Mental Illness and Stigma

As we begin our discussion of Psychology, in the first few weeks we will be discussing the issue of Mental Illness. Unfortunately, in our society, there often is a negative stigma associated with conditions described by these terms. The following article is a poignant reminder of the kind of negative impact perpetuating such stigmas can have. As you will see by our class discussion, this is an especially important point given the high number of people in our society who struggle with Mental Illness.

http://wnep.com/2016/08/19/bipolar-did-not-define-katie-father-pens-touching-obituary-for-daughter/


Additionally, in our society healthcare and how it is delivered is changing dramatically. This is true for how Mental Health services are being delivered. Recently, Hillary Clinton was on Long Island and discussed her ideas of policy towards psychological/behavioral health care. The following article will give you a good idea of where we are in terms of the practical aspects of the mental health field:

http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-clinton-proposes-plan-to-address-mental-health-treatment-2016-8

WELCOME STUDENTS, FALL 2016

     Welcome students of the Fall 2016 semester!

I am hoping we have a stimulating and enjoyable semester as you experience the world of Psychology. My goal is to offer students who are willing to work hard an opportunity to be immersed in the world of Psychology, explore topics of interest in more detail, and earn a good grade in the course.  On that note, I would like to share a few ideas of things to focus on to both enhance your course experience and give yourself a chance to obtain the best grade possible:

Homework: It will be important to consistently complete your standing homework assignments. If you do, they will provide you valuable context and reinforcement of class lectures. Your standing homework assignments are:

1.     Keep up with the reading: It is a general assumption you will be doing a reading to accompany the class lectures. This will help enhance your understanding of the material and give you a deeper knowledge of the subject matter

2. Watch the assignment videos: The videos associated with the lectures were designed to provide you more details about different topics as well as reinforce material covered in class. Watching them is an excellent way to enhance your understanding and assist with the process of committing the material to memory for test preparation.

       3. Make sure you are aware of the due dates and requirements for all writing assignments and follow them!!!

4. Stay in touch: Many issues can be resolved earlier in the semester and can make the rest of the semester go much smoother. Make sure you are familiar enough with course expectations to ask the questions early in the semester. Feel free to ask during class time so everyone can get the benefit of the information

 

       5.Check the blog on a regular basis for updates on the class, additional reading assignments, and extra credit opportunities.  

6. Class Participation: Please feel free to share thoughts, ideas, and questions during class. I find class discussion an integral part  of a stimulating learning experience and hope you will be an active participant in the class. 

If you find any websites or resources that are helpful to you in the course please share them with me as my website is a dynamic site and I am always looking for resources that will be useful to students

       YOUR FIRST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT is to familiarize yourself with the website which will be an invaluable resource throughout the semester!