AMHCA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
JUNE 22 – 24 , 2022 LINQ HOTEL , LAS VEGAS continued from page 20
THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE : Do you think the changes brought by COVID — greater use of telehealth , working from home , and self-care — will have staying power once COVID wanes , or will we revert to the way things had been ?
Dr . Shannon Hodges : There ’ s no going back . We ’ re headed toward a new normal , not an old normal . And in mental health care , that means a lot of people who willcontinue to want the convenience and privacy of telemedicine . I don ’ t believe that it ’ s quite as good for most people , but it does bring in some people who might not otherwise come in . I also think COVID has really exacerbated mental health issues . My own hypothesis is that a lot of those mental health issues existed prior to COVID . COVID has certainly added mental health issues , but it also has pushed a lot of people forward to get services they needed before COVID .
And of course , some people will want to come in person because they want the more personal touch . What I would say about self-care is that it ’ s part of our Code of Ethics . It is wise to be mindful , for example , but it ’ s more than that . In fact , I would say that poor self-care is the most violated of all the provisions in the Code of Ethics . Partly because you can get away with it for a longer period of time . I know about that personally — I almost burned out early in my career . I thought I had a good self-care plan and I clearly did not . When I look back on it , I was really unhealthy . I just didn ’ t know .
THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE : How did you make the change ?
Dr . Shannon Hodges : I was working at an inpatient psychiatric center and got assaulted twice . One was by a little kid , but another one was serious . And nobody seemed to care . I don ’ t think they didn ’ t care . I just think it was a tough , physically risky job with patients who had low impulse control . Here ’ s how we would deal with things : We ’ d go out and drink alcohol . And I thought , I ’ ve got to get out . I ’ ve got to get a less risky job . I ’ m going to have to make changes . And I did , slowly .
THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE : Clinical mental health counselors work so privately — it ’ s you and your client and a closed door . I see the appeal of connecting with people after work .
Dr . Shannon Hodges : You take on a lot of vicarious trauma . Burnout and compassion fatigue are high among a lot of counselors , social workers , etc . And it has gotten higher since COVID . Counselor selfcare is a critical component of practice .
THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE : What can the clinical mental health counseling profession do to better distinguish it from the other mental health professions ?
Dr . Shannon Hodges : The public is always going to be confused . There ’ s a lot of overlap . So , we need to continue to talk about what we do , continue to publicize it . Here in New York , social workers ’ strongest state , we still achieved licensure ( despite extreme opposition ). We ’ ve also gotten into inpatient settings that wouldn ’ t even take our interns formerly . The second thing is we ’ ve got to improve our license . So just keep working . Our AMHCA state chapter , NYMHCA — headed by Judy Ritterman — has done a great job . I can ’ t say enough about Judy and her staff . We ’ re going to be in VA hospitals , we ’ ll continue to work in medical centers and clinics , etc ., and people will continue to be confused . They just will .
Attend Dr . Hodges ’ keynote address on Thursday , June 23 , 2022 , 10:30 a . m .– noon :
“ Counselors Get Ready , There ’ s a Train That ’ s Coming : Journeying Toward Success in a Dynamic Era ”
THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE : What would you like attendees at the AMHCA conference to take away from your keynote ?
Dr . Shannon Hodges : They definitely won ’ t go to sleep . They will be active . I ’ m going to start with an energizer run right off the bat . I want them to have to be active learners . I ’ m going to have some fun and I want them to have some fun .
So come in !
THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE : Is there anything we didn ’ t cover that you ’ d like to add ?
Dr . Shannon Hodges : Two things . Number one , remember that we ’ ve come a long way as a profession — as mental health counselors and as part of the broader team of counselors in general .
The other thing is that if you ’ re going to be successful in life as a counselor — as a staff member , as a parent , as a friend — it ’ s all about attitude . Part of that attitude is encountering the meaning in your life . I will also talk about that in my keynote . If you aren ’ t able to create meaning , you ’ re not going to be a good counselor — or anything else . That ’ s also the best protection against burnout .
Interview by Kathleen McCarthy , The Advocate Magazine
The 21Advocate The Advocate Magazine Magazine 2022 , Issue 2022 # 1 , Issue American # 1 American Mental Health Mental Counselors Health Counselors Association Association ( AMHCA )( AMHCA ww . amhca ) ww . org . amhca 21 . org