The Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida provides mental health services and programs throughout the region. For over 55 years, it has educated the community on mental wellness through various initiatives and community partnerships. Despite economic challenges, the organization has been able to fully fund its programs and services this year through community support and a small, multi-talented staff. It looks to continue innovative programming that educates through entertainment. The obituary section remembers Pedro A. Placeres, a devoted family man and dedicated employee.

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Educating Southwest Florida on Mental Wellness since 1957
55 Years of
providing Services August 2012
throughout
SWFL
Southwest Florida Continues to
Support the MHA
Though our area is slowly re- progressive programming which
Coming Events: covering from difficult eco- educates through entertainment
nomic times the MHA of and activity.
♦ August 4, 2012 Southwest Florida has We are striving to continue this
shooting for the stars continued make the most of our
process in our next year’s lineup
Basketball Clinic resources to provide programs,
and hope to improve and
services and support to the
♦ August 11, 2012 increase awareness on all
community by maintaining a
Putting Children First small multi talented staff, low fronts. We have also greatly
|overhead, utilizing volunteers, increased our visibility by
♦ August 25, 2012 and by doing cost and viability producing a monthly informative
Putting Children First analysis of initiatives. Through and educational newsletters,
♦September 8, 2012 the generosity of community newsflash emails on a regular
businesses and residents we basis, radio and television
Putting Children First
have had all of our initiatives appearances informing the
♦September 22, 2012 and programs this year fully public of our programs and
Putting Children First supported. We also have
mission, and newspaper articles
great community partners and
with vital information .
professionals that have made
programs available to the We look forward to continuing
area by combining our our efforts and Thank You for
resources and areas of your support.
expertise. This year we also
tried to provide innovative and
Support Groups:
In Memory of Pedro A. Placeres
• Here for Life
Pedro A. Placeres, 51 of Naples, passed away
1st Tuesday every Month suddenly and peacefully Friday, July 6, 2012.
7:00 PM He was a devoted husband and an adoring father.
• Veterans He will be remembered as a one of a kind man who
was always willing to lend a hand to anyone in
Wednesday
need. Pedro was a dedicated employee of Xerox
7:00 - 8:30PM
Corporation for over 25 years and also served as a
• Depression committed member of the Collier County Fair Board.
Thursday He is deeply missed and survived by his loving wife,
10:30AM - Noon Olga T. Placeres, his daughter, Kristina A., his son,
Daniel A., As well as many friends and extended
family.

2. Page 2 Mental Health Matters

3. August 2012 Page 3
The following are signs that your loved one may want to speak to a medical or mental health professional.
In adults:
• Confused thinking
• Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)
• Feelings of extreme highs and lows
• Excessive fears, worries and anxieties
• Social withdrawal
• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Strong feelings of anger
• Delusions or hallucinations
• Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Denial of obvious problems
• Numerous unexplained physical ailments
Substance abuse
In older children and pre-adolescents:
• Substance abuse
• Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
• Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
• Excessive complaints of physical ailments
• Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism
• Intense fear of weight gain
• Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death
Frequent outbursts of anger
In younger children:
• Changes in school performance
• Poor grades despite strong efforts
• Excessive worry or anxiety (i.e. refusing to go to bed or school)
• Hyperactivity
• Persistent nightmares
• Persistent disobedience or aggression
Frequent temper tantrums

4. Page 4 Mental Health Matters
You Make The Call To The Mental Health Professional…
Now What Do You Do?
Spend a few minutes talking with him or her on the phone, ask about their approach to
working with patients, their philosophy, whether or not they have a specialty or con-
centration (some psychologists for instance specialize in family counseling, or child
counseling, while others specialize in divorce or coping with the loss of a loved one.) If
you feel comfortable talking to the counselor or doctor, the next step is to make an ap-
pointment.
On your first visit, the counselor or the doctor, will want to get to know you and why you called him or her.
The counselor will want to know-- what you think the problem is, about your life, what you do, where you live,
with whom you live. It is also common to be asked about your family and friends. This information helps the
professional to assess your situation and develop a plan for treatment.
If you don’t feel comfortable with the professional after the first, or even several visits, talk about your feelings
at your next meeting; Don’t be afraid to contact another counselor. Feeling comfortable with the professional
you choose is very important to the success of your treatment.
Types Of Treatment
Psychotherapy is a method of talking face-to-face with a therapist. The following are a few of the types of
available therapy:
• Behavior Therapy - Includes stress management, biofeedback and relaxation training to change thinking
patterns and behavior.
• Psychoanalysis - Long-term therapy meant to "uncover" unconscious motivations and early patterns to
resolve issues and to become aware of how those motivations influence present actions and feelings.
• Cognitive Therapy - Seeks to identify and correct thinking patterns that can lead to troublesome feelings
and behavior.
• Family Therapy - Includes discussion and problem-solving sessions with every member of the family.
• Movement/Art/Music Therapy - These methods include the use of movement, art or music to express emo-
tions. Effective for persons who cannot otherwise express feelings.
Group Therapy - Includes a small group of people who, with the guidance of a trained therapist, discuss indi-
vidual issues and help each other with problems.
Drug Therapy--Drugs can be beneficial to some persons with mental or emotional disorders. The patient
should ask about risk, possible side-effects and interaction with certain foods, alcohol and other medications.
Medication should be taken in the prescribed dosage and at prescribed intervals and should be monitored daily.
Electric Convulsive Treatment (ECT) -- Used to treat some cases of major depression, delusions, and hallu-
cinations, or life-threatening sleep and eating disorders that can not be effectively treated with drugs and/or
psychotherapy. Discuss with your physician about the risks and side effects of ECT.

5. August 2012 Page 5
The Mental Health Association of SW Florida is the only
Association in the region and the “Go To” organization for
centralized, comprehensive, professional support, education and
referral.
We’re Making A Difference
REFERRALS
Use our Directory to find a Licensed Mental Health Professional
The Directory of Licensed Mental Health Professionals is available to you, your business,
church or organization. In it you will find listings of therapists, psychologists and others
who are licensed to practice locally. The Directory details their credentials and explains
their areas of expertise.
You may download the Directory and choose yourself www.mhaswfl.org, or we can
provide you with the names of several licensed mental health professionals that would
be a good match for you and your needs.
Call us (239) 261-5405 so we can connect you with a mental health professional.

6. Page 6 Mental Health Matters
Back to School: Parent-Child Communication
advice or information about sex When parents and children
from their parents (Kids want to openly talk about drugs and
know more. Most children (62%) sex, children have better
and teens (57%) wish they had self-control and develop more
more information about guns in negative perceptions these risky
school. Youth also want to know behaviors .
more about discrimination, puberty,
- Students who talk frequently
Most Families Do Not homosexuality, and alcohol or drugs
Communicate Regularly with their parents are more
Parents need to initiate difficult con-
likely to use contraception.
• From fifth to eighth grade, the versations. Most (77%) of
One in five teens (19%) would
amount of time children spend teenagers don’t talk to their parents
rather receive information from
with their families is cut in half. about sexual health because they
their parents than from other
don’t know how to bring it up .
• Parents are more likely to sources, such as health centers
Benefits of Positive
consider talks about sex, or classes (Hacker et al., 2000).
Parent-Child Communication
alcohol, drugs, and violence as Consequences of Lack of
Positive parent-child communication
happening “regularly.” Their Communication.
includes the following
children, on the other hand, - Children who do not feel
characteristics: being supportive,
remember having these warmth or caring from their
listening to the other person,
discussions “a couple of times.” parents are more likely to have
tolerating differences, being
lower self-esteem, academic
• While 42% of parents say they understanding, and not pressuring
problems, and emotional trou-
have talked to their teens about the other to agree.
bles. They are also more likely
risky sexual behaviors, less than Teens with authoritative parents
to use drugs and participate in
half (49%) of those teens re- (warm, firm, and accepting of their
risky sexual behaviors.
member the conversation. teens’ needs for psychological
independence) are more successful - When teens do not discuss
• Sixty percent of 8-11 year olds in school, less anxious and de- sexuality issues with their
and 56% of 12-15 year olds say pressed, and have higher parents, they are more likely to
they learn “a lot” from their self-esteem than teens without “follow the crowd.” This is espe-
mothers about issues like sex, authoritative parents . cially dangerous if peers do not
alcohol, drugs and violence. Children with positive father-child encourage responsible sexual
Most youth turn to their relationships have higher behavior .
mothers before their teachers self-esteem and show better school
and classes, fathers, the media, and social adjustment than children
and friends . Only one in five without these relationships.

7. August 2012 Page 7
Back to School: Tips for Parents
• Take time to listen to your child more readily be able to tell when
and discuss aspects of the new things may not be right.
school that he or she is worried
Anxiety and stress about starting
about. Remember to let your child
school is normal for a child and
know that it’s normal to feel nerv-
usually passes within the first few
ous about the start of school. For
The beginning of a new school days or weeks. If your child con-
parents of younger children, sug-
year can be a stressful time for tinues to seem anxious or
gest that your child take a family
children, with new teachers and stressed, it may be time to seek
photo or special object to school to
classmates, bigger classrooms, help. Talk to your child’s teacher
make his or her surroundings more
new routines and more school- and/or family physician about
comfortable.
work. This time can be what you can do as a parent. If
particularly unnerving and • Spend time each day talking to problems persist, consider a re-
overwhelming for children who your child about what happened in ferral to a trained and qualified
are facing major transitions such school. Give your child positive mental health professional.
as starting elementary school or feedback about his or her new ex-
entering middle school. As a periences.
parent there are proactive steps
• Praise and encourage your child
you can take to support your child
to become involved with school ac-
as he or she heads back to
tivities and try new things.
school.
• Attend school functions and
• Be interested and enthusiastic
stay involved in your child’s educa-
about the start of the school year. If
tion. Children whose parents are
you are confident and excited, your
more involved with their education
child will be too.
have higher achievement, are bet-
• If you have visited your child’s ter adjusted and are less likely to
school already, you are one step drop out of school.
ahead of the game. If not, take a
Make a point to learn about how
walk around the school with your
your child develops not just physi-
child and locate his or her classrooms,
cally, but socially and emotionally,
lunchroom, playground and rest-
as well. If you are aware of what’s
rooms. This will help keep your child
typical behavior and thoughts for
from feeling lost on the first day.
your child’s stage of life, you will

8. August 2012 Mental Health Matters Page 8
To Advocate for Mental Wellness through Education,
Prevention, and Support
The Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida identifies unmet needs and
develops culturally sensitive services and programs to improve the lives of those
facing the many challenges of today’s world in our community.
If you are interested in becoming a member, e-mail us at info@mhaswfl.org Or Simply fill out the application and mail a check
payable to MHASWFL or donate online using a credit card. Your contribution is tax-deductible and crucial to helping us continue
our work. If you have any questions about Membership please contact our office by phone at (239) 261-5405
or mail The Mental Association of Southwest Florida 2335 Tamaimi Trail N, Ste 404, Naples FL 34103.