Self-Care Corner

Written by Tessa Miskimen

Tessa Miskimen is a second-year graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in the department of Counseling Education Counseling Psychology (CECP) within the College of Education. She is completing her internship at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Outpatient Behavioral Health and is the secretary of the CECP Graduate Student Organization (GSO).

Earlier this month, Tessa asked CECP Assistant Professor, Dr. Karisse Callender, about her own self-care routines and any suggestions she may have for CECP students. This content was previously featured in the Self Care Corner in the CECP GSO October Newsletter and has been reproduced here with permission from the author.

Tessa Miskimen: What are your favorite ways to engage is self-care?

Karisse Callender: This can be a long list because my self-care practices rotate depending on what I need or what is happening in my life. However, there are some practices that are consistent.

• Spending quality time with my loved ones
• Setting boundaries
• Being in nature
• Appointments with my counselor
• Baking
• Reading
• Making my bed each morning
• Quiet mornings drinking tea/coffee while looking out at the trees
• Ashtanga yoga practice

TM: What suggestions do you have for those struggling to incorporate self-care into their daily life?

KC: Keep it simple and keep it unique to you. The ways we choose to take care of ourselves may look different, and that is okay. The important thing is that whatever activities or practices you engage in should be healthy and helpful to regulate and improve your quality of life. These practices don’t have to always, or ever be, big or expensive. It can be simple things like taking an extra-long shower, going for an annual health check-up, drinking water, exercising, or just taking a nap!

Sometimes self-care becomes complicated when we try to do too much, too soon. Or try to always do activities out of obligation, or because we think it’s what others want to see, instead of really enjoying what we do. Ask yourself, what am I already doing that’s a healthy behavior that helps me to survive, stay well, and get through each day? I encourage you to have a personal definition of what it means to take care of yourself.

TM: Since we can’t hear it enough, remind us why is it so important for counselors to engage in self-care?

KC: Think about a time, in the past year, when you felt burnout, overwhelmed, stressed, or unhappy in your personal life and answer this question honestly: how present were you when sitting with your client/student/patent/consumer?

While I think we can learn how to separate our personal and professional experiences, it is not always helpful to ignore or dismiss the experiences. It eventually becomes increasingly challenging to show up (mentally, emotionally, and physically) for others when we have difficulty doing the same for ourselves. I do want to dismiss the false narrative that as counseling professional who should have “no problems” or just know how to “deal with it” – I want to say a firm “NO” to that. We all experience challenges on various levels, however when we don’t take the necessary steps to address the various issues or concerns in our personal lives, it can influence the lens through which we view others. Similarly, when we don’t address work related stressors, it can impact our personal lives. I encourage you to view the ways you take care of yourself as behaviors that can help you to sustain a meaningful career and a fulfilled life!

Interested in more self-care content?

Visit Dr. Callender’s website Well and Mindful or sign-up to receive a monthly newsletter for additional insights into personal wellbeing, mindfulness, and coping skills.

What is the CECP GSO?

The Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Graduate School Organization (CECP GSO) is a group that brings together graduate students, both master’s and doctoral, to help students develop personally and professionally, and improve the program. The organization is used to relay information relevant to CECP students’ education and training, to organize meetings in professional and social settings. These opportunities include: The Mentor/Mentee Program, Professional Development Conferences, Diversity Group Meetings, Social Events, Diversity Gala, and Community Events.

Interested CECP students should apply online or pick up a form at the CECP Office, SC 150.

PTSD Awareness Month

Written by Dr. Karisse Callender

June is Post-traumatic Stress Awareness (PTSD) month and I want to raise some awareness about PTSD while also acknowledging and honoring the ongoing events around the pandemic, racism, discrimination, and injustice.

So, what is PTSD?

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops because of something terrifying, scary, life-threatening or dangerous. PTSD can also develop because of natural disasters, combat, accidents, sexual violence, torture, and domestic violence. It’s important to know that you can develop PTSD as a result of experiencing these events directly (personally experienced the event/situation) or by witnessing (it was done to someone else). PTSD can happen to anyone, at any time, in any place, and under various circumstances, however not everyone will meet criteria for PTSD. Some persons may have mild to moderate distress and others may have more severe and longer lasting symptoms. The way PTSD symptoms are expressed may vary across individuals. Trauma may also be passed down through generations (e.g., intergenerational trauma) and we cannot ignore the role of racism in the development of trauma symptoms (e.g., race related trauma).

Some signs and symptoms of PTSD may include:

• Being scared or easily startled
• Sleep difficulty (unable to sleep or reoccurring nightmares)
• Flashbacks or bad memories of the event for an extended period
• Not wanting to talk about the traumatic event or unable to remember important aspects of the event
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling detached, numb
• Avoiding routine activities
• Inability to experience happiness or loving feelings
• Avoiding reminders of the event (e.g., places, people, conversations)

If you experience these signs/symptoms for more than 1 month, please consider talking to a licensed mental health provider to be appropriately assessed for a trauma related diagnosis. You can reach out to a licensed professional anytime you believe these signs/symptoms are disrupting your daily life, even before the 1-month timeframe. Some of these licensed providers include counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists. Before you schedule an appointment, you have a right to ask the potential mental health provider about credentials and experience working with trauma survivors. Some individuals may also reach out to a leader or trusted person within their religious or spiritual community for additional support.

References & Resources:

NIMH, Mayo Clinic, US Dept. of Veterans Affairs, NAMI, American Psychiatric Association, World Health Organization, American Counseling Association, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, National Center for Trauma-Informed Care, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

***This information does not replace professional mental health services and is not a diagnostic tool. This information is provided for educational purposes only. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to your local health care providers or call 911

A Word About Our CECP Diversity Scholarship

By Matthew Hennessey

My name is Matthew Hennessey, and I am the 2020 recipient of the Diversity Scholarship from the Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology (CECP) Graduate Student Organization (GSO).

The Diversity Scholarship is intended to reflect and support the value of racial and ethnic diversity in the CECP department. I was initially hesitant to apply for the scholarship. Although I support any effort to promote racial/ethnic diversity, I did not feel qualified to apply. I am biracial (half Indian/half Irish), and I did not feel racially or ethnically “diverse enough” to deserve the scholarship. As I reflected further on this feeling of not being enough, it occurred to me that I had found a reason to apply. As a biracial individual, I had never felt fully part of either of my familial cultures. I had encountered and experienced multiple moments of adversity connected to my racial/ethnic and intersecting identities.

My story was valuable, and it made me a qualified and worthy candidate for the Diversity Scholarship. In my application, I shared this story, and I was fortunate to be awarded the scholarship.

Upon receiving the Diversity Scholarship, I felt a responsibility to represent and promote diversity in the CECP department. A way in which I aimed to fulfill this responsibility was through my position as President of the CECP GSO. One of my motivations to run for President was the opportunity to showcase excellence in leadership as a person of my particular background. When I was growing up, I rarely saw biracial, brown, and/or gay leaders in media and real life. As such, I never dared to aspire for leadership, myself. It would have been so meaningful to see myself represented in leadership in some capacity.

Once I took ownership of my story and recognized my capability to lead, I did so. I became the model of what I had yearned for when I was younger. I hope that in some way, my position as President of the CECP GSO might inspire other student(s) who have felt under- or unrepresented in the world. I hope that my output as President has been excellent, and that I have not only been a leader, but a good leader and model. Beyond representation, I have sought to use my position to promote social justice. Last summer, in light of the instances of racial injustice occurring in the country, I coordinated a corresponding response and effort on behalf of the CECP GSO. I released a statement and resource list via our Instagram, and I facilitated a fundraiser via cohort Facebook pages for Alma Center, a Milwaukee-based clinic that offers trauma-informed services to [primarily BIPOC] men who are considered at risk or involved in the criminal justice system.

Through the Annual Diversity Gala fundraiser and other events throughout the year, I have been able to channel my leadership into social justice and advocacy. My position and output as CECP GSO President have been due, in part, to the Diversity Scholarship. The scholarship eased my financial burden, thereby allowing me to fully devote myself to the CECP GSO rather than a job. I am so grateful for the Diversity Scholarship and for what it has allowed me to accomplish during my time at Marquette University. I will carry the responsibility of the scholarship – to reflect and support the value of racial and ethnic diversity – forward always, but especially into my future profession as a counselor.

The 20th Annual CECP Diversity Gala will be held virtually on Saturday, May 1, 2021, beginning at 7:00pm. Register online by Thursday, April 29th. Virtual Zoom details will be included with your registration confirmation email.

Advocating for School Counselors

This past fall, students enrolled in Noreen Siddiqui’s EDUC 4000 course were asked to take on a semester-long research project exploring a topic related to education and then performing an act of advocacy to inform others. Student projects could range from letters to websites to PSA to podcasts, such as Roy Bowler’s focusing on school counseling.

My name is Roy Bowler. I am a senior from New York City, majoring in secondary education and journalism.

This was an assignment that we completed throughout the course of the semester. I saw that we had to advocate for something in American education. I knew about a lot of the some of the issues in American education including those of inequality, but I wanted to do something that I had not heard about before. So, I did some research and saw that there was a huge lack and need for school counselors. The ratio recommended by America School Counselor Association of 250 students to 1 counselor was not even close to being met in most of America’s schools. Even schools that I had attended did not meet the ratio, and these were all great schools. It was also an issue I had never even heard about, so I thought it would be a great topic to explore. 

Throughout the semester we compiled research and data. I really liked how we did the project step by step. It forced you not to procrastinate, and you received feedback after each step that you could apply to the final submission. As we came to the final step of the project, I saw that we had to take all the individual steps and compile the information into a project where we actually advocated for our issue of choice. Being a journalism major as well, and having taken a podcasting class, I figured a great way to advocate would be to make a podcast. I reached out to some people and received tremendous help from Dr. Karisse Callender, who organized my interviews with Dr. Alexandra Kriofske Mainella and grad students Max Moderski and Kennidy Summers. They did a great job explaining the issues to me from an actual counselor’s point of view. I also felt it would be best to let them advocate. They did a great job on that, too. 

My favorite part was definitely interviewing. It helped that the subjects were so knowledgeable and passionate about the need for more school counselors. I appreciated their insight and their ability to advocate. The most difficult part was probably putting the podcast together and deciding what fit where. I had to cut some stuff because if I did not the podcast would have been too long. Though, the fact that we completed steps of this project throughout the course of the semester alleviated a lot of the stress that would come with a huge project like this. 

I really enjoyed having such a practical assignment. While we did the normal class stuff, like readings and discussions, we also did our own research throughout the semester and became experts on a topic that we can help advocate for during our times as educators. I appreciated the freedom that we were given by being able to pick any topic we’d like and advocate for it in any way we’d like. I know some of my classmates created social media pages and websites where they advocated for issues like the need for culturally and linguistically diverse advocates in special education and the decreasing the number of standardized tests students are required to take. 

I think as a teacher, I will try to advocate for more school counselors. It really made me interested in the profession. As I progress my own education, I may even try to take some counseling courses. If I am placed in a school that has a shortage of school counselors, I could try to take on the role with my students as best as I can. 

Research In Action: Meet Julia Pawlowski

Dr. Leeza Ong, assistant professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department, has two projects which provide opportunities for students to be involved in the research project. We would like to introduce you to Dr. Ong and her students in a multi-part series exploring their work.

My name is Julia Pawlowski, and I am a first-year graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. I am originally from Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and I attended Marquette for my undergraduate degree. I am a research assistant on the project The Effect of Mindful Prayers on First-Generation Immigrant/Refugee Women’s Wellness: A Qualitative Study. In five years, I see myself completing a Ph.D. Program in counseling psychology. 

My research interests are in multicultural psychology and psychopathology. Specifically, they include the role of acculturation in reinforcing or buffering the impact of stigma, factors that worsen the psychological consequences of microaggressions on mental health among minority groups, and the impact of cultural beliefs/attitudes on identity formation. 

As the child of two immigrants, I grew up in an immigrant/ refugee community that survived by helping one another. Being bicultural has made me aware of cultural sensitivity from a young age, as navigating between my two cultures often left me conflicted. My personal upbringing and acquired psychological knowledge are the reasons I pursued a degree in clinical mental health counseling. I am passionate about helping this population and making a difference in individuals’ lives. I wanted to work with Dr. Ong because of her work regarding immigrant and refugee psychological well-being. 

For more information on our rehabilitation specialization within the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, check out our College of Education 2020 Magazine.

Research In Action: Meet Kathryn Nadkarni

Dr. Leeza Ong, assistant professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department, has two projects which provide opportunities for students to be involved in the research project. We would like to introduce you to Dr. Ong and her students in a multi-part series exploring their work.

My name is Kathryn Nadkarni. I am a second-year master’s student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. I grew up in La Grange Park, IL, and completed my undergrad at Miami University of Ohio (class of 2019). Frankly, I was never particularly interested in doing research after college. I felt that I had “paid my dues” by my two years of research assistantship at Miami, and being that I was not particularly inspired by the path of pursuing a PhD, I felt no need to pursue research at Marquette. That is, until I met Dr. Ong.

Dr. Ong is a selfless, committed individual whose genuine excitement about bridging the gap between practice and research is infectious. She was my professor for my practicum course last year, and I was mesmerized by the way she spoke of her research projects and interests. Later in the spring, she offered an opportunity to lead an art therapy activity with a group of adults with sickle-cell disease, and I jumped at the prospect. Her upbeat attitude, indisputable expertise and hardworking spirit are just some of the reasons that I was intrigued months later by the opportunity to work as her research assistant. There would be no better way to supplement my last year at Marquette than to work with Dr. Ong on a project. We, the research assistants, meet with Dr. Ong weekly to discuss the project and assign tasks to keep it moving. I appreciate that unlike in my undergrad research experience, Dr. Ong truly values our opinions and insights and adopts a hands-on approach. Not only are we utilized as assistants, we are considered integral to her work.

Though this may be my last research experience, and it will end in May when I graduate, I am so grateful for the opportunity to enrich my mind under Dr. Ong’s wing. I hope to work in mental health counseling for the foreseeable future, but I will certainly cherish the lessons I am learning through this research experience. Dr. Ong has truly given me a new perspective on what it means to be investigative and curious, and how to use research in real-time to inform and optimize the way that we practice. 

For more information on our rehabilitation specialization within the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, check out our College of Education 2020 Magazine.

Research In Action: Meet Leah Witthuhn

Dr. Leeza Ong, assistant professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department, has two projects which provide opportunities for students to be involved in the research project. We would like to introduce you to Dr. Ong and her students in a multi-part series exploring their work.

My name is Leah Witthuhn, and I am a first-year student in the general track for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am originally from Appleton, WI and am living in Waukesha. I attended Carroll University for my undergraduate degree. I am working as a research assistant for Dr. Ong. We are currently recruiting participants for our study and are beginning to start collecting data in the form of focus groups. We plan to assist with analyzing the data and writing the manuscript once the project is finished.

My personal research interests focus on sexual trauma and rape myths. In my undergraduate career, I did multiple studies on victim perception and hope to continue researching the effects rape myths have on survivors, as well as how different survivor characteristics (such as sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, etc.) have on resilience and perception of the assault. In addition, my current research with Dr. Ong has me interested in what factors contribute to well-being in other cultures. 

I have always been interested in helping others, and when I found psychology in undergrad I thought counseling was the best way to do that. After working in residence life for most of my undergraduate career, I found a particular connection to helping survivors of trauma. Once I had an idea of a good career path, I knew I needed to continue on and get a degree that would make me effective in helping others. I am working with Dr. Ong because I enjoy research and think it gives counselors more tools to improve. I am also currently considering applying to doctoral programs, in which this experience will help me prepare for that step.

In five years I can see myself down one of two paths. One would be finishing up a doctoral program and preparing for my career. The second would be working either in a residential trauma unit or the trauma floor at a hospital. My primary interest is working with survivors of sexual assault, and I hope that is what I will end up doing.

For more information on our rehabilitation specialization within the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, check out our College of Education 2020 Magazine.

Research In Action: Meet Ashley Jansen

Dr. Leeza Ong, assistant professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department, has two projects which provide opportunities for students to be involved in the research project. We would like to introduce you to Dr. Ong and her students in a multi-part series exploring their work.

My name is Ashley Jansen, and I am a second year graduate student. I did my undergraduate work at Adams State University. My role in Dr. Ong’s research study is to be a resource for athletes who could use counseling, or just someone to talk to and listen to.  

My research interests include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and trauma, perceptions of cross country and track athletes training at high altitude/racing at sea-level, and athletes training at sea-level/racing at high altitude. Sports Psychology inspired me to pursue my degree.

I wish to become a Mental Health Performance Consultant, in private practice, working as a mental health performance consultant with athletes one on one or with teams. I would love to positively impact the lives of as many athletes as I can and to inspire them to become the best versions of themselves, on and off the field. I want to break the stigma that is associated with sports psychology and to continue to make it more mainstream.

For more information on our rehabilitation specialization within the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, check out our College of Education 2020 Magazine.

Research in Action: Meet Allie Perry

Dr. Leeza Ong, assistant professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department, has two projects which provide opportunities for students to be involved in the research project. We would like to introduce you to Dr. Ong and her students in a multi-part series exploring their work.

My name is Allie, and I am a second year in the clinical mental health counseling master’s program with a specialization in child and adolescent counseling here at Marquette. I’m from Wauconda, IL, and I got my undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Iowa. 

I am a part of Dr. Ong’s research project focused on looking into Muslim American’s mental health overall as well as how they are handling COVID-19 as well as movements like Black Lives Matter. My roles include gathering information with my team on what questions to ask in our research, contributing to the writing process, and conducting interviews. 

I was inspired to pursue my degree due to seeing friends and family experience mental health struggles and wanting to help people like them out. I am very interested in how the mind works and I want to be able to help people in my community out. I wanted to work with Dr. Ong on this research project because I am curious on the topic and I see the need to better understand how Muslim Americans experience mental health concerns and current events. I am excited to learn more and to contribute to increasing scientific knowledge on populations that may not always be represented or focused on. After I graduate from my master’s program, I plan to pursue a doctoral degree in counseling psychology. I want to continue to explore multicultural issues and how they can relate to counseling.

For more information on our rehabilitation specialization within the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, check out our College of Education 2020 Magazine.

Attachment and Letting Go

By Dr. Karisse Callender

Why do we form attachments to things and people? I think it’s easier to explain attachment to people, but what about things? What about attachment to thoughts? Are you attached to status or controlling how others see you? There are so many examples, and we may all experience attachment in different ways. Having an attachment doesn’t have to be a bad thing; however, when the attachment causes suffering – that’s when we need to pay closer attention.

We all deserve the commitment to take care of our physical, emotional and spiritual needs. The question is, how do we do it? How do we let go of our attachments enough so we can flourish? How do we change the internal narrative that we attach to? Here are a few suggestions:

• Avoid comparison to others: I know this is easier said than done at times (I’m guilty of it too); however, comparing ourselves just adds to the frustration and increases the urge to hold on to the negative/unhelpful thoughts we have about ourselves. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focus on what you have accomplished and make a quick gratitude list.
• Mindfulness: When we practice mindfulness, we are not focusing on regret about the past and we are not worried about the future. Instead, we are focused on the present moment. Mindfulness can help us to stay grounded when we experience unhelpful or unhealthy thinking and behavior.
• Consider your priorities:Figure out what is important to you and why it is important. When we know why we are doing something we can find more meaning in doing it. When we know the meaning, we can let go of doubting ourselves or constantly questioning “if” you should do it.
• Confide in someone: You can talk with a friend, family member, loved one, a religious leader, or trusted colleague. No matter who you decide to talk with, let the person know what you need from them. You can say “I have a lot going on and I just want to say it out loud and for you to hear me.” When we can share what we struggle with, it can help us to manage our emotional distress.
• Write it out:I always recommend journaling because it’s a great way to do a “thought dump” on paper so you can discover patterns (feelings, thinking, eating, etc). Keeping a journal is also another way to relieve the intensity of feelings.
• Get an accountability partner: Sometimes we need that extra push to snap out of unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. If you know you are trying to change behaviors (eg., reduce social media time) you can let your accountability partner know you’re planning to keep track of the behavior and your plan for working on it. Ask your accountability partner to check in with you periodically. Just be sure this is someone you would appreciate sharing your vulnerable moments and someone you are open to getting feedback from.

What are you attached to? What’s difficult for you to let go? What do you need to recommit to your needs?

“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” 
― Steve Maraboli

Dr. Karisse Callender is an Assistant Professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department within the College of Education. Her research focuses on how mindfulness based interventions may improve wellbeing and quality of life. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.