counseling in the digital age – the good, the bad, and the ugly
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COUNSELING IN THE DIGITAL AGE – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Dr. Archibald Hart Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd. Dr. Archibald Hart. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
COUNSELING COUNSELING IN THE DIGITAL AGE IN THE DIGITAL AGE – the good, the – the good, the bad,bad,and the uglyand the ugly
Dr. Archibald Hart
2 TIMOTHY 3: 1 – 4 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful …lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Have nothing to do with them
Introduction
Digital technology is expanding AND changing life and many professions
Counselors and mental health professionals need to stay informed about the health and emotional risks of digital/technological world
Problem: Counseling and coaching is also going digital – using internet, cell phone, special “APPS”, Facebook, eCounseling etc
Counselors on line profiles aren’t private
Change is coming not just to HOW we counsel, but WHAT and WHO we counsel
How is God’s world changing?
A BRAVE NEW WORLD? Huxley’s novel 1932 portraying a Utopian new world of technology controlling every aspect - trying to predict where the world was going
1959 he wrote “Brave New World Revisited”
“It has happened faster than I predicted”
He never anticipated the effect the “Digital Revolution” would have on accelerating change in our “not so brave new world”
FCC Heralds A New Era of Super Wi –FiCNN Headlines 9/19/2010
Technology problems
Center for Internet and Technology Addiction: ”Internet and portable devices have a healthy role to play in our information age. However, the very nature of the internet also lends itself to overuse and abuse, encouraging behaviors that are counter productive, isolating and disruptive to ourselves, our families, and community”
Etiology of new psychopathologies
Mark Bauerlein. Emory University The Dumbest Generation
The arrival of instant gratification go-go-go digital age has resulted in a collective loss of context and history, a neglect of ‘enduring ideas’ – a brazen disregard of books and reading
Instead of using the Web to learn about the wide world, the young use it to gossip about each other and follow pop culture
2/3 of US undergrads now score 30% higher on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory
Nicholas Carr Harvard The Shallows
After assessing many psychological, behavioral, and neurological studies of internet use: “internet over-use is making us shallow thinkers”
“When we dip in and out of emails, text messages, Google Alerts, Facebook, Twitter and other fast-information sources we understand less than those who focus and concentrate for longer periods of time … we may feel we are performing better, but are often less creative and less productive”
Digital Technology Myths
Myth 1: We are designed for multitasking
Myth 2: The faster the brain works, the better
Myth 3: We can use drugs to speed up the brain (overuse of Adderal and other ADHD stimulants) and chemically engineer happier brains
Important Issues
What effect is digital/technology having on people, values and relationships – good and bad?
What new challenges, problems, and psychopathologies are now emerging?
Counselors, coaches and pastors need to be aware and proactive regarding these new challenges
WHAT NEW PSYCHOPATHOLOGIES ARE EMERGING?
Computer technology has good to offer
But scientists universally agree: “A relentless digital world is Re-wiring our brains” Nicholas Carr. The Shallows
Dramatic changes in brain function will impact Christian Counseling – for the good and for the bad!
THE MULTITASKING GENERATION
Humans can attend to several things at once. Driving & listening to music. Cooking & talking on phone. This is not multitasking
Fred Harburg (Air Force instructor pilot): “Good pilots are NOT multitaskers.” NASA scientists concluded that attempting to split attention is deadly for a pilot – good at sequencing, not splitting attention
WHY DO WE THINK IT’S GOOD? (Overcomes boredom)
Digital Nation video
GROWING NEW ADDICTIONS
Internet gaming addiction
Compulsive gambling (online)
Pornography (soft and virtual)
“Virtual” world games (parents raised a virtual baby, while neglecting real child)
Constant stimulation addiction (texting)
Social networking addiction
TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION LEADS TO SLEEP LOSS
Kids sneak comps and phones into bed – still active 3 or 4 a.m.
Overuse of internet has addictive quality, feeding compulsive or impulsive disorders
Need at least 9 and1/2 hours sleep – getting 5 or 6
Obsession extends into college, adult year
Need for digital management
Digital Management
Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd
Digital Natives
Born after 1980
Grown up immersed in the digital world
Brain has been rewired not the same as Digital Immigrant
Digital Immigrants
Born before 1980
The brain of the Digital Native has been re-wired not the same as Digital Immigrant
Digital Immigrants
Prefer to talk on phone or in person
Text sparingly
Like manuals with clear steps
Work their way up the ladder
Digital Natives
Prefer to text, chat or Facebook
Text more than call
Like to figure it out intuitively
Many careers. Want balance with friends, family and activities
Digital Immigrants
Value proper English
Tell friends about a trip on phone, or with in person slideshow
Use internet to gather information
Think young people waste their lives online
Digital Natives
Use texting and I.M. shorthand (lol, omg)
Tell friends about a trip by posting an album online
Use web to socialize, play, watch videos
Many aspect of life are happening only online
Digital Immigrants
Think of the internet as not “real life”
One task or pleasure at a time
Safety concerns: Physical kidnapping, assault, robbery
Digital Natives
Internet is as real, and often more pleasurable than offline life
Several tasks or recreation at a time: Watch TV, text, study
Safety concerns: Sexting, inappropriate pictures online, cyber stalking, privacy
Digital Management
Impact of Digital World on Family
Kids from 8-18 spend 7 hrs 38 mins a day using entertainment media Kaiser Family Foundation
53 hours a week. More than a full-time work week
Don’t get enough sleep
“We need to understand that when children spend this much time on media it will affect them – for good or bad.” President of Kaiser Family
We need to give childhood back to children.
Dr Phil Video
Intentional Digital Living
Managing your technology so it doesn’t manage you
ARE you ready to:
A – Awaken
R – Reclaim
E - Engage
Digital Diet
Awaken - Assess your relationship with technology What is your ‘overuse’ medium of
choice? How much time? Use a journal. How do you feel before and after?
Balanced diet of time online and offline
What We Do Online
The Digital Diet Pyramid
Reclaim – What technology has
stolen
Practice Digital Detox
University of Maryland Study24 Hours unplugged
Engage with Real Connections
Un - social network?
Keeping up the Facebook façade “image management” “persona”
Facebook feeds self promotion, narcissism, comparing, contrasting, competing, depression
Successes feel diminished, failures amplified
Face to face connection is missing
Digital Damage to Spiritual Health
Brain health is crucial to spiritual health
Technology and the digital world is creating a brain that affects the pre-frontal cortex, limiting reflection, contemplation and meditation
Protect and develop the health of the pre-frontal cortex to have the mind of Christ and healthy spirituality
Making Space for God
Spiritual practices that foster the mind’s development and an integrated pre-frontal cortex
Silence Letting go of our inner distractions
Solitude Letting go of our outer distractions
Surrender To receive God’s best for your life
USE DIGITAL FORMS OF COUNSELING RESPONSIBLY
Secular counseling identifies emerging issues that will shape future counselor training. (e.g. Wesley Erwin of Minnesota State University) 59% college students are internet
addicted 55% been victims of internet sexual
predator Worsening of interpersonal skills
Question and Answer