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