how practitioners ply their trade were something ripe for a challenge if not adjusting during the earliest stages of training. Although many of these students were eager to learn and devour texts, handouts, lectures, and classroom discussions, many tended to focus on some individual counselor, real or theoretical, who they attempted to emulate.

 

This propensity to channel an accomplished practitioner became apparent early in their education and training. Perhaps my awareness of this trait in entering students because I could recall my own initial exposure to counseling and the wish to establish myself in the profession. A desire to “do the right thing” and “not screwup” led me to also emulate faculty I admired, theorists who described counseling and human development with philosophical concepts that reflected my worldview. I described my personal theory of counseling as my students often did at the end of their first course in counseling theory, as eclectic. This did not so much mean the blending of several theoretical systems in a deliberate attempt to formulate a “personal theory of counseling,” but rather, amassing a collection of techniques that were employed in a rather “seat of the pants” approach to counseling. The emphasis of such an approach was on attending to technique at the expense of the spirit of the profession. Although I do not see this as uncommon in novice counselors, I do see it as resulting, in part, from a trainee’s lack of a well-defined and concise understanding of the significance of a clear sense of professional identity as a counselor.

 

Professional identity involves developing an awareness of who the counselor is as a person and professional and is more than just an awareness of and proficiency in what a counselor does. It is the result of blending proficiency in practice and technique with a sense of purpose and commitment. Professional identity is what enables the practitioner to fully commit to a career rather than simply develop proficiency as a tactician performing a job. So, how do professional counselors develop this sense of professional identity? There are likely numerous aspects to the answering to this question, however, there is one unsung facet that I wish to highlight in this missive. I submit that the Internet itself—and more specifically the various professionally-oriented online discussion groups, e.g., “listservs”—may well play an important role in developing a personal sense of professionalism.

 

By subscribing to online discussion groups or forums, students can observe virtual exchanges between more experienced practitioners and educators in the field of counseling. This “real-time” opportunity to observe such discourse and theoretical discussion is invaluable. Often conducted by individuals who have authored journal articles and other professional publications read by students in class, such experience

cannot be duplicated short of a chance encounter at a conference or when noted practitioners are “guest lecturers” invited to present a colloquium on or lecture at a student’s university. And for students to observe these discussions between established practitioners and theorists who participate in these virtual online discussions as they would if in person over coffee in a café, enable students to see “us” as tangible and therefore approachable participants in the field of counseling. Such virtual encounters enable the issues to “come alive” and take on a sense of practical significance for the novice counselor.

 

With the time it takes to prepare a manuscript and then have it reviewed, edited if accepted, and then published, it is not uncommon for the time between author insights and “the field’s” exposure to them in published form to be 12 to 18 months. Add to this the difficulty for students to review and discuss such publications in class not to mention respond to the author directly, and we begin to sense the historically exclusive environment in which students of counseling have had to develop their sense of professional identity. In one sense, established counselors have essentially functioned in a rather parochial and almost parental fashion with the official way to dialogue amongst ourselves being publications in refereed journals. From the perspective of a student, this is tantamount to the adage, “children should be seen and not heard.” No wonder new students of counseling adopt their counseling heroes’ theories and practices like they do their parent’s religion or vote for the candidates championed by admired relations.

 

Please do not misunderstand my position to be a soapbox from which to rail on professional publications; quite the contrary. I embrace this vehicle by which thoughtful and provocative ideas enter the mainstream of our profession for scrutiny where critical peer review fosters the advancement of our profession. But as important as this process of sharing professional information may be, it is somewhat chauvinistic in that it frequently denies access to those at the front of the timeline with regards to gaining counseling experience.

 

Online discussion forums provide an important vehicle for cultivating a sense of professional identity for the novice counselor by expanding the field’s two-dimensional view of counseling from simple research

and scholarship to include crowd-sourcing as a third dimension, thereby creating depth and perspective. An argument can follow that no other place provides the opportunity for students in training to observe firsthand the inner workings of the counseling profession. The online exchange of ideas, the proffering of suggestions, the collegial debate, and the sharing of information and resources, all under the guise of “FYI” highlight the professional identity of counseling. What better source of learning about professional identity as a counselor than by observing a virtual display of the professional identity of the profession?

 

Developing a sense of professional identity necessitates the introduction of self-efficacy. To be blunt, how do counselors hope to develop a personal sense of what counseling is or how they “fit” without first developing this sense of self-efficacy? And how does one develop self-efficacy as a counselor? Not until and unless having the opportunity to venture out into the mainstream of public opinion to test the waters? Although it is true that practica and internships are designed to accomplish this, what more convenient, and some might add a “safer” place to augment these experiences than by participating in online discussion forums?

 

Having participated in online discussions on the net over the years, I have grown as a counselor and as an educator. I followed discussions where established counselors debated ideas that echoed thoughts that I had already considered. As a result, I became more confident in the value of my opinions and professional ideas. When I eventually venture down from the virtual safety of the front porch that was my home computer where I observe the rest of the world on the net, I discovered I too could “run with the big dogs.” I have received thoughtful comments from respected authorities in the field on ideas I have shared and seen how they could evoke spirited collegial discussion. Such experience enhanced my sense of professional identity as a counselor and an educator. It is for this reason that I believe that online discussion forums may well be one of the more important tools to add to the budding counselor educator’s toolbox. With this resource, we can encourage students to observe virtual discussions about topics on an infinite variety of subjects of vital importance. These students can see kudos delivered and constructive criticism proffered, often on the same subject within a span of hours. Likewise, these same students can receive encouragement to participate in discussions, even if by simply asking questions via personal emails directed to those who have been participants in the virtual conversations and then considering their replies. As mentioned earlier, where else can a student observe, if not participate in a discussion with those already established in this field? And where else can one observe the musings of professional counselors, better than online in a discussion forum, and in real-time no less?

I close by suggesting that the use of the online discussion forums is of no more value in counselor

education than any other tool in the educator’s toolbox, but neither is it less. To participate in these discussions and encourage our students to do the same, not only creates a vehicle for the establishment of professional identity, it demonstrates that we are real people accessible in real-time, to students who are struggling to find the headwaters of counseling theory and practice.

Thoughts on Recovery: There’s No GPS to Map the Way

 Long-term recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD) is difficult to define. Some suggest that although recovery begins with the decision to change one’s use behavior, others suggest that it cannot commence until and unless one’s “change in use behavior” includes total abstinence. Still, others argue that one never recovers from a SUD and one remains in a perpetual state of “recovering,” although even with this, only if abstinence is maintained.

In other words, recovery would seem to mean different things to different people. What is imperative, however, at least for a behavioral health practitioner to remember is that how others define recovery is not the issue of primacy when working with someone having a SUD or mental health disorder (MHD). What matters is how that client understands recovery and therefore defines it and is motivated to pursue it. Supporting a client’s efforts to recover from a SUD or MHD necessitates acknowledging and working to support the client’s autonomy, that is, the client’s right to determine what he or she will or will not do; what he or she wants to accomplish with the practitioner’s help. Now if one’s client wants assistance using heroin without overdosing, this may be something the practitioner is unable or unwilling to help the client pursue. That said, this practitioner might refer the individual to a user room such as they have in the Netherlands or other jurisdictions outside the U.S.

Behavioral health practitioners need to avoid dogmatic definitions of recovery for their clients. Preconceived notions about recovery tend to result in inadvertently directing clients to pursue the practitioner’s view of recovery, which may or may not be what the client wants or needs. Practitioners that pursue their understanding of what constitutes recovery is problematic in that it violates a basic ethical principle of counseling – autonomy…more on this in a bit.

“Recovery” by its very nature implies change…movement from where one is to where one wants to be. It implies movement from a problem to a solution. The challenge for practitioners, however, is to help clients identify what the best solution may be for each individual client rather than be quick to impose a one-size-fits-all recovery objective and expect the client to follow.

Before recovery can begin, one must recognize the need for this change. We see this in the 1^st step of A.A. or N.A.; we see this in the individual who seeks treatment to address a mental health disorder, and we see this whenever someone conducts a cost – benefit analysis in one’s life and realizes that the price paid for continuing to do what has always been done is greater than that associated with making a change. The point remains, however, what this change looks like is not something imposed on the client but rather something the practitioner helps a client explore.

Recovery is a simple process that is incredibly difficult to complete. Behavioral health practitioners can assist clients in considering questions designed to increase the likelihood that the pursuit of recovery becomes a desired option. The “specifics” of what the client wishes to change must be specific and operationally definable and include specific steps that “set one up” to succeed…many little steps accomplished one-at-a-time. Clients need to understand the personal reasons for making this change…for taking these many and gradual steps and to understand why it is important to do all this lest quickly becoming bored, overwhelmed, or frustrated and quit.

Although these questions are intended for clients to consider, I suggest that practitioners respond to them personally. For example, consider something you have decided to change: Why would you want to make this change? How might you go about making the change if you wished to increase the likelihood of success? What are several reasons why making the change is a good idea? How important is it that you accomplish this change? These questions are adapted from questions Miller suggests are important when employing Motivational Interviewing to help clients consider engage in “change talk.”

Ask ten people to define recovery and you will get at least a variety of answers. Those whose recovery from a SUD necessitates abstinence will include abstinence as a prerequisite of recovery…those whose recovery involves involvement with a mutual aid or self-help group will include involvement with such groups in their definition. Practitioners who define recovery as successfully completing treatment and aftercare plans will view this as a prerequisite of recovery…and blame the client if such is not realized. In short, recovery is what recovering people do.

There is an African adage that says, “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” Is abstinence required for SUD recovery? Is spontaneous recovery real? Can you be in SUD recovery if you are taking meds? Does medication-assisted treatment clear a path to recovery? Can one ever be truly recovered or is one simply in a perpetual state of recovering?

These are all very real questions, some of which are quite controversial. Although they are interesting to consider as they unfold at a professional conference, debating their usefulness with a client can quickly sabotage efforts to assist an individual with a SUD or MHD who is seeking treatment.

The American Counseling Association defines autonomy as the principle that addresses the concept of independence. The essence of this principle is allowing an individual the freedom of choice and action. It addresses the responsibility of the counselor to encourage clients, when appropriate, to make their own decisions and to act on their own values. Clients who are told they must do “whatever” if they wish to recover have had their autonomy hi-jacked. It can be argued that to define recovery for a client is to violate the ethical principle of autonomy or the right a client’s right to choose a course of action to pursue in treatment.

If recovery involves the movement from “problem” to “solution,” who should define what is a problem and what is its solution? If recovery is possible, then is it a process with a finite point denoting completion or a continual progression toward an ever-improving state of recovery?

How can you, as a practitioner, guide a client on this journey of recovery without imposing your understanding of what recovery is? Are you, as a practitioner, in a state of recovery from your preconceived ideas and notions regarding treatment and recovery? These are all important questions, and ones difficult to answer without having someone or ones with whom to discuss them.

It is when the person who happens to be a behavioral health practitioner connects with the person who happens to be his or her client, the “person connecting with another person” dynamic, that is the point when the magic happens in counseling. So, clients, when presented with the opportunity to consider all the options that are available to them, can choose their own course of action, this is when the path to recovery becomes obvious. Effective counselors can present their clients with probing questions designed to provoke objective thought about the pros and cons of each option being considered, but they will never direct a client to choose a particular option, directly or indirectly, especially if that option suggests a “one-size-fits-all” course of action.

Remember:

Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement.
― Daniel H. Pink

Unsolicited advice is the junk-mail of life.

-- Bernard Williams

What do you think?