Posts

Special Credential - Certificate - Curriculum Academies Information Here

Being Held To Higher Standards
Health, Psychology, Social Work, Early Childhood, Head Start, Educators, Family Studies, Professional Development, Credentialing

Dr. James C. Rodriguez, MSW
President and Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Narviar Barker Browne, Ph.D., MSW, LCCP, LSW,
Lecturer at Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia
Director of Standards and Program Outcomes
Fathers and Families Coalition of America

1 December  2023

When Goodness Meets Purpose

Health, Psychology, Social Work, Early Childhood, Head Start, Educators, and Family Studies
A Series About Those Living In Their Ikigai
Dr. James C. Rodriguez, MSW
27 November 2023

WHEN YOU THINK YOU LOST EVERYTHING  

When you feel like you're losing the strength to keep fighting, someone can always help you turn things around.

In April, Stanley Tucker, a retired conductor for Amtrak, asked me a question that left me feeling inspired. He asked if I knew the meaning of the word "jubilee" and spoke of the special jubilee of Fathers and Families Coalition of America. His words reminded me of the importance of this small yet global nonprofit, and the warm smile I imagined on his face from across the country filled me with hope. Stanley, Bruce Boyden, Phillipa Johnson, Judy Walker, Victor Berrelz, Carol Consentino, Ruth Eaton, and hundreds more have been loyal yearly volunteers for over two decades, and their dedication is truly inspiring.

Health and Wellness
A New Story, Never Forgetting Who You Are
Dr. James C. Rodriguez, MSW
24  August 2023

INCLUDING MEN IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
 

Finding Strength In Imperfection

In 2023, I was asked as a featured speaker, keynote, and presenter about mental health's impacts on men at several national events. I want to share one of the training sessions (below) with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in partnership with the National Federation of Families to examine how we can include men in wellness programs. I believe everyone has moments in life where we are broken, and we discover how to explore new pathways to repair the cracks of brokenness through healing, resilience, and robustness. The recovery can be swift, or it can take years. Others never move beyond the chards of being broken and, thus, never heal. I use a few poems in the courses I am honored to teach. "My storehouse has burnt down; there is nothing to obstruct the moon."- Mizuta Masahide. By accepting the past, this poem glances at lessons I continuously learn. My journey in life has allowed me to get through many trials of life. I would never heal if I stayed in the essence of past injuries. Even More Beautiful - Even More Precious - Even More Resilient - Even More Present is a metaphor of Kintsugi that a funny experience reminded me of the mentoring of an 89-year-old veteran a few weeks ago. I listened like a young boy listening to his grandfather because of the wisdom he poured into me. One of the most significant barriers for men to access health care, we believe our natural strengths are that we can take care of anything, even if broken into thousands of pieces. 

Too many amazing dads for generations never seek support, leaving a legacy of struggle.