Marylou Reflection Padlet/Artifacts by

Unit 1: Assignment 1: Introduction and Assessing Prior Knowledge

mgomez68_2 — 2025-01-30 04:12:52 UTC

Hello, my name is Marylou, and I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling. One of my personal goals in achieving this degree is to become the first person in my family to earn a Master’s. Professionally, I aspire to be a school counselor because I believe our children are the future. They need to have support in processing their concerns, which can help them grow into great individuals. I hope to gain a deeper understanding of trauma through this Intro to Trauma class and learn how to address it in a healthy and healing manner, not only for myself but also for my current and future patients/clients. I am excited about the opportunity to learn and connect with others who are on a similar path toward counseling.

What I learned in this session about prior knowledge is that many young people struggle with mental health issues and experience thoughts of suicide. While I wasn't completely surprised by this, seeing the statistics has motivated me even more to pursue my degree and return to support these students.

Unit 1: Assignment 4: Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders

mgomez68_2 — 2025-02-10 04:49:03 UTC

Unfortunately, I was unable to complete this assignment due to technical difficulties with my Excel software. However, I found it interesting to learn about the various types of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, substance use disorders, and eating disorders. The disorder that stood out to me the most was seasonal depression. I can relate to experiencing seasonal depression during the fall and winter months. The longer nights and reduced sunlight make me feel more tired, sleepy, and depressed.

Seasonal depression can impact individuals due to various factors, including their location, genetics, age, sex, lifestyle choices, stress levels, social and environmental influences, personal responses to seasonal changes, and the presence of other mental health issues (Calmerry, 2023).

Unit 2: Assignment 2: Developmental Discussion on Trauma

mgomez68_2 — 2025-02-15 03:00:51 UTC

Throughout this course, we explored different types of trauma, including early childhood trauma, adolescent trauma, adult trauma, elderly trauma, and everyday trauma and disasters-and the effects they can have on the brain. I was most interested in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). I had no idea ACE existed until I read about it in this course. It is a form of childhood trauma that occurs between 0 and 17 years of age. As a result of taking the ACE test, I scored a 6, which surprised me and brought back a lot of memories for me. I was able to see more clearly why the things I struggle with now are related to my childhood. It would have been helpful if my parents and I were introduced to this information or if it was discussed more in school to help people like me who have struggled with mental health live healthier lives and have a positive outlook on the future. Learning about different types of trauma helped me understand trauma a bit more than I did before this course.

Unit 3: Assignment 1: Psychological First Aid Online Certificate

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 02:46:39 UTC

I appreciated the practical skills I gained in this 5-hour disaster relief course. Learning to approach individuals in crisis, by observing, introducing myself, considering cultural differences, assessing needs, ensuring safety, and providing information was invaluable. This approach is essential for building trust and effectively connecting people with needed assistance.

Unit 1: Assignment 1: Introduction and Assessing Prior Knowledge

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 02:51:31 UTC

https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

Unit 1: Assignment 4: Reference guide for Mental Health Disorders

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 02:51:37 UTC

This was the template used for the assignment. Unfortunately, I encountered technical issues with Excel.

Skurat, K. (2024, February 8). Seasonal affective disorder: Symptoms, causes, and treatment. Calmerry. https://calmerry.com/blog/depression/seasonal-depression-sad-symptoms-causes-treatments/

Unit 2: Assignment 2: Developmental Discussion on Trauma

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 02:51:43 UTC

More information about ACE and how it can benefit you an your family.

Preventing adverse childhood experiences (aces). (n.d.). https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/82316/cdc_82316_DS1.pdf

Unit 3: Assignment 1: Psychological First Aid Online Certificate

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 02:51:48 UTC

Psychological first aid (PFA) online. NCTSN Learning Center. (n.d.). https://learn.nctsn.org/course/view.php?id=596§ion=3

Unit 3: Assignment 2: Crisis Prevention & Threat Assessment

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 03:08:00 UTC

For this assignment, I collaborated with classmates on a shared interest: combating adolescent sex trafficking. We researched available resources and developed strategies to help educate the community on recognizing and preventing this critical issue.

Unit 3: Assignment 3: ABC Crisis Model

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 03:30:38 UTC

This assignment was a vital step in preparing me for my future role as a counselor. It provided practical experience in using counseling skills to help people in real life situations. Specifically, I practiced identifying client needs, building rapport, and developing strategies to address their concerns. This assignment showed me how to move from theory to practice, and how to effectively respond to clients needs

Unit 3: Assignment 2: Crisis Prevention & Threat Assessment

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 03:34:29 UTC

Adolescence Sex Trafficking Reference/Info slides

Unit 3: Assignment 3: ABC Crisis Module

mgomez68_2 — 2025-03-03 03:36:53 UTC

Attached is the Case Study and the steps that were taken to identify the problems and make out a plan to better assist.