Celebrating our 20th Birthday!

We have now been providing accredited continuing education courses to psychologists, social workers, counselors, speech-language pathologists, registered dietitians and occupational therapists for 20 continuous years! Our company, which started as one person presenting a single live seminar to small groups in selected Florida cities, is now an established entity in the world of continuing education featuring over 170 CE courses that are available online 24/7 anywhere in the world.

We have earned formal recognition as a provider of continuing education by major professional boards, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). In addition, we are recognized by professional boards in Florida, California, Ohio, Illinois, South Carolina, and Texas.

“It is really hard to believe we have been doing this for 20 years,” says Leo Christie, PhD, licensed marriage and family therapist and president of Professional Development Resources. “It is gratifying to look around us today and see where we are now, as compared with the early years. We are squarely in the digital world, with all of our continuing education courses available via the Internet and nearly all of our procedures completely paperless. As opposed to offering live seminars to small select audiences as we did when we started, we can now make our CE curriculum available to professionals anywhere in the world.”

It has not always been easy according to Christie. There were hard times, as one would expect in any business that has persisted for 20 years. “There were times I was not at all sure we were going to make it. When we transitioned from presenting live seminars to offering home study courses, it was a major transformation that required re-purposing our entire curriculum. Presenting material in written format is fundamentally different from doing so in live settings. Suddenly we had an urgent need for more topics and more courses. We had gotten along well with five or six topics in live seminars, but that was far too few to offer for self-study. Our most pressing and challenging task was curriculum development.”

Today, we have over 170 online continuing education courses covering a very wide variety of clinical topics such as domestic violence, professional ethics and boundaries, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism, Alzheimer’s, alternative therapies, mindfulness, multicultural issues, substance abuse and addiction, gender identity, preventing medical errors, ADHD, psychopharmacology, brain injury, eliminating self-defeating behaviors, overeating and obesity, treating chronic pain, and anxiety management. There are even a few unexpected and non-traditional courses, like Animal Assisted Therapy and Electronic Media and Youth Violence (Cyber-Bullying).

As a 20th birthday present to ourselves and all of our loyal customers, we are poised to launch a  new and revolutionary website platform, which will feature a wide array of user engagement tools we hope will propel us into the next 20 years.

About Professional Development Resources, Inc.

Professional Development Resources is a Florida nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1992 by licensed marriage and family therapist Leo Christie, PhD. The company, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) – as well as many other national and state boards – has focused its efforts on making continuing education courses more cost-effective and widely accessible to health professionals by offering online home study coursework. Its current expanded curriculum includes a wide variety of clinical topics intended to equip health professionals to offer state-of-the art services to their clients.

 

Animal Assisted Therapy Approved for ASHA CEUs

In Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) the human-animal bond is utilized to help meet therapeutic goals and reach individuals who are otherwise difficult to engage in verbal therapies. AAT is considered an emerging therapy at this time, and more research is needed to determine the effects and confirm the benefits. Nevertheless, there is a growing body of research and case studies that illustrate the considerable therapeutic potential of using animals in therapy. AAT has been associated with improving outcomes in four areas: autism-spectrum symptoms, medical difficulties, behavioral problems, and emotional well-being. This course is designed to provide therapists, educators, and caregivers with the information and techniques needed to begin using the human-animal bond successfully to meet individual therapeutic goals.

Course #20-62 | 2012 | 30 pages | 20 posttest questions

Learn more: http://www.pdresources.org/CourseDetail.aspx?Category=AllCourses&PageNumber=1&Profession=Other&Sort=CourseID&Text=&courseid=1112

Related Articles:

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• How Pet Therapy Can Help Autism (everydayhealth.com)
• Pet Therapy and Depression (everydayhealth.com)

 

Preventing Eating Disorders

A big job that parents have to deal with, learn about, and work to prevent is eating disorders. In the United States as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are affected with an eating disorder. About 40% of eating disorder sufferers are between the ages of fifteen to twenty-one years old. Every decade since 1930, there has been a rise in anorexia. From 1988 to 1993 bulimia has tripled in women ages ten to thirty-nine. The mortality rate among women, who suffer from anorexia nervosa between the ages of fifteen to twenty four, is twelve times higher than the death rate of any other cause.

These are some scary statistics and everyday they are affecting young women and men. This article is to help educate about what eating disorders are, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder, and most of all how prevent eating disorders. Children are very influential, they pick up on everything. They see and hear everything we do and say. Next time you are looking in the mirror saying “I’m so fat” remind yourself that those little eyes and ears are watching you and learning from you.

What is an eating disorder? According to the National Eating Disorder Association, “An eating disorder is a serious, but treatable illness with medical and psychiatric aspects. People with an eating disorder often become obsessed with food, body image, and weight. The disorders can become very serious, chronic, and sometimes even life threatening if not recognized and treated appropriately. Treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach with an experienced care team.”

Who is at risk for getting an eating disorder? In today’s society almost anyone is at risk now for developing an eating disorder. The previous stereotype that eating disorders only affect Caucasian, teenage girls who are perfectionist, people pleasers and from an upper class socioeconomic group, no longer holds true. Eating disorders are affecting children as young as 7 or 8 years old men and women well into their 30’s and 40’s. We are seeing a rise in eating disorders among men and young boys and eating disorders are affecting people in every socioeconomic and ethnic group.

What are the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder? Here are a few red flags that you child may be at risk for developing an eating disorder.

• Is your child avoiding certain food groups because they are “fattening”? If your child suddenly proclaims he or she is now a vegetarian this could be a red flag for an eating disorder. For many eating disorder sufferers, especially young children and teenagers, proclaiming vegetarianism suddenly makes it okay and acceptable by family and peers to avoid whole food groups such as meat, eggs, fish, and dairy.
• When in a social situation and around food does your child act differently? Either by shrinking away and refusing to eat anything or by losing sense of control and overeating?
• Do you hear your young one constantly talking about weight loss, body size, and food? Always seeking reassurance from others about looks and referring to self as fat, gross, or ugly? Overestimating body size? Striving to create a “perfect” image? These are not healthy behaviors for anyone, especially young children and teens.
• Have you seen a sudden change in weight? Either dramatic weight loss or big fluctuations in weight over a short period of time?

If you notice some of these signs and symptoms with a loved one, seek out support now. Getting the right help and support can prevent serious issues from developing later on.

Can I really work at preventing eating disorders? Yes. Listed below are a few tips of simple things that can help build the confidence of your child and prevent eating disorders.

1. Change dinner table talk. For many young people, struggling with an eating disorders can stem from parents own obsession with dieting, weight loss, calorie control, exercise, and looks. Instead of talking about the latest diet or weight loss plan that you may be following, use your time together to discuss other topics. Ask your child questions about school and social events, take up a hobby together that does not focus on looks.
2. Seek professional support. If your child wants to lose weight or adapt a specific lifestyle such as being a vegetarian make sure he or she is doing it for the right reasons. Schedule an appointment with a professional such as a registered dietitian who can help educate and ensure adequate nutrient intake.
3. Avoid being the food police. If you know your child is trying to lose weight, avoid commenting on everything he or she puts on the plate or into their mouth. Constantly watching and monitoring food intake only sets the tone for resentment, overeating or under eating, shame, and guilt; all which can lead to a serious eating disorder.
4. Encourage activities that promote a positive body image. Involve your child in activities that make him or her feel good. If your child is in an environment where he or she is constantly being ridiculed or made fun of by a coach or team mates, change the environment. Find positive outlets for your child to thrive in.
5. Limit exposure to trendy TV shows and magazines. These media sources are constantly bombarding young minds with how they are supposed to look. Remind your child that these “famous” people have been airbrushed and touched up with every computer program available to give the “perfect” look.

Remember, from a very early age children pick up from what is going on with parents. If you are constantly on a diet, always talking about either your own body size or other people’s body size, your child is hearing you. The first step you can take in preventing an eating disorder is to treat yourself and others with love and respect and not always focus on the “image.” If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, seek out professional support. Using a multi-facet approach by working with a doctor, therapist and registered dietitian can help treat and overcome this scary disease.

Source: http://www.icontact-archive.com/bwCoPlskbQHQPQGrCc4zevml1k1C_k2G?w=2

Related Articles:

• Nocturnal Eating Sleep Disorders (everydayhealth.com)
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• Boosting Body Image and Self-Esteem (everydayhealth.com)

 

The Simple Exercise That Could Help Decrease Depression

Walking Could Help To Decrease Depression, Review Finds

Walking is effective in helping to decrease depressive symptoms, according to a new review of studies.

Research published in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity shows that “walking has a statistically significant, large effect on the symptoms of depression in some populations.”

The review showed that walking works as well as other kinds of exercise in helping lower depressive symptoms.

The review included eight studies, evaluating a total of 341 people, which all showed that walking is able to lessen symptoms of depression. But the researchers cautioned that the ways the studies were conducted — like how long the people walked, at what pace, and how often — were different from study to study, so more research is needed to find what is the most effective.

“The beauty of walking is that everybody does it,” Adrian Taylor, a professor at the University of Exeter who studies depression, addiction and stress, told BBC News.

The Mayo Clinic explained that exercise may help fight depression by prompting the release of chemicals in the brain that are linked with feeling happy, and could also help to calm the body by raising body temperature. It could also help by serving as a distraction, boosting confidence and social interaction, and serving as a “substitute” for more unhealthy coping practices like drinking alcohol.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/22/walking-depression_n_1429003.html

 

Should Sexual Addiction Become A Legitimate Mental Health Diagnosis?

By ROBERT WEISS LCSW, CSAT-S

Is Sex Addiction Real?

There will always be controversy – as there should be – when any form of inherently healthy human behavior such as eating, sleeping, or sex is clinically designated as pathological. And while the power to “label” must always be carefully wielded to avoid turning social, religious, or moral judgments into diagnoses (as was homosexuality in the DSM-I and DSM-II), equal care must be taken to not avoid researching and creating diagnostic criteria for healthy behaviors when they go awry due to underlying psychological deficits and trauma.

Pre-Internet sexual addiction research in the 1980s suggested that approximately 3 to 5 percent of the adult population struggled with some form of addictive sexual behavior. Those studied were a self-selected treatment group, mostly male, who complained of being “hooked” on magazine and video porn, multiple affairs, prostitution, old-fashioned phone sex, and similar behaviors.

More recent studies indicate that sexual addiction is both escalating and simultaneously becoming more evenly distributed among men and women. This escalation in problem sexual behavior appears to be directly related to the increasingly high-speed Internet access to both intensely stimulating graphic pornography and anonymous sexual partnering.

Today these connections are furnished not only through the use of home and laptop computers, but also via smart-phones and the related geo-locating mobile devices we now carry in our pockets and briefcases.

Lamentably, at the very same time that sexual addiction disorder began its technology generated escalation, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) backed away from the provision of either a diagnostic indicator or a workable diagnosis. Consequently, the past 25 years have wrought a somewhat anguished and inconsistent history in the attempts of the psychiatric, addiction, and mental health communities to accurately label and distinguish the problem of excessive adult consensual sexual behavior.

Today, American outpatient psychotherapists and addiction counselors are reporting a marked increase in the number of clients seeking help with self-reported crises related to problems like “I find myself disappearing for multiple hours daily into online porn” or “I feel lost on a never-ending treadmill of anonymous sexual hook-ups and affairs,” not to mention the tens of thousands who daily struggle with the dopamine-fueled nightmare combination of stimulant (meth/cocaine) abuse fused with intensely problematic sexual behavior patterns.

It would seem that these clinicians and clients would benefit greatly from the guidance the APA and DSM might offer them, but does not currently provide.

Read more: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/sex/2012/04/hypersexualitydisorder/