prioritisation

 psycholoical triage

It means to pick, select or create a hierarchy, and 

that's what we must do based on the knowledge we have gained in assessment.

Maslow's  prioritastionof physical needs

I :(a).physical or medical needs first (b) need for interpersonal relations to have  a feeling of sfety

II : (

1)evidence based .-EVIDENCE OF DYSFUNCTION (diminished cognitive capacity in survivors, compromised in the ability to exercise prudent insight, memory and problem solving ,can not understand the cosequences of ones own actions ) -take a direct and active role with intervention 

     (2)risk based - 3 Ds- fear of :death ,dislocation, disabling impact.

In our last module,

we examined assessment. In this module,

we'll look at prioritization, or what I call the art of

psychological triage. Now, just by definition, you'll remember

the word triage is of French derivation. It means to pick, select or

create a hierarchy, and that's what we must do based on the

knowledge we have gained in assessment. You've heard a story,

you've heard an event described. You've heard personal

reactions to that event. Now, we must decide for

whom immediate care is most warranted. We must create a hierarchy of needs and

respond to those needs. Prioritization is really an extension of assessment which represents the

application of basic triage principles. Attention is focused upon those people and

those needs which require emergent care. Emphasis is placed upon assisting

basic functional capacity. That is can the person in crisis

actually do what they need to do? Now what you may find surprising

is prior to 1999 there was virtually nothing written on psychological

triaging In the wake of disaster. I guess that's good news and bad news. The good news is, it's a field ripe for

inquiry and advancement. Bad news is, we're probably making

a lot of mistakes along the way. We're learning as we go. But let's start with some basic principles

that I think are pretty bedrock. We go to the work of a guy by

the name of Abraham Maslow. Dr. Maslow was a clinical psychologist

writing his seminal papers in the 1940s. And according to Maslow,

he said people have needs. There's a hierarchy of needs. Meet basic medical and

physical needs first. When in doubt, assume that a complaint

is medical and have it assessed. You will see on one of the slides

in this section, a pyramid. And you'll see that it represents

Maslow's hierarchy, and starting at the bottom are physical needs. Basic medical, physical needs. Meet them first. Then it says move to safety. Now here is the conundrum. Maslow's work didn't really take into

consideration disasters or wars for that matter. And what we have seen is a need to

adjust Maslow's hierarchy just a bit. because what we find is that once

physical needs have been satisfied, to a rudimentary level at least, people

will often leapfrog to the third level, which is affection Affiliation,

acceptance and support. And what that really means is, seeking

interpersonal support from friends, families, coworkers and community aid services in order

to achieve the second level. Now, according to Maslow's early writings, you must ascend the hierarchical

ladder step by step. There is no such thing as skipping steps. But the field of disaster

mental health has taught us that clearly that is not only possible but

an inclination that people have. Stop and think about it a minute. When you're afraid, what do you do? You seek out the support of others. So when you're feeling unsafe you go

from physical needs to the support, interpersonal support needs

in order to feel safe. Why do kids in high

crime areas join gangs? It's not because they have

a desire to commit crimes. It is often times to feel safe. This may sound a little silly, but

when you sent your son or daughter away to college, perhaps, and they insisted

on joining a sorority or fraternity. And you thought it was

all about the partying. Well, sometimes it is, but

sometimes, being away from home, strange environment, large school,

you don't know anybody. What do you do? You seek out a subset,

a group of people who will learn to understand you and

learn to support you. So we take into consideration Maslow's

Hierarchy of Needs when we formulate our intervention plans and medical and

basic physical needs always come first. But now it gets harder. There are two approaches to triaging

once we have met basic medical and physical needs. One we'll refer to is evidence-based. The other we will refer to as risk-based. It's important to understand

these are not mutually exclusive, rather, you should be cognizant of

both approaches, both perspectives. They serve as lenses, or

filters, if you will. The evidence-based triage approach. We focus on what is sometimes been

called as the acute crisis triad. The evidence-based triage approach,

we are looking for evidence of diminished cognitive

capacity in survivors. We are looking for

those people who are compromised in their ability to exercise prudent insight,

memory and problem solving. But most importantly a diminished

to understand the consequences of one's actions. As another prong to the crisis

triad we are observing survivors, we are listening to third

party reports of survivors who have an impulsive urge to act in

a self-defeating or self-injurious manner. We are looking for the loss of future

orientation, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, utter despair perhaps. And lastly we are looking for diminished

functional capacity in the sence of an inability to perform

the necessary functions of living. Self-care, caring for others,

working perhaps, personal hygiene. All of these things must

be taken into consideration within the context of the logistics

of the disaster site itself. So just because someone is having

difficulty with personal hygiene doesn't mean that they are necessarily

compromised, from a psychological standpoint, it may simply mean that such

resources are just minimally available. So this is where, again,

we ask questions to put things in context. So to review, the evidence-based

triage system is a system that is predicated on your observation of people

who exhibit evidence of dysfunction. And as we examined in the previous module,

evidence of dysfunction is usually a cue for us to take a very

direct and active role with intervention. However, there's a second

approach to triage as well and that's called risk-based. The risk-based triage approach,

we rely on the three Ds, we call it, for sub-acute concern. Death, dislocation and disabling impact. What does that mean? Here, we are learning from the survivor

what risk factors they have encountered that increase their risk of psychological

distress, disability and impairment. Could be acute, or could be sub-acute. Could be days later, or weeks later. Even months later. We ask the question,

did the person see human remains? Why?

Because we know that people that saw human remains who are unfamiliar

with seeing human remains, those images are often

seared into their memory. And serve as a diathesis,

a vulnerability for weeks, months, years,

perhaps an entire lifetime. Did the person think he or

she was going to die? We know that some people will say,

and I thought I was going to die. But, nah, they didn't really think that,

that's just something they said. The person that says to you, and

I thought I was going to die. Is the person who looks at you or

looks through you, their pupils dilate and you have assessed that did,

now this is different. They really thought

they were going to die. Sometimes, they will say things like, and

my life literally flashed before my eyes. Those types of experiences

one never forgets. You move past them, certainly,

but you never forget them. The second D, dislocation, is the person

separated from family and loved ones? We've been emphasizing the importance

of interpersonal support. This person is dislocated

from such support. Does the person have a place to stay? Did they lose their home? Often times a house is more than a house,

it's a home. Disabling impact is our third D. Was the person physically injured in

such a manner that required immediate medical care? Did the person experience what's

called peri-traumatic dissociation? The prefix peri you will

remember means around. So, did the person experience

dissociation feeling they were floating out of their body? Feeling disconnected

from their body perhaps? In close proximity to

the traumatic event itself. Parenthetically risk-based triage

should never be used in the absence of evidence-based triage to formulate

your triage plan or approach. With regard to triaging,

the key is recognizing and prioritizing dysfunctional

inclinations and behaviors. Let's not lose sight of what

assessment and triage are all about. To summarize, assessment is our

ability to listen to, observe the impact that some on toward event

has had on a person or group of people. This is not done in a vacuum. It's done for a purpose. The assessment is done

in order to decide how best to help survivors

recover from adversity. I made the point earlier that

intervention is predicated on the story on your assessment, if you will. I've been doing this work for 40 years I don't know that I've ever

done two interventions exactly the same. Why? No two people are ever alike and

no two situations are ever alike. And even though two people

may be in the same situation, they may have experienced that

situation very differently. So I must listen. I must gain rapport. I must listen. I must assess. And once I've assessed, I take it to the

next level of prioritization triaging if you will and I create a,

an order the hierarchy. I must decide when burdened with

limited resources I must decide to whom I will focus or for whom I will focus our

resources and in an order if you will. In some instances,

you'll have more than enough resources. Concept of triage Is less important there,

but the two approaches to

triage remain important. The evidence based and

the risk based approach. We know, for example, that the effects

of disasters linger months and years. Some people will even define themselves. Who they are going forward in life. As a survivor. You've certainly seen t-shirts. I survived x y and z. I survived the great flood. I survived the tsunami. And most of those t-shirts

are just offered as a remembrance. Some people take those words and

internalize them and that's who they are from that day on. Sometimes it's uplifting. Sometimes it keeps them in the role

of a victim rather than a survivor. Those are the subtle aspects of triaging. Our criteria for evidence and

risk-based triaging, again, offered as a not comprehensive list,

but basically a framework, a heuristic, to view your job of

determining who should I attend to first.

Assessment.

 Assessment. 

Identifying Benign from more Severe Psychological and Behavioral Reactions.

 That's our task we've used the term assessment as a broad umbrella to capture that essence. Now you'll remember from the previous module, we talked about gaining rapport techniques we use to gain rapport or the things we called Reflective Listening or Active Listening techniques. We will now build on those skills and apply them directly. The rapid model progresses from rapport and reflective listening, to the assessment of basic physical and psychological needs. This rudimentary assessment is derived from what is really a guided conversation. It's based on the survivor's own narrative. It's punctuated with specific questions that you will offer regarding the details of the event. And specific reactions that the survivor has encountered to the event. Now sometimes we think of this assessment in clinical terms and I, I don't want you to think that way. This program is designed largely for non-clinicians. So the assessment we're goingto be doing is an assessment that should make sense on a common sense level, perhaps. Now, assessment is important because it allows the survivor to basically tell you what happened and what reactions they've encountered because of what happened. Remember the intervention is largely predicated on the unique needs of the person in distress. Let me say that again. The intervention itself, is largely predicated upon the unique needs of the person in distress. In order to formulate your intervention, therefore, you must listen very carefully to the survivor's story. The story consists of the person's reactions to the event and the event itself. So the story is not complete. Your quest to understand and even the most rudimentary manner what happened and how to basically inform your intervention. That process is not complete unless you have some sense of what happened and what reactions that person has encountered. So the story consists of the persons reactions to the event, refined by some rudimentary disclosure of the event itself. So what I'd like you to do is think about how you would elicit the survivor's current physical and psychological status? In other words, how you would identify how the person is doing? And in order to refine your understanding,put the survivor's status in a context, it's an event-based context. You will be identifying what happened, and that's the story. 

Now remember to ask specific questions when necessary in order to clarify ambiguous aspects ofthe personal reactions, or aspects of the event that just don't seem to make sense to you. Also, don't be afraid to ask a question when someone uses a term that you're not that familiar with. Now, the next question that comes to mind is what are you going to see in the field? What will you be listening for

as the personal narrative unfolds? Well, from the 30,000 foot view, as we'll sometimes say, from the macro perspective. Think that there will be three groups of survivors. 

The Eustress group. 

The first group we will call the Eustress group. 

This is a group that is basically, all things considered, doing well. What do I mean by doing well? They are able to discharge their daily demands on things they must accomplish. We'll sometimes call that activities of daily living. What is it you need to do today? Can you do it? That's the question we often will pose. The Eustress group is not happy about the adversity or the disaster. But they are moving on in that context. 

Our prescription is very simple. Take no action, and just be available and continue to observe. 

The Dysfunction group.

At the other end of the spectrum, however, is a group that we will call the Dysfunction group.

 This is a group that has severe impairment, an incapacitating impairment. Interfering with the things

they need to get done, that concept of activities of daily living again. Our prescription is very simple for them. If there are things they need to do, and they can't do it, 

Your job is to assist them as directly or indirectly as appropriate.

The Dysfunction group.

 Now, the third group is a bit of an enigma.(a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand.)  We'll call that groupthe Dysfunction group.

These are people that may not look particularly good but they are doing what they need to get done. We will call that the Distress group. The distress is benign. It is mild. 

Our prescriptions for them? Continue to monitor them. The vast majority of that group, that middle group, will move on without any direct aid whatsoever, other than perhaps physical aid, shelter, food, clothing, etc.

Decompensate

 However, some in that group will,we will use the term Decompensate. They will lose and regress in their ability to function, to achieve the activities of daily living. And they will move into

the dysfunction group. So that's why we monitor the distress group. 

So the question I would be asking if I were you is what percent of people fall

into each of the categories? Well it really depends on the event and the context of the event but roughly speaking we think that 60 to ninety percent 90% of those directly affected experience acute distress and

that's where our prescription is to identify and continue to observe or monitor. Most of those survivors

will show resilience. And while having some adjustment difficulty they will sustain or quickly regain functional capacities without assistance from relief personnel.

 The group that we are most concerned, the dysfunction group. It will range from 5% to 49%

of those directly affected. And those we identify we assess, and we do offer assistance or intervention. Assessment of dysfunction may be the sine qua non of the disaster mental health process. What I mean by that is, we want to make sure that the people most in need of help get that help. And, at the same time, we want to make sure that those who are seeming to recover under their own impetus, those people who have shown some resilience, we want to make sure we do not interfere with their natural resilience. And although our intentions are good,it is actually possible to interfere with the natural trajectory of a survivor's resilient recovery by not understanding them or the context. And since we don't have time nor the skill necessary to analyze someone as you might do clinically, we are left to observe. 

The next series of slides will hopefully assist you in distinguishing Distress from Dysfunction. I've broken them down into domains. How signs and symptoms will emerge. And we'll say that there is a Cognitive domain, an Emotional domain, a Behavioral domain, a Spiritual domain and a Physiologic domain. And each slide will show you a column that shows distress. Those are the people that we identify and monitor. And at the same time in the same domain show you a column with dysfunction. And those are the things that we are concerned about, and need to respond to. 

So for example,on the cognitive reactions slide, you'll see a column that says distress. Temporary confusion. Inability to concentrate. Reduced problem solving capacity. Feeling overwhelmed. Obsessional thoughts, thoughts that people just can't get off of their mind. Reliving the event. And perhaps Nightmares. These are things that we would expect. This is not to say they are comfortable. It is not to say they're not distressing, they are. But this is what we would expect in the natural trajectory, the natural course of things. When we move from distress to dysfunction, however, we are far more concerned. Incapacitating confusion,diminished cognitive capacity. 

What that says is that, people are unable to make the decisions that normally they can make,or could have made. And what that also means,is that their resilience and recovery are going to be inhibited. And sometimes, people will actually do self defeating things because of a diminished cognitive capacity. Hopelessness. Suicidal or homicidal thoughts. Hallucinations in extremely rare conditions. People who have no history of mental illness may actually experience hallucinations. Hearing things, seeing things,

that are not there. However, as we noted from numerous recent disasters. One of the biggest demands on the mental health core was responding to the needs of those who already were on Psychiatric

Medications or Psychotropic Medications. They already had a history of mental illness. And without their medications or even with their medications, the symptoms returned and seemed augmented. And that's to be expected because of the extreme stress associated with extreme adversity or

disaster. Sometimes people experience Paranoid Delusions. That's a suspicious belief that seems

unfounded by the facts of the situation. So again, cognition refers to the way people think. Emotions. What does emotional distress look like? A partial list would consist of fear, sadness, irritability, anger, frustration, bereavement, which is loss, anxiety. All of these things are very common. And with time,

usually resolve without direct assistance. However, when are we concerned about emotional reactions? Look at the column that says dysfunction. Panic attacks. Panic attacks are extreme anxiety attacks. Often times people will say things like, I thought I was going to die. I couldn't breathe. And people act often times irrationally under such conditions. The other reason we are concerned with panic attacks is rarely a panic is not a panic attack. It could be a form of brain seizure. So some sub-cortical seizures actually present as if they are panic attacks. So we are concerned and would want to get medical

consultation to rule out the seizure. 

Immobilizing depression, people are so numb and depressed that they just cannot help themselves or

help those who rely upon them. And of course, you're probably familiar with the term Post-Traumatic Stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The disorder is what we're most concerned with. Symptoms such as reliving the event to the point that you find it hard to concentrate on anything else. Nightmares that interfere with your sleep, though you cannot really get much rest. Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is often typified by hyper-vigilance, and exaggerated startle response. And this whole cluster, this constellation of symptoms, seems to come as a package in dramatically interfering with your ability to recover from adversity. 

Third category of reactions in the wake of adversity would be Behavioral Reactions. And again, we've divided the slide into distress versus dysfunction. Under distress, you'll see Temporary phobic avoidance. Phobia is an irrational fear. Avoidance is avoiding doing things,avoiding people or places based on this irrational fear.

 A Compulsion is repetitively doing something over and over and over again, to the point that

it could interfere with your natural inclinations in terms of how you might recover. Hoarding, hoarding money, hoarding food, hoarding water. Those things could actually be quite adaptive depending on the situation. However when the hoarding interferes with ones ability to otherwise move on then

it becomes a problem. Sleep disturbance, Eating disturbance, again Easily startled. These are things that we expect. These are things that we expect to fade with time. The dysfunction however, again we are concerned with. Persistence Avoidance. Immobilizing compulsions. Aggression, violent behavior. We will sometimes see people who are able to work effectively, but then are more inclined to issues such as domestic violence, road rage, airline rage. Some people become hermits, they become reclusive. They build a brick house as one patient once described to me. Build a brick house,wall themselves up, and while they are not able to experience the outside world they still feel safe. Impulsiveness, risk taking and of course, self-medication with alcohol. Sometimes, people would abuse prescription drugs. And you'll note the last one, energy drinks. One way of getting more energy when there's so much to do is to avail yourself of energy drinks.

 However, not all energy drinks are necessarily created equal and some can be quite detrimental. And there is some evidence that some could even be life threatening. Our fourth category, Spiritual Reactions. Now, this does not mean that you have to have a spiritual orientation or religion, a belief of something greater than yourself. It is simply that some that you encounter may. Deep religious underpinnings or spiritual beliefs. And it is important that you are at least receptive to hearing them. Under our distress column, people will question their faith. They will question their God's actions. They will often say, how could my God allow such an evil thing to transpire? There's a fancy term for that, it's actually called a Theodalitic Challenge. The question of theodicy but you will hear that a lot especially in the wake of large scale disasters. 

Dysfunction, we would see cessation of faith related practices. Or, interestingly enough, the other side of the coin, which is projecting their faith onto others. Arguing that the only way to recover is to accept this faith, and the reason that adversity occurred was that you didn't have this faith. So we can see extreme examples in either direction.

Physiologic Reactions

 Our fifth and final category of what you are likely to see in the field comes out of the heading Physiologic Reactions. Changes in appetite. Changes in sex drive. Psychogenic headaches meaning headaches that arise and you didn't get hit on the head. Psychogenic muscle aches and spasms. And that would be muscle aches and spasms not associated with physical exertion. Decreased immunity. Studies going all the way back to the 90's have indicated that in the wake of extreme chronic adversity or disasters much of the population will suffer Immune Suppression. Which then makes them vulnerable to infectious diseases and disorders, such as viruses and bacteriologic infections. Any prolonged physical or physiologic change, or any symptoms of concern, should be evaluated by a medical professional. Under the heading Dysfunction. Changes in cardiac function. Gastroenterologic function. Appearance of occult blood. Unconsciousness. Chest pain. Dizziness. Numbness or Paralysis, especially of the arm, leg, face. The inability to speak or the inability to understand speech. And again please note that any of these in that column of dysfunction should receive an immediate referral for medical care. Our list has not been comprehensive. Our job within this module was to simply sensitize you to some of the things that we commonly see and should not be too concerned about, versus the things that we see less commonly, and should be very much concerned about. And I'm speaking of Distress versus Dysfunction, signs, and symptom. So that ends our discussion on Assessment. And the importance of distinguishing between distress, the things we commonly see, and know that in most people the natural trajectory is to fade with time. The distinguished distress from dysfunction, things that interfere with one's ability to do the things one needs to do. To help oneself or perhaps others. Now you may look at these slides and say, wow that's an overwhelming list. And yeah, I've already told you that it's not a comprehensive one, it's not an exhaustive one. So, a couple of comments. One, it's I think it's perfectly acceptable to take lists such as these out into the field, and just keep them as pocket reminders, or little cheat sheets. That's perfectly okay. With time, your reliance upon them will diminish. I think there's one other thing worth mentioning, and that is, that as you hear, as you see these signs and symptoms emerge, it is absolutely critical that you are able to see them and hear them without judgement. This is not your disaster. This is not your adversity. It is important that you remain as neutral as possible. Listening for opportunities to assist. Not to condemn. Not to evaluate. Not to over analyze. But rather to assist people regaining the lives or as close to the life that they once had inthe wake of what may be the worst day or days they've ever encountered. So, we will end on that note. And in our next module we'll examine the Art of Psychological Triage.

DAC Course Assignments MAY 2023

 DAC Course Assignments

*********

30 MARKS ; A4 SIZE- ONE SIDE ;6-8 PAGES;600 WORDS;

Assignment number -1.

.................................

 Introduce psychology, Describe in detail about cognitive basis of behaviour and human nervous system.

Assignment number 2

.............................

 What is Psychopathology ? Describe about various classifications of mental disorders.

Assignment number 3.

.............................

Introduce developmental psychology ?  Explain developmental stages in human life considering all important areas.

Assignment number 4.

.....................................

 Explain developmental theories of Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget and Sigmund Freud.

......................................

The cognitive basis of human behavior

The cognitive basis of human behavior is the study of how the mind and brain work together to produce our thoughts, feelings, and actions. It is a broad and interdisciplinary field that draws on research from psychology, neuroscience, and other areas of science.

The human nervous system is the physical system that underlies the cognitive basis of behavior. It is made up of billions of neurons, which are specialized cells that transmit information throughout the body. Neurons are connected to each other by synapses, which allow them to communicate with each other.

The cognitive basis of human behavior is a complex and fascinating topic. It is still under active investigation, but researchers have made significant progress in understanding how the mind and brain work together to produce our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Here are some of the key cognitive processes that underlie human behavior:

• Attention: The ability to focus on and select relevant information from the environment.
• Perception: The process of interpreting sensory information.
• Memory: The ability to store and retrieve information.
• Thinking: The process of using information to make decisions, solve problems, and generate new ideas.
• Language: The ability to use words to communicate with others.
• Emotion: The ability to experience and express feelings.
• Motivation: The drive to achieve goals.

These cognitive processes are all essential for human behavior. They allow us to interact with the world around us, learn and grow, and form relationships with others.

The human nervous system is the physical system that supports these cognitive processes. It is a complex and sophisticated system that is constantly evolving. As we learn more about the human nervous system, we gain a better understanding of the cognitive basis of human behavior.

Here are some of the key structures in the human nervous system that are involved in cognitive processes:

• The brain: The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It is responsible for all of our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
• The spinal cord: The spinal cord is a long, thin bundle of nerves that runs from the brain down the back. It carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
• The cerebrum: The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is responsible for higher-order cognitive functions such as thinking, planning, and decision-making.
• The cerebellum: The cerebellum is located at the back of the brain. It is responsible for coordinating movement and balance.
• The limbic system: The limbic system is a group of structures located deep within the brain. It is responsible for emotions, memory, and learning.

The human nervous system is a complex and fascinating system that is essential for human behavior. As we learn more about the human nervous system, we gain a better understanding of the cognitive basis of human behavior.

The cognitive basis of behaviour refers to the idea that behaviour is influenced by how people think, feel, and process information. It is based on the assumption that thoughts are changeable and by changing thoughts we can change our feelings and, ultimately, our behaviours³. Cognitive behavioural theory (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that applies this idea to help people with various psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and addiction³. CBT focuses mainly on how certain thoughts lead to certain feelings which, in turn, lead to certain behavioural responses. It also works in reverse, by modifying behaviours through cognitive restructuring, self-instructional training, and problem-solving instruction¹. The importance of the cognitive basis of behaviour when compared to other bases of behaviour is that it emphasizes the role of mental processes in shaping human actions. It also helps to understand how people interpret and cope with different situations, and how they can improve their well-being by changing their maladaptive thoughts and behaviours³. The cognitive basis also provides a framework for studying various aspects of human cognition, such as memory, perception, attention, language, decision-making, and problem-solving². The cognitive basis also raises important questions about the nature of reality, self-awareness, rationality, and creativity².

Introduction to Psychology

 Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between the natural and social sciences. Psychologists seek an understanding of the emergent properties of brains, linking the discipline to neuroscience. As social scientists, psychologists aim to understand the behavior of individuals and groups.

Psychology is a broad field, and there are many different subfields within it. Some of the most common subfields include:

• Clinical psychology: This subfield focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
• Developmental psychology: This subfield studies how people change and grow throughout their lives.
• Social psychology: This subfield studies how people interact with each other and how social factors influence behavior.
• Cognitive psychology: This subfield studies how people think and remember.
• Personality psychology: This subfield studies the individual differences that make people unique.

Psychology is a fascinating and ever-evolving field. It has the potential to help us understand ourselves and each other better, and it can be used to improve our mental health and well-being.

Here are some of the things that psychology can help us understand:

• How our minds work
• Why we behave the way we do
• How we learn and remember
• How we develop as individuals
• How we interact with others
• How our thoughts and emotions affect our health
• How to cope with stress and adversity

Psychology can also be used to help people with a variety of mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. Psychologists can also help people improve their relationships, manage stress, and make better decisions.

Applied counseling is a broad term that refers to the use of counseling principles and techniques to help people in a variety of settings. Applied counselors may work with individuals, families, groups, or organizations to help them address a wide range of issues, such as:

• Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and addiction
• Relationship problems
• Career development issues
• Life transitions, such as retirement or divorce
• Stress management
• Coping with trauma
• Personal growth and development

Applied counselors use a variety of techniques to help their clients, including:

• Active listening
• Questioning
• Feedback
• Support
• Education
• Coaching
• Therapy

Applied counselors are trained to be non-judgmental and supportive, and they work to create a safe and confidential environment where clients can feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings.

If you are interested in learning more about applied counseling, there are many resources available to you. You can read books and articles, take online courses, or talk to an applied counselor. Applied counseling can be a valuable tool for helping people improve their lives, and it is a rewarding career for those who are interested in helping others.

Here are some of the benefits of applied counseling:

• Applied counseling can help people to understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• Applied counseling can help people to develop coping skills for dealing with stress and difficult emotions.
• Applied counseling can help people to improve their relationships with others.
• Applied counseling can help people to achieve their goals.
• Applied counseling can help people to live happier and more fulfilling lives.

If you are struggling with a problem or challenge, applied counseling may be able to help you. Please remember that you are not alone and there is help available.