Mike Langlois's Blog, page 2

Crusades

Recently, and frequently, I have heard colleagues describe me as being on “a crusade” about video games and technology.  On no occasion has it been used in an attempt to speak positively about my work, but it did get me reflecting on crusades in general. In many ways, the term Crusade has always been used […]

Works, Life and Marshmallows: Iterative Design

They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single marshmallow.  Ok, I say that, and more specifically I am talking about your life, job or relationship rather than a journey.  I am coming back to my practice from a brief sabbatical, and have been noticing that while many things are going to […]

No Matter How You Feel, You Still Failed

Psychotherapists are often people who prefer to deal with feelings in their workings with people.  Feelings are important, and being empathically attuned to how patients are feeling is equally important.  We are taught to explore the patient’s feelings, imagine ourselves into their lived experience, and validate that experience. This is often where we become disconnected […]

Reality Testing & The 7 Billion Rule

In this video, I discuss the ego function of reality testing, how it affects us, and ways to cope with distortions in it.  This is also another example of how I use technology, in particular YouTube as a transitional object for patients, allowing them to continue to remember our work together without compromising any of […]

Obama, Selfies, Projections & Death

In this video Mike Langlois, LICSW gives an analysis of what the furor around President Obama’s selfie at Mandela’s funeral could say, not about him, but us.     Like this post? I can speak in person too, check out the Press Kit for Public Speaking info. And, for only $4.99 you can buy my book. You can also Subscribe to […]

Selfie Esteem

  “Photographs do not explain, they acknowledge.” –Susan Sontag Last month, the Oxford Dictionary made the word “selfie” not only an official word, but their word of the year for 2013.  Defining selfie as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social […]

The Changing Landscape of Social Work

Recently I had the great opportunity to be a scholar-in-residence at The University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work.  For three days I met with students, faculty and staff to speak about emerging technologies ranging from Twitter to video games.  During one morning, Dean Nancy Smyth and I sat down for a series of informal […]

First Thoughts on Snapchat

Because my vision for my work is to help integrate emerging technologies with clinical social work and psychotherapy, I don’t have the luxury of relying on moral panic for my information when a new social media arrives. Actually, I’m a bit late to the game with Snapchat, which has been around since September 2011. But […]

Extra Life

Earlier this year, my co-therapist Boo had to have an emergency surgery at Mass Vet Referral Hospital.  She came through it with flying colors, but I was reminded of how important hospitals are every day, even though I may not use one every day.  And then on Marathon Monday, Boston citizens and the world received […]

Intervening With Student Facebook Use On A School-Wide Level

Many social workers, psychotherapists and counselors work as consultants to school districts, either as school employees or visiting experts.  That said, 21st century mental health providers are often lax in providing strong consultation about improving digital literacy and digital citizenship.  A few mental health “experts” provide consultation in the form of hysteric responses.  “PROTECT THE […]