Explaining Covid-19 to Children

Explaining COVID-19 (Coronavirus) to Children

Let the child/young person’s questions and their age guide as to how much information to provide:

• very young children need brief, simple information and reassurance that they are safe and that the people they care about are safe. They may ask Will I get sick? Will granny/grandad die?

• reassure them that nurses and doctors are working hard to ensure that people throughout the country stay healthy

• explain that at the present moment very few people in this country are sick with the virus

• tell them that not everyone will get the virus and that the vast majority who get it recover fully

• older children may need help to separate reality from rumour and fantasy. Either provide or direct them to where they can find accurate, and factual information about the current status of COVID-19. Having such knowledge can help them feel a sense of control

Children and young people look to the adults in their lives to guide them on how to react to worrying and stressful events.
If the adults in their lives seem overly worried, their own anxiety may rise:

• if they are anxious, let them talk about their feelings and guide them in reframing their thoughts and concerns to a more helpful way of thinking

• give them extra attention and time, to talk about their concerns, fears, and questions. o Remember they do not always talk about their concerns readily. Watch for clues that they may want to talk, such as hovering around while you do the dishes and so on

• it is very typical for younger children to ask a few questions, return to playing and then come back with further questions

Department of Health and Department of Education and Skills

“PPRR” a map for creating a relexive PPRRactice with John Burnham

“PPRR” a map for creating a reflexive PPRRactice
Overcoming Problems – Creating Possibilities
through ……
Wrestling with Restraints and Embracing Resources

2-day workshop with
JOHN BURNHAM

Contemporary approaches have brought a ‘breath of fresh air’ into the systemic field through creating forward looking practices, de-emphasizing problems and restraints, whilst emphasizing resources and possibilities.
I created a PPRRactice map which, when combined with self and relational reflexivity (Burnham 1993 and 2005) can be used to create a workable fit between client and therapist, or therapist and supervisor. It becomes possible to plot a unique pathway from ‘problem to possibility’ for each client/supervisee when they are seeking to ‘wrestle with what restrains them’ and ‘embrace the resources that can sustain them’ along this pathway.

Friday 7th February 2020
and
Saturday 8th February 2020

10.00a.m – 4.00.p.m

Registration: 9.30a.m

Ashling Hotel,
Parkgate Street,
Dublin 8.

5 CPD points apply to each workshop

Click on links below for further information:

John Burnham 2 day workshop
John Burnham Application Form February 2020

Search and Reunion in Adoption- A Systemic Practice Application with Narrative and Nuance

Presenters:

Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao

and

Dr. Valerie O’Brien

Outline of Workshop:

  • Context of search and reunion in Ireland – Where the law is now? What is possible and not  possible?
  • Clinical Issues in Search and Reunion issues.
  • Case Studies and Narrative information to explore belief systems
  • How are Open Adoption and Search and Reunion alike and different?

Opportunities to discuss case issues

VENUE: H1.51 Science Centre Hub, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4.

DATE:  6th December 2019

TIME:  10.00a.m. – 4.00p.m.  (Registration from 9.30a.m.)

Click on link below for further details and application form

Search and Reunion in Adoption – Application Form

Kate Middleton Went to Family Therapy to Support Her Brother, James

Family therapy can serve individuals, couples and families. As the article below states- not everyone needs to be there all the time, – people can attend in ones and twos, but it can open up conversations that really go a long way towards recovery.

 

  • In a new interview with The Telegraph, James Middleton opened up about his struggles with depression and his personal road to recovery.
  • His entire family—including Kate Middleton—took part in family therapy sessions with him to show their support.

Kate Middleton’s brother, James Middleton, is opening up his struggles with depression—and how his sister, the Duchess of Cambridge, dropped everything to help with his recovery.

In a new interview with The Telegraph, James described his personal battle with depression, which he, like many people, kept to himself for a long time. When James realized he needed help, however, he went to a private psychiatric hospital, where he voiced the fact that he was dealing with suicidal thoughts for the first time.

“I remember thinking, ‘I might have to answer this one truthfully, because I want them to help me,'” he explained of confronting the doctor’s questions about suicidal ideation. “So I said, ‘Well, actually, yes, but I don’t think I’ll ever action it.’ In my report it said I had suicidal thoughts but wasn’t a threat to myself.”

Once James reached out and made a point to be honest about what he was going through, his journey to recovery (which included nearly a year of cognitive behavioral therapy) could begin.

“Before I started it I was completely lost,” he said, describing therapy as like, “sitting in a chair with a ball of wool made up of eight different colors, and then a therapist is sitting opposite you with a needle untangling it. When we started mapping everything out, and it was on a page, it was absolute chaos.”

Kate Middleton Arrives At The Concert For Diana

Kate and James Middleton arriving at a concert in 2007.

ANTONY JONESGETTY IMAGES

James didn’t have to tackle the recovery process alone though. His entire family—including his very famous (and very busy) sister, Kate—joined him in family therapy sessions to support him.

“All of them,” he said, confirming that Kate took part in the therapy process with him. “Not necessarily at the same time, but either individually and [sometimes] together. And that was so important because that helped them understand me and how my mind was working. And I think the way the therapy helped me was that I didn’t need my family to say, ‘What can we do?’ The only thing they could do was just come to some of the therapy sessions to start to understand.”

 

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/a29448717/kate-middleton-family-therapy-brother-james/

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/a29448717/kate-middleton-family-therapy-brother-james/

 

 

Sex Work: Contemporary discourses and the therapeutic context

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

 

 Date:                  25th September 2019

 

Time:                  6.30p.m.

 

Venue:                Central Hotel,  Exchequer Street, Dublin 2.

 

Topic:                Sex Work:  Contemporary discourses and the therapeutic context

 

Speakers:

  • Rebekah Leacy
  • Adeline Berry
  • Kate McGrew
  • Miriam Ryan

All will speak on the same topic, but from different points of view.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) = 2 hours. CPD certificates will be issued by the Family Therapy Assoc. of Ireland (FTAI).      See you @ the Systemic Cafe

 

Date for your Diary Systemic Cafe 25th September 2019

Our son stole from us to fund his cocaine habit

IRISH TIMES 7th August 2019
TRISH MURPHY

Tell me about it: We cleared his debt and he promised to stop taking drugs but now he is partying again

PROBLEM: We were always very proud of our son. He is 24 years of age and still lives at home. He is our only child and up until recently treated us with great respect. We always knew he was fairly bright, but he struggled academically and, unlike his cousins and peers, did not go to college directly. We were never really concerned as he has a gregarious personality and we were confident he would make his own way in life.

After school, he managed to talk his way into a sales job and undertook a few short courses. Two years ago, he secured employment in a large, fast-paced firm where everything is focused on deadlines and commission. Initially, he seemed very happy and delighted to be working as part of a team and has had amazing travel opportunities. About six months ago, my wife noticed he was partying more than normal and often with different people. She also thought he was not as happy as usual and starting to be dismissive of both of us.

Since he became an adult, we had never minded him bringing girls home, but recently there have been a number of strangers at our breakfast table, which can be uncomfortable. About a month ago, things came to a head when he took my credit card and withdrew a large sum of money. He has used my card in the past but never without permission. It was the first time I had ever been really angry with him.

He broke down crying, saying he had started using a bit of cocaine to help him keep up with his workload, but that he was now in debt. We gave him €600 to clear his debt with the understanding that he would stop using drugs. He agreed. However, the partying restarted very soon after he got the money. My wife is anxious we don’t confront him as she is fearful we will lose him as she thinks we are more likely to keep a handle on things if we keep him close. I am not sure that this will work.

ADVICE: I wonder if your son were misbehaving and he was 12, would you be quite so hands-off? It is very clear to parents that they need to put corrections in place for younger children as they know it will serve their child well as they grow up. We want our children to learn about consequences, about self-discipline and making amends with others so they can go on to live happy and successful lives. The difference is that your son is now 24 and an adult but he is behaving like a child, with his parents fixing his problems and not dealing with any consequences.

Your son needs help and a crisis is often the best opportunity for someone to change their pattern and face up to what is happening. It is fairly clear that another crisis is imminent as nothing has changed, so you and your wife should be ready to deal with it differently. Your son is clearly loved and cosseted, but his behaviour is not acceptable, and he is treating you both with disrespect. As adult children live for longer times at home with parents, leeway must be given them in terms of bringing partners home, but this comes with dual responsibility – he must also behave as an adult if he wishes to be treated as one and this entails taking on his share of the household load. Contributing financially and physically to the household chores is part of sharing as a grown-up and you will be doing him no favours by not insisting on this. His future family will need him to manage himself, his spending and his duty to others if he is to be happy in his life and relationships.

However, it seems your son may have issues of insecurity that need addressing: he did not go to college and may be feeling inadequate in the team he is in. Cocaine is a drug that masks insecurity as it allows the taker to feel omnipotent for short periods of time so perhaps the drug taking is a way of coping with the demands of his life that he feels unequal to.

Loving your son now requires that you challenge him and indeed this may come as a relief to him as he continues to struggle. He needs professional help, as giving up cocaine is not a simple or easy task. If he is going to continue living at home, you will all need help and support to change the patterns that are currently allowing his behaviour to flourish. Your local Citizen’s Advice centre will have information on HSE drug assessment and treatment and this will include skills development in the areas of confidence-building and self-awareness. Your son is still very young and has an opportunity to look at his life and make changes that will stand to him for decades to come.

At 24, he is eligible to apply to colleges as a mature student and this has different entry requirements, so he may be open to seeing this as an option for the future. However, the big issue is that as parents, you must be firm and clear that he addresses his problems now. As this is a very difficult stance for you to take, it may be worth while consulting with a family therapist for a couple of sessions to help you develop your strategy.