communitycounseling.biz Blog

Consultants who move from agency life to private practice gain the benefits of autonomy but loose the benefits of peer support unless they get connected with networks in the community. Support can be gained by joining and participating in professional organizations, joining and participating in community organizations, or participating in continuing education courses. There are also many events that are geared specifically towards professional networking that I would encourage participation in.  In addition to joining a group, you may want to consider starting your own peer group with other consultants who share similar interests. Being part of a group will not only help you gain peer supports in the community but it will also help you to establish a network for referrals and to keep up to date with developments and opportunities within your profession.

“Sounds of Tranquility” is a compilation of music and sounds from nature. It provides a mental escape to the ocean and music for meditation and relaxation. All tracks on this CD was provided by thechillsessions.com and compiled by Keisha Cox, LCSW, MS. Ms. Cox is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in cognitive behavior therapy and life coaching. For more information about how to utilize therapy or coaching please visit communitycounseling.biz. Sounds of Tranquility is now available on Lulu.com.

There are many types of counselors and choosing the right one can be overwhelming.  It is important to know what you are committing to before you contract with a new counselor.  His/Her educational background may have a big impact on the type of treatment you get and his/her treatment approach may or may not be right for you.  It is important to ask questions about these things before you decide to hire a counselor.  Visit the Community Counseling Resource page for more information on this topic:

http://www.communitycounseling.biz/resources

Psychotherapy Today: A Consumer’s Guide to Choosing the Right Therapist

Being a teen usually means going through a lot of changes really fast. There is no doubt that the teenage years are some of the most difficult years of a person’s life. The Teen’s Toolkit is a workbook designed to help teens get answers to some of the questions that they may be having. The Teen’s Toolkit provides the material that teens need to be informed to make educated decisions and to open a dialogue about social issues that they face.  The Teens’ Toolkit by Keisha Cox available at

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-teens-toolkit/6482894

“Great tool after having had a rough few days with several teens I mentor!”—Kelli King Jackson, Verge Consulting Group

On June 1, 2010, Community Counseling will be starting an online referral page which will include listings and profiles of:

Mental health practioners

Coaches

Consultants

Non-Profit Social Service Providers

Community Counseling maintains active website and pages on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Community Counseling also publishes a monthly newsletter that is distributed via email to various individuals and agencies in the community in addition to participating in national health, wellness, mental health, and non-profit focused events nationwide.

If you are interested in developing your counseling, coaching, or consulting practice, then we can help you. Providers who sign up to be in the Community Counseling network will gain:

• Access to peer support through a members only message board and periodic networking events

• Opportunities to increase your professional exposure through listings on the Community Counseling website and quarterly newsletter which is distributed to hundreds of local community providers, ie schools, churches, community centers

• Additional opportunities to have your articles published in the newsletter.

• Increased exposure through Community Counseling advertising, networking, and outreach

• Discounted rates for professional development seminars, supervision, and individualized business coaching

To subscribe to the network please visit http://www.communitycounseling.biz/providers_only

On April 8, 2010  Community Counseling founder, Keisha Cox, LCSW and Michelle Jervis, LMSW conducted a workshop entitled Redefining Private Practice at the annual conference for the National Association for Black Social Workers in Philadelphia.  The workshop focused on strategies for building and/or expanding a  practice outside of the traditional psychotherapy model.  It introduced ideas for incorporating features such as consulting, fundraising, and social networking into a practice design.  For those of you who weren’t able to attend our recent workshop at the NABSW conference, here is some feedback about what you missed:

“I enjoyed discussion about tailoring your practice to meet your specific needs in addition to the client’s needs. Very informative presentation.”

“The variety of logistical and relevant information was excellent. Extremely useful information.”

“The presenters addressed all questions and answers. They kept me engaged in the workshop and kept me wanting to know more.”

Contact us to schedule a workshop and stay tuned for future events.

Community Counseling is supporting the Autism Speaks Walk on June 13, 2010.  Autism is a disorder that impairs social functioning and communication and affects 1 in every 110 children born in the United States.  Please join us is raising money for the research of effective treatments for autism.  Visit our page to find out how you can support the cause:

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/nyc/keishacox

I was recently invited to be a guest on a collegue’s radio show. My initial reaction was why me? She ran through my list of “accomplishments” but my insecurities continued to push through and I thought: “There must be some misunderstanding. Yes, I am a social worker. Yes, I have my own business. But, am I successful?”

Society tends to equate success with power and wealth. I have a consulting business not a Fortune 500 Company. I hardly consider my coop apartment a real estate investment. The car that I drive (when it’s drivable) is not the top of the line. I have yet to make my first million or travel the world. When I was a child, I definitely envisioned a different picture of what I would have by the ripe old age of thirty than I now have at thirty-something. Does this mean that I am not successful?

The answer depends on how you measure success. I am a firm believer that the meaning of success is subjective. The late Michael Jackson had a performing career that spanded over four decades, broke several industry records, and was probably the most well known person in the entire world. But still there are many critics who would attack his character and I am sure he himself at times questioned his own success.

So if success is subjective, how do we measure it? Simply put, your measure of success should be based on goals that you set for yourself. I have been guilty of doubting my own success because I have looked at my list of goals (Yes, I actually have a list.) and there are many things left unchecked. However, a friend and collegue reminded me of something very important. While you continue to set and strive for your goals, it’s important to remember this:

Do not focus on the things that you have yet to do but instead on the things you have already accomplished. That is the real measure of success.