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by Sarah Eichberg, Ph.D.
The recent media firestorm over the ‘mommy wars,” shows just how socially relevant and significant the debate remains. Yet, as in previous disputes over the contributions of working and stay-at-home mothers, white, affluent women were rhetorically privileged and the varied interests and experiences of all other women ignored.
In their arguments, most politicians and pundits routinely presented a false binary of “choice,” as if mothers act independently of social context and are free to remain at home or in the labor force. But the simple fact is that most American women do not have the luxury to choose.
As they are framed, the mommy war debates deny the multiple constraints women face daily –in and out of the home–which restrict autonomy and create challenges to caring for their families’ economic, psychological and physical well-being.
Today, 70.8% of mothers are in the labor force, either working for pay or looking for a job. The reality is that in most two parent households, it takes two incomes to thrive or even survive. As real wages for men have declined over the past 30-40 years, women’s earning have become critical to even approximating a middle class existence. For many women, it’s either work or lose your home or forego healthcare or endure food insecurity.
What’s more, the “decision” to stay at home is not necessarily born out of a desire to leave a job. Many women are forced out by unfriendly work environments– low pay, inflexible parental leave – and a societal apathy toward affordable childcare that makes it impossible for women to earn a living and care for their children at the same time. As of 2009, there were 5.7 million married stay-at-home mothers in America. Rather than suburban soccer moms, the greatest concentration of married stay at home moms was young, Hispanic, foreign-born and without high school or college degrees. It is quite likely that many of these women need to work but lack the education and skills to find the high wage jobs that cover childcare costs.
The recent conversation about motherhood and choice becomes even more perverse when juxtaposed with current attacks on federal benefits, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Food Stamps, which offer low-income women, married or not, a key means to maintain some degree of economic self-sufficiency, by helping them put food on the table. With the dismantling of welfare in the 1990s, SNAP has become the first-line of defense against poverty. Even reducing these benefits would make millions of mothers and their children vulnerable to hunger, chronic health conditions, and mental distress.
As recent events show, this country remains conflicted about working mothers but not because of a quarrel over choice. Instead, we still have not become reconciled–in belief or in policy–to shifting gender roles (where are the fathers in all these discussions?) or the nation’s profound gap between the haves and the have-nots. As long as we – men and women – accept false narratives of equality and allow politicians and pundits to cynically frame our real life experiences as simple expressions of free-will, we will forever find ourselves trapped in rhetorical mommy wars, while the real issues of gender and economic justice are ignored.
Dr. Sarah Eichberg is the Director of Community Research of Adelphi University’s Institute for Social Research and Community Engagement (iSoRCE), whose mission is is twofold to generate actionable knowledge through collaborative social research, and to use that knowledge to better understand and address Long Island’s critical and enduring social issues.
by Chris Gasiewski
With students aligning the walls of room 228 in Alumnae Hall on March 30, Bridget and Delilah—two Darlington Great Pyrenees—were providing instant gratification to one corner of the room. Orion, their counterpart, was resting comfortably underneath the arm of freshman Brian Hamel.
It wasn’t your typical classroom setting. Instead, it was a glimpse into Dr. Diane Dembicki’s Healing and the Arts course, which is housed in the School of Nursing. The class teaches several different types of therapies, including art, music, dance and drama treatments. And the latest healing demonstration displayed how therapeutic dogs can provide a slice of happiness to hospital patients.
“You don’t get that experience often. Seeing these dogs changed my thinking,” said Brian, a self-proclaimed cat lover. “People were calling me the dog whisperer.”
Maybe so, but the Great Pyrenees were actually trained by Susie Wong, who has raised and specialized in Great Pyrenees for more than 20 years. Primarily, she visits North Shore-Long Island Jewish University Hospital two-to-three times a week, bringing the cuddly canines to several floors and units in the hopes of bringing a smile to the faces of the patients.
“They touch their souls,” said Ms. Wong, who recruited her children, Michael (21), Lauren (19) and Michelle (15) into the family business. “It’s just incredible. People in general forget how lucky we are. Going into the hospital and meeting all kinds of people from all walks of life, it’s just incredible.”
Ms. Wong witnesses the overwhelming joy that her dogs bring almost daily. She’s most fond of the palliative care unit, where her work has been rewarded with seeing great responses out of patients. She also tells the story of a little girl who suffered from a bone disease that resulted in pain when she made facial expressions. However, Ms. Wong’s dogs changed that.
“There were days she would come in and eat, and she would smile,” Ms. Wong said. “She said to me that ‘you are the only one who has ever made me smile.’”
Spring 2012 marked the third straight semester that Dr. Dembicki hosted Ms. Wong and the therapy dogs. Reviving the course after a brief hiatus, Dr. Dembicki has provided her students with an experiential learning experience like no other.
She assigns projects that include viewing various art pieces and sculptures around campus to observe their therapeutic characteristics. On Wednesday, April 4, the class will perform music therapies outdoors. There’s a social commentary component on contemporary arts and healing, as well as folk healing and shamanism. The class also did a community service project and made a voluntary contribution to the Pet Therapy Program, which was founded by Ms. Wong, at North Shore-LIJ Hospital.
“It looks at various therapies in healthcare,” Dr. Dembicki said of the course. “It is an interdisciplinary class, and we have faculty come in from the art department and psychology department. We make use of the computer technology at the University on Moodle, where the students have a weekly discussion forum.”
Mostly, Dr. Dembicki said, the class is popular because it allows students an opportunity to decompress from the rigors of academia. Her students, including Brian, agree.
“This class is really important for everyone to take,” Brian said. “If anything, it’s an escape from the daily stress and you can stimulate your mind in a different way. It’s really, really useful.”
For behind-the-scenes pictures and to find out when our therapy dogs video is ready, follow Adelphi University on Facebook.
Traumatic events bring with them a host of reactions—shock, fear, anger, and an insatiable quest to understand “why here, why now?”. Residents of Chardon, Ohio, are experiencing that range of emotions this week as they grapple with a school shooting that has claimed the lives of three students and wounded two others.
Dr. Jessie Klein, assistant professor in sociology and criminal justice at Adelphi was on CNN this morning to discuss the Ohio shooting incident. Author of the upcoming book The Bully Society: School Shootings, and the Crisis of Bullying in America’s Schools, Dr. Klein focused on the increasing isolation and fear that plague many school-aged children. She advised us to avoid looking for “red flags” in individual students and instead to look for “red flag” schools, whose cultures may promote mistreatment among students. Dr. Klein was also a guest on the Brian Leher show on WNYC, where she offered additional insight into the evolution of bullying and school shooting incidents in the United States, the impact of bullying on children, and schools’ roles in prevention.
The next few weeks will shine an increased spotlight on issues of bullying and violence in schools, as friends, family, and the public-at-large are searching for answers. But is our search helping us prevent future tragedies? Only time will tell.
Have you noticed that things seem a little more pink, cheerful, and flowery lately? That’s because today is Valentine’s Day, a holiday that is as loathed as it is loved. If you’ve turned on a TV or been anywhere online today, you’ve likely come across the most common complaint of day: it’s yet another “Hallmark Holiday” invented as a way to sell trinkets and candy and cards. (If you feel strongly about the day but can’t quite find the right words for your own Facebook or Twitter posts, consider getting some help from trusted status experts.)
There does, however, appear to be at least some historical record of Valentine’s Day. If you want to delve into day’s murky past, The History Channel offers a rather comprehensive explanation of the holiday—while also sharing that approximately 150 million greeting cards are exchanged on the day.
The Rebel Yell, the award-winning official student newspaper of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas offers a different perspective on the holiday. Columnist Doc Bradley says we shouldn’t blame Hallmark for just continuing the tradition of Valentine’s Day as a scam, and advises us to remember “that truth and romance are not necessarily the best of friends.”
Feeling happy and lovey-dovey yet?
Whether created or historic, Valentine’s Day is a holiday you simply can’t escape. Media coverage takes a certain delight in drawing the single vs. non single battle lines, painting each side as worthy of both envy and pity. There are online survival guides that encourage those without a partner to proactively ward off the negative impact of Valentine’s day by making plans, and not defining themselves by their relationship status. A recent counter to Valentine’s Day is Singles Awareness Day. If you’re not sure how to celebrate properly, you can get a quick primer here on all things S.A.D.
If you think being in a couple makes Valentine’s Day all roses: think again. CNN contributor and comedian Dean Obeidallah provides perhaps this year’s most comprehensive perspective on why couples are the big losers on Valentine’s Day. The pressure of the day makes Valentine’s Day “the bully of love,” writes Kelli Forsythe, relationship therapist with Psychological Counseling Services, Ltd. It can also shine an unwelcome spotlight on issues within a couple.
But the recipe for couples’ success on Valentine’s Day is no different from any other day. As renown psychologist Esther Perel notes, “love flourishes in an atmosphere of mutuality and reciprocity.” Later this month, Dr. Perel, an international authority on couple therapy, cross-cultural relations, and culture and sexuality, will be a guest of the Adelphi University School of Social Work Continuing Education and Professional Development program. Her all-day workshop on February 24 will focus on “The Psychology of Erotic Desire in Couples.”
Whether you’re single, paired up, or somewhere in between, perhaps today we should just take a tip from family mental health blogger Erica Krull, and embrace a day that is “about sharing and showing love.” After all, the love of family, friends, and yes, partners is good for us—mentally, physically, and emotionally. Love can keep our blood pressure low, it can reduce stress, and it can bring an added level of fulfillment to our every day lives.
See? No flowers or candy necessary.
This was an eventful week in the world of breast cancer fundraising and healthcare issues. On Tuesday, The Susan G. Komen foundation made public their decision to stop providing grants to Planned Parenthood. According to the New York Times, their decision would impact “breast cancer screening and education programs run by Planned Parenthood affiliates.”
This set off a flurry of reaction—including an outpouring of social media commentary, advocacy, and action. In the wake of this response, the Susan G. Komen foundation reversed their decision and announced today that they would continue to fund the screening and education programs run by Planned Parenthood affiliates.
The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program has stayed on top of the story as it unfolded and their staff offers “5 Lessons We Have Learned from the Komen/Planned Parenthood Controversy:”
What have you learned from this? Please join the discussion on Facebook.
by Mitch Nagler, M.A. LMHC
The American Psychiatric Association has made what seems to be a confusing and disturbing decision to change how autistic spectrum disorders are going to be defined in the near future. Anyone with a child or family member on the spectrum, especially if they are currently diagnosed with a milder form, such as Asperger Syndrome or PDD-NOS, should be concerned about how these changes are going to impact access to health, educational and social services for their loved ones. It is possible, if not likely, that when these changes are put into effect in 2013, many who qualify for services now, will not meet the new standards, and thus be left without therapeutic options.
What we have learned since the current diagnostic criteria were put into effect in the DSM-IV in 1994, is that early intervention is critical for making positive changes in performance. Diagnostic tools have been developed that now make diagnosis possible as early as 18 months of age. Children and their families that have had access to the creative and important support services in all important areas of life, have made extraordinary improvements. If/when these changes to the DSM-V are put into place, insurance coverage, school services, and institutional support programs are likely all going to be curtailed for many people.
As the Director of the Bridges to Adelphi Program, and as a private practitioner, I have worked with hundreds of high school and college aged individuals with diagnoses of High Functioning Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and PDD-NOS. Most of them came from supportive elementary, middle school and high school environments. Many also received outside support and counseling services. As they have progressed through their lives, whether in their college careers at Adelphi, or elsewhere, I have seen first hand how important the early interventions were in their development. In fact, as we begin to graduate Bridges students from Adelphi, I worry about the younger students that are still in Pre-K or elementary school.
I am worried that if/when these proposed diagnostic changes are put into effect; the developmental future of young individuals with these diagnoses will be negatively impacted. Many who would have been able to build independent, successful lives, and enroll in programs like the Bridges to Adelphi Program, may not be able to do so because they will not have access to the important early interventions and support services.
My advice is to do what I did. Call the American Psychiatric Association, at 703-907-7300, and tell them that you object to these changes. Tell them that you have a family member or loved one who may be excluded from receiving services if these changes go through.
Mitch Nagler, M.A. LMHC, is a private practitioner and an Assistant Director at the Adelphi Student Counseling Center. He is also the Director of the Bridges to Adelphi Program, a multifaceted intervention program that includes coaching, learning strategies, behavioral modeling, and peer mentoring that addresses social, academic and vocational areas.
by Audrey Freshman, Ph.D., LCSW, CASAC
The holidays were busy in unimaginable ways for many families on Long Island. During the Christmas break I fielded 3 separate calls from parents, each resembling the next, and detailing the following request:
My son is a student at a state university. He is currently in the hospital having said that he “tried” some drugs at a party. He almost overdosed. Unbeknownst to us he has become addicted to opiates. He is now ready to be discharged and we need to bring him home. What do we do next?
I need help for my 10 year old who is very anxious and getting in trouble in school. Actually, there is a lot going on in my family. My older child is a nursing student. She is now in a de-tox for the past few days but plans to return to school for the January semester. She is addicted to opiates and other drugs that help her “study.” I feel desperate about her returning home. What should I do now?
My husband has been acting strange. It started last year when he injured his leg and was placed on medication. Now he is slurring, and spends days in the basement. He refuses to stop seeing his doctor who is giving him “the stuff.” He does not think there is anything wrong with him. Is he depressed? What should I do?
The holiday week culminated with the New Years Day reports of yet another Long Island pharmacy death, this time the Seaford shooting. The public is alarmed. Pharmacists are frightened. Lawmakers are calling for action. All of us want to know, “what should we do next?”
From 2007 to 2010, a report cited in the The New York Times released by the New York State Attorney General’s office indicated that oxycodone use has increased 82% in New York State; all other narcotic pain medication increased an additional 36% during the same time period. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) notes that there were enough prescription painkillers prescribed “to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for a month.” In spite of this, New York State Senator Charles Schumer had to recently issue a warning to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against approving another, and even more powerful version of hydrocodone known as a “super painkiller” according to the Associated Press.
Yet, it is the failure to connect these storylines that remains central to the ongoing plight of opiate addiction on Long Island. The reality behind the distressed phone calls shows us that the face of the “addict” belongs to the student in our high schools and universities, who become exposed to the insidious epidemic of pharmaceutical availability through a friend’s locker or a parent’s medicine cabinet. It is the face of one of the adults in our community who receives a prescription for pain medication from a local physician or pain clinic that paves the way for iatrogenic addiction. It is the face of the younger sibling witnessing the chaos in their family that becomes the next in-line to medicate their fears.
We need to respond by acknowledging that the problem is “ours” and begin to own our “next steps.”
At the Adelphi University School of Social Work’s Department of Continuing Education, our goal is to recognize the contagion of addiction and to elevate the professional workforce capacity to address the urgency of the problem. Our Postgraduate Certificate Program in Addictions will enable interdisciplinary behavioral therapists to receive specialized training in addictions that can lead towards the Credential of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor in the State of New York. We expect that with additional training these professionals can bring their skills to each and every practice setting from the public health centers, to the criminal justice institutions, to the education systems, and into the private counseling offices.
This spring, our continuing education workshops will look at the co-occurrence of substance abuse and trauma, which is one of the most common overlapping mental disorders. We are continuing our quest to partner with private and nonprofit drug treatment organizations to bring leaders and researchers in the field of addiction to our campus to address issues of drug use in our communities and schools.
The treatment of addiction is complex. It requires an integrative family-based model of treatment along with a contemporary understanding of the current evidence-based research, community resources and supports that are in place to sustain recovery.
Most importantly, it requires a knowledge base that can diagnostically disentangle complex psychological, social, and economic issues in order to best respond to the question, “What do we do next?”
Dr. Audrey Freshman, Ph.D., LCSW, CASAC, is the Director of the Adelphi University School of Social Work Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development. She has nearly 30 years experience in conducting interventions, diagnostic assessment, and treatment of adolescents, adults and families coping with issues of substance use and abuse. Prior to Adelphi, she was the associate director of Tempo Group, a New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (OASAS) agency located on Long Island.
Happy 2012 from Adelphi’s Center for Health Innovation!
The beginning of the year often finds us focused on making new year’s resolutions, which are often be health-related. The top resolutions usually include some variation on improving our fitness and workout habits, losing weight, and quitting smoking. But most resolutions don’t make it past the end of January, which leaves us feeling as if we have missed our big window into making meaningful changes.
But why do resolutions fail? In many cases, it’s fundamentally misunderstanding why we don’t succeed combined with setting unrealistic expectations.
A December 2011 article in the Wall Street Journal reported that “in a survey of 1,134 adults released last month by the American Psychological Association, willpower was the top reason people cited for failing to make positive changes.” But is it really a lack of willpower that has people reaching for their cigarettes and skipping the gym?
Relying on willpower may not be the answer, as “willpower springs from a part of the brain, in the prefrontal cortex, that is easily overloaded and exhausted. What works far better, researchers say, is training other parts of the brain responsible for linking positive emotions to new habits and conditioning yourself to new behaviors.” Researchers recommend visualization and “linking your new habits to other pleasant changes” as more successful strategies.
Understanding what will help you succeed is only half the battle. In many cases, the very nature of the goals we set don’t do us any favors. Dr. Jonathan Jackson, the director of Adelphi’s Center for Psychological Services recently shared his thoughts on the pitfalls of resolutions with the 101.9 FM News audience.
Jackson believes that a resolution “should not be to reverse something, it should be to do things differently.” Many people incorrectly view the new year as a time when we are a blank slate, with a chance to do things over again. But Jackson says “it’s unrealistic to think that you’re ever a blank slate,” and he recommends taking “small steps,” where you can easily see progress and feel a “sense of closure and a sense of triumph” that you have achieved.
If you’re looking to take some small steps this year, Adelphi and the Center for Health Innovation can help put you on the path to a healthy and satisfying 2012.
However you choose to take a small step, the Center for Health Innovation looks forward to being a partner on your path towards increased health and wellness.
President Obama’s October announcement that U.S. troops would return home from Iraq by the end of 2011 has everyone talking and wondering what this means—not only for veterans, but also for the organizations and services that provide training, education, healthcare, and other support for veterans.
As The Gothamist’s Alec Hamilton reports, “Returning veterans can face a wide variety of mental and physical health challenges, and may have unique needs resulting from their service…. Many veterans are returning with the less visible wounds of mental trauma, wounds which can be devastating for the individual as well as their families and communities.” His October article explores whether our region is prepared to help the over 1.3 million veterans in the greater New York City region. Adding Long Island to that mix dramatically increases the numbers of veterans in our region.
In addition to physical and mental health needs, returning veterans will look to join the work force, or return to school. A post on The Hill’s healthcare blog reported that the White House “issued a challenge to community health centers to hire 8,000 veterans… over the next three years. And it said physician assistant programs that help train veterans would get priority grant funding.” That same post noted that the “jobless rate for veterans was 8.7 percent last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, adding up to more than 200,000 people.”
So the question remains: Are we prepared to meet the healthcare, training, and education needs of our region’s veterans?
As a recognized Yellow Ribbon school, Adelphi University has a long-standing commitment to our region’s veterans. Adelphi was transformed in the 1940s when the University welcomed WWII veterans to campus. Today, our university president is a veteran and an advocate for the new G.I. Bill, a past board chairman is a veteran, and we have a strong alumni veterans network.
Adelphi remains dedicated to addressing the needs of all veterans through relevant academic programs, as well as training and professional development opportunities for clinicians and practitioners who work with veterans. This fall, Adelphi’s Hudson Valley Center offered a social work conference dedicated to working with veterans, and will continue to explore the questions raised by participants.
If you are a veteran looking to start or continue your education, visit our Veterans and Military Personnel Admissions site for more information.
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