ACA Blog

As counselors, we encounter challenges not only on a daily basis, but often from moment to moment as we work with our clients on issues that disrupt the client’s entire life – sometimes even shake their sense of self. While each symptom or issue is weighed differently within the lives of clients, the issue of death and dying seems to weigh heavily universally with those dealing with death or dying.

Building a counseling practice (or any private practice) from scratch means that you have to appeal to strangers—your first clients have no idea who you are. They don't know the value of your expertise, your logo or brand.

I am glad to be back as a blog writer for ACA. I am writing about my work as a volunteer advocate for a grassroots group I belong to in my neck of the woods. The name of my group is REDD (Rights, Equality for the Dignity of the Disabled). REDD’s mission is to promote the civil rights for persons with disabilities. Members can be individuals with/out disabilities who want to get involved. For the past year, REDD is working with several members called Self-Advocates who belong to an organization for individuals with developmental disabilities. I invited a few of them to a REDD meeting in December 2012 to talk about their issues with the local transportation system.

I work for a non-profit organization called Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). BBBS's mission is to create one-on-one mentoring relationships for at-risk children, “Littles”, through carefully monitored and supported matches. I co-run the school program in which “Bigs” meet with their “Littles” at the little’s schools during their lunch time, elective hour, or after-school program. I love my job because I am able to pair up children with a friend that also acts as a guide in different areas of their lives.

I was recently asked to share 3 tips for entrepreneurs looking to build a company in the healthcare field. Specifically, I was asked “If you were talking to a young aspiring entrepreneur about their new startup, what would be your top three pieces of advice? Examples might be something like:

At first thought, I do not necessarily think of myself as a creative person. I am definitely a Type A, organized and structured person that always has a plan in place. Usually, I have a plan B and C, as well. I’m pretty methodical and strategic in my actions. Some might say that I am rather predictable. Yet, the more that I critically analyze my activities, the more I realize that I AM in fact creative. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is creativity.

For years people had said to me, “You should build an app.” I’d reply, “No thank you! The world doesn’t need another useless app.” Apple has almost a million apps in their store, many not worth the bandwidth they’re downloaded on. I should know; I’ve bought and deleted most of them.

For years people had said to me, “You should build an app.” I’d reply, “No thank you! The world doesn’t need another useless app.” Apple has almost a million apps in their store, many not worth the bandwidth they’re downloaded on. I should know; I’ve bought and deleted most of them.

Amongst other things, magnesium can: Relieve anxiety, treat restless leg syndrome, help with treatment-resistant depression, prevent diseases of the heart and blood vessels, reduce symptoms of ADHD, relieve constipation and act as an antacid, prevent diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity, and keep your bones healthy–especially if you don’t eat dairy.

Sometimes it seems that no matter the clinician, no matter the age and no matter the setting, they are in the process of some kind of transition. The transition can be personal or professional, but it seems that as a group of folks, we are never or at least seldom happy with simply sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the fruit of our hard work and good deeds