Can you be both homophobic and a good counselor?

Happy Monday! Let's talk about the First Amendment. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states, among other things, that the government shall make no law that interferes with freedom of speech or expression of religion.

At Augusta State University in Georgia, graduate student Jennifer Keeton has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that her First Amendment rights have been violated. Jennifer claims that the school has threatened to expel her for refusing to complete workshops that conflict with her religious beliefs. She also alleges that Augusta State is trying to force her to change her beliefs.

So what exactly are Jennifer Keeton's beliefs? Jennifer believes that homosexuality is both immoral and a lifestyle choice. Jennifer's classmates have also reported that she believes in "conversion therapy" for homosexual clients. Jennifer is also enrolled in a counseling Master's program. Since counselors may counsel clients from very diverse backgrounds, it is important for counselors to be sensitive to issues concerning multiculturalism, including sexual orientation. The professors and staff have told Jennifer that it is important to acquire these skills in order to be an effective counselor. Jennifer has responded by saying that her belief system will not impact her ability to counsel gay and lesbian clients.

I have previously mentioned that I recently completed a Master's in Counseling program. One of the required courses was titled Cross-Cultural Awareness in Counseling. This was a required course. If I did not complete this course, I would not be eligible for graduation or my degree. My opinion (which aligns with Jennifer Keeton's professors) is that one cannot effectively counsel other individuals without some understanding about how to be sensitive to issues surrounding gender, race, religion, age, socio-econmoic status, and sexual orientation.

Earlier this month, two gay men in Atlanta were beaten and robbed at gunpoint. Not three hours from Augusta, it is not outside the realm of possibility that one of these men could make a counseling appointment with Jennifer Keeton. Would she show unconditional positive regard and empathy, or would she tell him that he was robbed because of a "lifestyle choice" and that he should seek conversion therapy?

It takes a tremendous amount of courage to seek counseling. Many individuals who desperately need mental health services never seek them because of the fear of stigma and prejudice from friends, family and co-workers. How would you feel about going to a counselor who believed that the way you are is immoral and wrong?

When the "F" on your report card means "Fat"

It seems that Massachusetts is on the front line for controversial education reforms. Remember a few weeks ago when the Provincetown school district decided to update their condom policy? Well, if nothing else, Massachusetts is giving us plenty to think about!

Now from Medway, Massachusetts, there is a new trend. Schools have started weighing students, calculating their Body Mass Index (BMI) and then sending home a "Fitness Report Card" to parents. An angry mother took information to a Fox News TV station in Boston. A Fox News correspondent offered the opinion that this new policy demonstrates a "lack of respect" for the parents and pediatricians responsible for making heath decisions for the students.

Obesity in children and teens has been big in the news lately. First Lady Michelle Obama has been promoting a campaign to end childhood obesity, and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has started his Food Revolution campaign to change the way we eat in the United States. Obviously obesity in teens has huge implications for their physical health.

But what about mental health? Studies show that obese teens are more likely to be bullied than peers of a normal weight. In addition, bullying can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. These mental health problems can last well into one's adult years. Even if an overweight teenager loses weight, the insecurities do not necessarily go away.

Chances are, overweight teens already know they are larger than their peers. Is a Fitness/Fatness report card necessary? Will it do more harm than good? Or, conversely, is this the catalyst needed to propel parents to help their children lead healthier lives?

Nothing says "trendy" like belly panels and bootcut maternity jeans

Do you shop at Forever 21? Although I am pretty far outside their demographic (trendy dressed tweens and teens) I will admit the store does have one quality I find appealing: dirt-cheap clothing.

Forever 21 just announced a new line of clothing and is promoting feverishly online. The website images are of a youthful blonde model wistfully looking down at her pregnant belly beneath the slogan "Meet the newest addition to our family"(See image above).

A pregnant model? That's right, Forever 21 is expanding their brand by including a new line of maternity wear. Called Love 21, the clothing line includes bootcut and skinny jeans that accommodate a pregnant belly, as well as a number of trendy tops and large purses designed to hold all of one's "Maternity Essentials." The clothing line is available in five states: Arizona, Alaska, California, Utah, and Texas. Bloggers at The Gloss pointed out that three of these states (Arizona, California, and Texas) have some of the highest teenage pregnancy rates nationwide.

How common is teen pregnancy? For starters, the United States has more teen pregnancies than any other industrialized nation. According to the CDC, there are about one-million teenage pregnancies annually. Most of these pregnancies are unintended.

Forever 21 is receiving a great deal of attention as a result of their new Love 21 line. On the Facebook page of The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, a debate has started about whether or not the clothing line is encouraging and/or glamorizing teen pregnancy. As of today at 12:15pm, the responses seem to indicate that most consumers feel that this relates to consumer demand, such as creating a line of plush-size clothing. One woman writes: "It does not promote teen pregnancy. No One [sic] with any fashion sense gets pregnant for the clothes! I agree it is a business that is simply looking to fill a niche in the market." Another contributor states "I think the visibility it is bringing to teen pregnancy makes people uncomfortable with the fact that it means there is a market."

With over one-million teen pregnancies a year, it does in fact seem like there is a market for maternity clothing. But just because there is a market, it does not mean that there should be a market. What are we doing to prevent teenage pregnancy?

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2/3 of all teenagers who have a baby will not graduate high school. According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the following needs to happen:

• Strengthen a culture of personal responsibility regarding sex, getting pregnant, and bringing children into the world, as well as strengthening the practice of always using contraception when you aren’t ready to have a child;


• Support responsible policies that will increase the use of contraception, particularly by those who cannot afford it and by those at greatest risk for having an unplanned pregnancy; and
  
• Provide more education to teens, parents, and young adults in their 20s that encourages them to take sex and pregnancy seriously, stresses personal responsibility and respectful relationships, and includes extensive information about contraception

Here's an idea: What if 100% of the profits of the Love 21 Maternity line was donated to organizations committed to comprehensive sex education, such as the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, and Planned Parenthood?

What do you think? Is Forever 21 glamorizing pregnancy or simply filling a niche in the market?

Energy drinks + Booze = Underage Drinking?

I've never understood the appeal of energy drinks. Don't misunderstand, I consume as much caffeine as every other American, which is about 3 cups of coffee per day. My buzz comes from coffee with nonfat milk, and occasionally a latte. I am not really a mocha-caramel-blendy-sugar-free-frappe-venti kind of person. I have always thought that energy drinks taste something like watered-down cough syrup, so they have never replaced coffee as my pick-me-up of choice.

Apparently, I am in the minority. Energy drinks are incredibly popular, especially among teens and young adults. Over one-third 12-to 24-year-olds say they consume energy drinks on a regular basis, which generates more than $3 billion in annual sales in the United States. Energy drinks typically have twice the caffeine as a a caffeinated cola beverage, but still not as much as a cup of coffee. The problem is that energy drinks are cold, and therefore easier to guzzle than a hot cup of Starbucks, so people tend to drink greater quantities faster.

In addition to Red Bull, Amp, and Monster, alcoholic energy drinks such as Sparks, Tilt, Four Loko, and Joose have surged in popularity over the last few years. According to a study in the medical journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, those who consume energy drinks and alcohol together often feel less drunk due to the large quantity of caffeine.

So what does this have to do with underage drinking? New York Senator Charles Schumer is urging the Federal Trade Commission to look at how these products are being marketed to young people. "He said 24-ounce cans of Four Loko and Joose are designed to appear hip with flashy colors and funky designs with appeal to younger consumers. They come in flavors such as grape and orange and can cost as little as $2.50 a can." Schumer states that these colorful drink containers may confuse parents, police officers, and even store employees, making it easier for underage drinkers to secure access to alcohol.

Despite the fact that it is illegal to sell alcohol to minors, teens are still getting their hands on the dangerous mix of caffeine and alcohol. In March, four teens from White Plains, New York landed in the hospital with alcohol poisoning after downing the fruity flavored Four Loko. Considering the beverage reportedly tastes like soda and has twice as much alcohol as beer, it does not seem far fetched that a young person might consume too much.

So other than underage drinking and the risk of alcohol poisoning, what is the real danger? Recently, alcohol and energy drink consumption was studied at ten North Carolina colleges. According to Dr. Mary Claire O’Brien, associate professor at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., college students who consume alcohol and energy drinks are far more likely to be injured or require medical treatment while drinking as opposed to peers who only consumed alcohol. Researchers also discovered that those who mixed energy drinks with alcohol were more likely to be victims or perpetrators of sexual assault.

Have you ever tried one of these alcoholic energy drinks? Are they easy for underage drinkers to score? What can adults do to keep teens safe?

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How can I "pull myself up by my bootstraps" if I don't have any bootstraps?

Despite spending two solid years doing nothing but grad school papers and grant proposals, I must admit I really enjoy doing research. I love pawing over breaking news and obscure articles trying to find something new and exciting that I can share with everyone. I have been told that this impedes my efforts to shed my nerdy image.

This morning I was perusing the Associated Press breaking news and I stumbled across this headline:

Minority children have fewer advantages

Seriously? It took a nationwide survey to determine this?

To give you some background, professionals who work with young people were surveyed. The professionals were asked to rate how many advantages were available to the youth clients they served. They asked these professionals about access to quality health care, education, safe homes and neighborhoods, and community support. Not surprisingly, it was found that white youth have more advantages than Latino/Hispanic, Arab American, Native American, African American and Asian American/Pacific Islander youth.

To be completely honest (since reading this on the Internet isn't exactly the same as a face-to-face conversation) I am a white woman. Yesterday at the latest Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition meeting, we unexpectedly spent a great deal of time discussing the fact that I happen to be facilitating a group of culturally, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse youth.

Like many other professionals, I strive to be more culturally sensitive. Despite our efforts, I often see many professionals with the attitude that those experiencing tremendous hardship simply need to "work harder" or as I have heard all too frequently "pull themselves up by their bootstraps." Perhaps this survey was needed now more than ever. If I don't have the same opportunities and everyone else, how can I work hard enough to achieve the same outcome? How can I "pull myself up by my bootstraps" if I don't have any bootstraps?

The other interesting fact mentioned in this survey is that children of all ages from low-income families, regardless of race, have less opportunities than those from middle-class to upper-middle class households. Once again, this feels like "Your delivery of obvious has arrived" but I do think it warrants repeating. This is why nonprofits committed to ending the cycle of poverty are more important now than ever.

You may now be feeling I have overstayed my welcome on my soapbox, or have at the very least failed to connect this survey to the mission of the SCPOC: promoting awareness about mental health issues and risks for mental illness. Although not explicitly mentioned in the survey, the lack of opportunities mentioned can all put youth at risk for mental health problems.

The National Center for Children in Poverty reports:

• 21% of low-income children and youth ages 6 through 17 have mental health problems


• 13% of children from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds receive mental health services


• 88% of Latino children have unmet mental health needs


• 85% of children and youth in need of mental health services in the child welfare system do not receive them

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Youth who have been exposed to violence in their homes and communities, such as witnessing or being the victim of physical or sexual abuse, drive-by shootings, muggings, or other disasters, are at elevated risk for the following mental health disorders:

• depression


• ADD/ADHD


• anxiety


• conduct disorders


• eating disorders
  

It is time for everyone to really consider how poverty impacts youth. It is time to stop assuming that people in low-income households simply need to work harder to have the same opportunities as everyone else. It is time to recognize that lack of quality health care, violence in the home and/or community, and lack of community support can have a devastating outcome on the mental well-being of an entire generation.

I implore you: what can we do about poverty?

More Sex Education Controversy

This time of year schools nationwide are making adjustments to curriculum and various school policies. Last week the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition told you about Provincetown school district and the school's proposed policy to allow access to condoms to all students, even those as young as 6 years old. Now the school district is facing harsh criticism from parents and local politicians and is rethinking the entire policy.

So now let's take a look at Helena, Montana. Helena Public Schools has proposed a new health curriculum that outlines comprehensive sex education for grades K through 12. Highlights of the curriculum include:

First grade: Students are taught that people can love people of the same gender

Second grade: Students are taught that it is wrong to make fun of people by saying the words "gay" and "queer"

Third grade: Students are taught that the media often presents an unrealistic image of marriage, love, and what it means to be male and female

Fourth grade: Students are taught about the risks of online chatting

Fifth grade: Students are taught about vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse

6th-8th grades: Students are taught about abortion, STIs, and contraception

9th-12th grades: Students are taught about erotic images in art can reflect society's views on sexuality

Wow! The curriculum as a whole is quite comprehensive. More than anything I love the fact that students are being taught from early on the importance of tolerance and cultural sensitivity. Teachers can be truly instrumental in halting hate-driven language in classrooms. Teaching this to children early on can prevent problems in middle school and high school.

Of course, the entire curriculum is sparking controversy. Some feel that the language for fifth graders is too mature. Others commented that the curriculum conflicts with religious views about premarital sex and marriage, mainly in regards to the open discussion about homosexuality and sexual preference.

If you need some reading material, here is a PDF of the entire curriculum. The sex education curriculum is on page 45.

What do you think? Is this curriculum appropriate or has Helena Public Schools gone too far?

Well, that bites.

Are we too lovey-dovey over here at the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition? I mean seriously, all this talk about oxytocin and bonding and cuddling? I think someone just shouted "Get a room!"

If our last topic really wasn't your scene, here's a new trend you can really sink your teeth into. All puns aside, have you heard of love bites? This teen trend spawned by the "Twilight" series and the population's obsession with vampires is taking hickeys one step further. Teens are slowing affection and ownership of friends and significant others by biting the skin, leaving a mark, and possibly drawing blood. According to teens interviewed for the CBS News story, love bites are "a way to belong to somebody," to mark one's territory, and to show love and devotion to each other.

Um, ouch? What happened to hand-holding and kissing? I don't remember biting my friends when "Interview With The Vampire" came out in theaters!

Since we are all about the teen health here at the POC, here's something else for you to chew on (last pun, I promise!): whenever you expose yourself to blood, you expose yourself to blood-borne diseases such as HIV, and hepatitis B and C. Nothing like showing your love for a friend by giving them a disease, right?

What do you think of this emerging trend? Do you bite your friends or does this trend just bite?

Alright, alright. No more puns....


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Can Facebook and Twitter make you a nicer person?

I did not go to graduate school to become a blogger. The transition from high school guidance counseling to online mental health awareness promotion has been strange, but largely enjoyable. Although I have found this experience fun and exciting, many I know in the human services field have questioned this career shift. I was recently asked "By only supporting teens online as opposed to working with teens face-to-face, don't you think you are cutting out all human emotion and compassion from the equation?"

Ouch.

Despite the anti-social stigma associated with social media, it turns out that using sites such as Facebook and Twitter can make you feel more connected, generous, and affectionate. It all boils down to oxytocin.

Oxy-who? Oxytocin is also known as the cuddle hormone. Know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you hug or kiss someone? That's oxytocin. Ever hear about how mother and child bond during breastfeeding? Once again, oxytocin is responsible.

So what does this have to do with tweeting? Paul J. Zak at Claremont Graduate University discovered that interacting with people via social media causes oxytocin levels to rise substantially while simultaneously decreasing stress hormones. In other words, using Twitter and Facebook to connect with people releases those same feel-good chemicals you would get by hanging out in person.

So how does this make you a nicer person? According to Zak, research indicates that people are more empathetic when their oxytocin levels go up. They may be more kind, fair, and honest. Also, these results last about an hour after the initial social media interaction occurred!

The Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition is on both Facebook and Twitter! I wish I could say that posting to our page or following our tweets will make you a nicer person...but alas, Zak's sample size was a bit too small for us to consider this as credible research.

If nothing else, checking out our social media will leave you will that delightful, warm and fuzzy feeling you get from oh-so-wonderful oxytocin...and you never have to leave your computer or change out of your pajamas! No worries; we don't judge and we don't tell. We are pretty happy here at the POC. It must be all that Facebooking/tweeting/blogging we do!

Thinking about drinking and driving this weekend?

I shouldn't have to tell you that driving under the influence is a phenomenally bad idea, but if there was ever a weekend to be sober on the road it is Fourth of July weekend.

Although people usually consider New Years Eve to be the deadliest day on the road, Fourth of July weekend accounts for 43 percent of all alcohol related deaths. In other words, Fourth of July weekend is the deadliest weekend of the year.

It may seem like this message is purely for the young adults (21 and up) who follow the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition, but there are plenty of underage drinkers getting behind the wheel too! According to the CDC, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had a BAC of 0.08% or higher. Since motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among youth ages 15-20, that means over a quarter of these deaths are attributed to alcohol.

What else should you know if you are driving this weekend? Well, if you live in Sonoma County, you should be prepared for County-wide DUI checkpoints all weekend. The first is scheduled for Friday night in Santa Rosa. So, if you are driving under the influence this weekend know this:

If you are 21 or older and have a BAC of 0.08% or higher you will lose your license for 4 months.

If you are under the age of 21 and you have a BAC of 0.01% (that's barely anything at all) you will lose your license for 1 year!

The entire Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition wishes everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend. So, how are you going to stay safe this weekend? Comment on our Facebook page and let us know and you will be entered into our contest of the month! We can't wait to hear your tips!