COUNSELING IN THE DIGITAL AGE – the good, the bad, and the ugly

1. COUNSELING IN THE DIGITAL AGE – the good, the bad,and the ugly Dr. Archibald Hart Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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”

5. FCC Heralds A New Era of Super Wi –Fi CNN Headlines 9/19/2010

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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”

9. 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

11. 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

12. 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!

13. 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)

14. Digital Nation video

15. 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

16. 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

17. Digital Management • Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd

18. Digital Natives • Born after 1980 • Grown up immersed in the digital world • Brain has been rewired not the same as Digital Immigrant

19. Digital Immigrants • Born before 1980 • The brain of the Digital Native has been re-wired not the same as Digital Immigrant

20. Digital Immigrants 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 Prefer to talk on phone or in person Text sparingly Like manuals with clear steps Work their way up the ladder

21. Digital Immigrants 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 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

23. Digital Immigrants 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 Think of the internet as not “real life” One task or pleasure at a time Safety concerns: Physical kidnapping, assault, robbery

24. Digital Management

25. 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.

26. Dr Phil Video

27. Intentional Digital Living • Managing your technology so it doesn’t manage you ARE you ready to: A – Awaken R – Reclaim E - Engage

28. 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

29. What We Do Online

30. The Digital Diet Pyramid

31. Reclaim – What technology has stolen Practice Digital Detox University of Maryland Study 24 Hours unplugged

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. Question and Answer