In our rapidly changing world, it is important for businesses of all types to be constantly adapting to their shifting environments. The events of the last year have made this clearer than ever before, as COVID-19 has forced businesses to fundamentally change how they operate and use technology.
In the realm of mental health work, this has mainly manifested in the move to telehealth instead of in-person counseling; however, it has also changed how counseling centers operate behind the scenes and interact with their clients. One of the newest members of the Training Institute’s Board of Trustees, Scott Cooper, is hoping to build on such changes to further bring TI into the modern age. By using lessons he’s learned through many years of working in the world of business, Mr. Cooper aims to improve the way the Institute uses technology to increase its effectiveness and impact on the community it serves.
One of the largest ways in which the job of a therapist stands out from other professions is in its need for personal growth and self-awareness to be effective. By the nature of the profession, practitioners must have a strong understanding of themselves and others in order to do their best work. Because of this, a therapist’s life experiences outside of clinical and academic can often have an outsized impact on their work. A prime example of how such experiences can strengthen one’s clinical work is the Training Institute’s former Director of Development and therapist, Peace Sullivan. Ms. Sullivan did not begin her career in the field of mental health but drew from her life and professional experiences in other realms to make both herself and those she helped train at TI stronger therapists.
As a member of the Training Institute’s board of directors for over 20 years, Stephen O’Connell has been deeply involved with the organization through its many recent accomplishments as well as challenging times. Through this work and his assistance to TI in his primary field of real estate law, Mr. O’Connell has helped ensure the Institute’s continued growth in an increasingly uncertain world. I recently spoke with Mr. O’Connell over the phone to discuss his views on the Training Institute’s past, present, and future.
The death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis in May 2020 has sparked intense conversations about systemic racism in the United States. As protests continue throughout the country and groups continue to push for political, economic, and social changes, many have begun to examine how the status quo contributes to racism and what can be done to better understand, address and repair its impacts.
Mental health professionals and organizations occupy a distinct space in this conversation, having an unparalleled opportunity to understand and help individuals affected by systemic racism. The Training Institute for Mental Health (TI), as with many in the psychological community, are seeking ways to use this position in the best possible way so as to be an ally in this fight. As TI's newly named Executive Director, Fred Aiese, states: "Racism is born of intergenerational transmission of trauma on the micro and macro levels. Acts of overt and covert racism are passed down and encoded from generation to generation. It is incumbent upon us as mental health providers to know this history and be constantly aware of and willing to change our knowledge gaps and biases. Lack of awareness begets enactment."
