Compassionate Friends Bereavement Organization Recognizes 141 Compassionate Employers Nationwide

Compassionate Friends Bereavement Organization Recognizes 141 Compassionate Employers Nationwide

Employers that have shown extra sensitivity to employees that have experienced the death of a child, sibling, or grandchild are being recognited as Compassionate Employer Recognition recipients as recognized by The Compassionate Friends, the nation's largest bereavement organization with more than 600 chapters. Representing 39 states, these employers range from small companies to those with thousands of employees.

Oakbrook, IL (PRWEB) March 3, 2009 -- One hundred forty one employers, representing 39 states plus Washington DC. are being recognized by The Compassionate Friends for showing extra sensitivity to bereaved employees following the death of a child. The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is the nation's largest self-help bereavement organization with over 600 chapters serving all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Nominated by the persons they have directly helped, these employers are receiving Compassionate Employer Recognition in 2009 for going above and beyond the normal policies of most companies in helping their employees when the death of a child occurred.

    

Criteria for Compassionate Employer Recognition include, but are not limited to:

1.    Allowing additional time off without loss of benefits.

2.    Allowing flexible work schedules and assignments.

3.    Allowing leeway in job performance standards.

4.    Fostering an environment of mutual support among coworkers.

5.    Providing professional grief counseling, human resources support, or information regarding self-help bereavement organizations.

6.    Other policies and practices that go beyond what is normal in the community.

This is the ninth year for recognition of employers, with recipients jumping from three the first year, to the current 141 for 2009. Employers range from small companies with as few as four employees to large companies with many thousands of employees.

The 2009 recipients of TCF's Compassionate Employer Recognition are (by state): ALABAMA: Dynamic Contract & Consultant Services, Montgomery; ALASKA: Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, Anchorage; Family Centered Services of Alaska, Fairbanks; ARKANSAS: Middleton Heat and Air, Bryant; CALIFORNIA: American Honda Finance Corporation, Torrence; Centerplate, San Diego; Employment Development Dept, Sacramento; Hegge Electrical Contractors, Indio; Hughson High School, Hughson; Huntington Hospital, Pasadena; Little Company of Mary, Torrence; Maxim Craneworks, Long Beach; MV Transportation, Fairfield; Pacific Medical Buildings, San Diego; Petrol Advertising, Inc., Burbank; Radiological Associates of Sacramento, Sacramento; Service Rock Products, Victorville; Skyway House, Chico; Victor Valley Union High School District, Victorville;

COLORADO: Century 21 Metro Alliance, Colorado Springs; Holland & Hart LLP, Denver; CONNECTICUT: Michael P. Krol & Co., CPA, PC, Stafford Springs; FLORIDA: Beach City Motors, Ft. Walton Beach; Crown Auto Group, St. Petersburg; Florida Hospital Centra Care, Winter Park; Hospice of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach; PGA Tour, Inc., Ponte Vedra Beach; St. Johns County School District, Augustine; GEORGIA: Mount Vernon Bank, Mount Vernon; Schroeder Enterprises, Inc., Atlanta; IDAHO: Kingston Companies, Idaho Falls; ILLINOIS: Kenneth B. Gore, LTD, Chicago; Outback Steakhouse, South Elgin; Quad City USA Family Restaurant, Moline; Standard Industrial and Automotive Equipment Inc, Hanover Park; Urban Retail Properties, Chicago; INDIANA: Bowen Engineering Corporation, Fishers; DRIVE Medical Consulting & Communications, Indianapolis; The Hearth at Prestwick, Avon; IOWA: Bourbon Street & Voodoo Lounge, Cedar Falls; LaJames International College, Fort Dodge; Lisbon Community School District, Lisbon; Mercy Hospital of the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters, Oelwein; Quality Medical Services, Mason City; Tripoli Nursing Home, Tripoli; Young Plumbing and Heating, Waterloo; KANSAS: PKM Steel Service, Salina;

KENTUCKY: Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, Ashland; LOUISIANA: HomeCare Inc, Baton Rouge; Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Louisiana, Metairie; Northwestern State University College of Nursing, Shreveport; Salario Law Firm, Marksville; MAINE: Fidelity Investments, Marlborough; MARYLAND: American Mechanical Services, Laurel; Cecil Bank, Elkton; Southern Maryland Skin Specialists, Prince Frederick; Southwest Airlines, Baltimore; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda; Washington County Hospital, Hagerstown; MASSACHUSETTS: Au Bon Pain, Boston; Charles River Laboratories, Shrewsbury; City of Lowell School Health Unit, Lowell; First Electric Motor Service, Woburn; J.G. Pyne Arts Magnet School, Lowell; New Horizons CLC of Boston, Waltham; Watermark Environmental, Lowell; WJDF, Orange; MICHIGAN: Autocam Corporation, Kentwood; Hastings Surgeons, P.C., Hastings; MINNESOTA: Cambridge Isanti School District / Community Education, Cambridge; University of St. Thomas, St. Paul; USG Interiors Inc, Red Wing; MISSOURI: Century 21 Show-Me Realty, Houston; Heartland Lion's Eye Banks, Springfield; HNTB, Kansas City; MONTANA: Kringen Construction Co, Sidney; NEBRASKA: Marriott Global Sales and Customer Service Center, Omaha; NEW HAMPSHIRE: Henry Wilson School, Manchester; Londonderry School District, Londonderry; Parks-Tuttle/ New England Financial Services, Manchester; NEW JERSEY: MedQuist Inc., Laurel; NEW MEXICO: Carlisle Office Center, Albuquerque; Inland Kenworth, Albuquerque; NEW YORK: Evo Merchant Services, Melville; Miteq Inc, Hauppauge; Wegman's Food Markets, Depew; NORTH CAROLINA: A.G. Edwards, Greensboro; Hardin Construction Company, Raleigh; Jones Family Practice, Shelby; OHIO: Career Tech, Willoughby; Community Health Care, Inc, Canal Fulton; Health Care Management Group, Cincinnati; Laser Care, Batavia; Motor Carrier Service, Northwood; Tween Brands Inc., New Albany;     

OKLAHOMA: HighMount E&P, Oklahoma City; Nabholz Construction, Tulsa; Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates, Oklahoma City; OREGON: American Red Cross, Oregon Pacific Chapter, Eugene; Blue Mountain Community College, Pendleton; Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Roseburg; Fred Meyer, Albany; Hanna Strader, P.C., Portland; Liberty House, Salem; PENNSYLVANIA: Faulkner-Ciocca, Quakertown; H. J. Heinz, Pittsburgh; Interim Health Care Pittsburgh Office, Pittsburgh; Sam's Club, Wilkes-Barre Twp.; Unionville Chadds Ford School District, Kennett Square; SOUTH CAROLINA: Maurice Stephens Financial Group, Myrtle Beach; McLaughlin Group Inc., Greenville; TENNESSEE: Dairy Partners, LLC, Decherd; Deloitte and Touche, Hermitage; ServiceMaster, Memphis; Town of Collierville, Collierville; TEXAS: Citigroup, San Antonio; Genecov Physician Group, PA, Dallas; Hallsville ISD, Hallsville; Keller Williams Realty, San Antonio; LakePointe Medical Center, Rowlett; Medical Center of Plano, Plano; Sign Tech International, Austin; Wylie Independent School District, Abilene; Zale Corporation- Zales North America, Irving; UTAH: Marriott Global Incentives and Gift Cards, Salt Lake City; Smart Schofield Shorter and Lunceford, Murray; VERMONT: Northeast Primary School, Rutland; The Vermont Country Store, N. Clarendon; VIRGINIA: Bon Secours Hospitals, Richmond; Doctors On Call, Virginia Beach; WASHINGTON: Mt. Baker Care Center, Bellingham; Providence Everett Medical Center, Everett; Providence St. Peter Hospital-Olympia, Olympia; W.B. Sprague, Inc., Tacoma; WISCONSIN: HJ Martin and Son, Green Bay; Luther Midelfort - Mayo Health System, Eau Claire; Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee; Rexnord Industries LLC, Milwaukee; Transport Refrigeration, Inc., De Pere; Washington, D.C.: US Capitol Police.

"So often employees who have experienced the death of a child are expected to return to work in three days, handle the same work load as before, and to leave their grief at home," says Patricia Loder, Executive Director of The Compassionate Friends. "There is oftentimes a lack of understanding by employers about the realities of grief in the workplace. These 141 employers, large and small, public and private, are being recognized for providing the compassion and understanding that is so vital to the bereavement process."

The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive. To contact The Compassionate Friends, call toll-free 877-969-0010 or visit the TCF national website at www.compassionatefriends.org.

###

Contact Information WAYNE LODER

The Compassionate Friends

http://www.compassionatefriends.org

866-964-4000

[Via http://www.prweb.com]

• Centex Offers Industry-Leading Energy Efficiency Package in St. Louis Area
• Great Lakes Computer Offers 40 Percent Off HP ProLiant & HP c Class Blade Servers to VMware ESX Customers

Ethics a Frequent and Necessary Topic for Professional Continuing Education

Ethics a Frequent and Necessary Topic for Professional Continuing Education

During these times when flagrant dishonesty and unbridled greed are at the forefront of political and financial news, the topic of professional ethics is front and center in the continuing professional development of many health professionals. Professional Development Resources, a nationally accredited provider of continuing education (CE) for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and occupational therapists, now features more than 15 separate ethics courses on its website. The wide range of courses is intended to provide professional clinicians with thoughtful perspectives on maintaining open, honest, and ethical relationships with their clients.

Jacksonville, FL (Vocus) March 3, 2009 -- Professional Development Resources PDResourcesPromo (http://www.pdresources.org/promo/prweb5) has recently increased its curriculum in professional ethics courses. Many psychologists, social workers, counselors, and occupational therapists are required – as part of their periodic relicensure process – to complete CE courses related to ethics in the practice of their specialties.

The company’s website, PDResources (http://www.pdresources.org) now offers over 150 accredited healthcare and mental health CE courses. Of this catalog, more than 15 relate to multiple aspects of ethics in clinical practice. The courses include modules on privacy and confidentiality, maintenance of professional boundaries, multicultural competency, use of internet technologies, management of high-risk clients, professional codes of ethics, and state and national practice laws and rules.

“It is hard to envision having too many ethics courses,” says Leo Christie, PhD, CEO of Professional Development Resources. “With so many examples of unethical behavior and abuse of power in the news nearly every day, the conduct of health professionals is under scrutiny as well. We want to be sure that the clinicians who take our courses have access to training in the many facets of ethical conduct in practice, whatever their specialties. They need to be equipped to assure their clients of compliance with the highest and most recent standards of ethical behavior.”

Among the most important issues in healthcare ethics is the concern for privacy in handling clients’ personal information. If individuals are to benefit from health and mental health services, they must be assured that their personal information will be protected. This is far more challenging today than it was even a decade ago. The pervasive use of electronic communication technologies like cell phones, laptops, email, and the Internet has created an environment in which new protections must be implemented. All professionals need to be trained in the most current procedures for safeguarding their clients’ protected health information in the recording, storage, and transmission of electronic records.

The point of mandated continuing education (CE) for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and occupational therapists is to assure the public that the licensed professionals they consult are trained in the use of up-to-date procedures and technologies. For many clinicians who have been in practice for 20 years or more, today’s electronic communication technologies did not even exist when they completed their post-graduate training. CE is their opportunity to be sure they are maintaining state-of-the-art compliance with current best practices and privacy regulations.

Users who have taken ethics courses from Professional Development Resources have appreciated the ability to stay current in the many aspects of ethics. One counselor sent this email: “I really appreciated the ethics information. I learned about areas important to clients like boundary violations, spirituality, and conflicted custody suits. It will also keep me informed and knowledgeable about areas in which I might be vulnerable in a court of law.” A psychologist wrote “it is daunting to keep abreast of the many regulations and guidelines coming from HIPAA and my state and national associations. It really helps to have instant access to online ethics courses that offer training in the newest privacy and security procedures.”

A wide variety of online ethics course topics are available, including: Ethics & Boundaries in Psychotherapy (https://www.pdresources.org/CourseDetail.aspx?Category=Online&PageNumber=5&Profession=Other&Sort=CourseName&Text=&courseid=861), Ethics Desk Reference for Psychologists (https://www.pdresources.org/CourseDetail.aspx?Category=Ethics&PageNumber=1&Profession=Other&Sort=CourseName&Text=&courseid=979), Ethics in Psychotherapy: Practical Tips I (https://www.pdresources.org/CourseDetail.aspx?Category=Ethics&PageNumber=2&Profession=Other&Sort=CourseName&Text=&courseid=865), Ethics for Mental Health Professionals (https://www.pdresources.org/CourseDetail.aspx?Category=Ethics&PageNumber=1&Profession=Other&Sort=CourseName&Text=&courseid=853), Ethics for Occupational Therapists (https://www.pdresources.org/CourseDetail.aspx?Category=Ethics&PageNumber=1&Profession=Other&Sort=CourseName&Text=&courseid=1001), and many more.

About Professional Development Resources, Inc.

Professional Development Resources is a Florida nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1992 by licensed marriage and family therapist Leo Christie, PhD. The company, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) – as well as many other national and state boards – has focused its efforts on making continuing education courses more efficient and widely accessible to health professionals by offering online home study coursework. Its current expanded curriculum includes a wide variety of ethics courses and other clinical topics intended to equip health professionals to offer state-of-the art services to their clients.

Contact:

Leo Christie, PhD, CEO

Professional Development Resources, Inc.

904-645-3456

http://www.pdresources.org/promo/prweb5

###

Contact Information Leo Christie, PhD

Professional Development Resources

http://www.pdresources.org/

(904) 645-3456

[Via http://www.prweb.com]

• As Temperatures Rise Dog Bites Become A Particular Threat To Young Children
• AAMC Pleased That Health Care Reform Is Top Priority In Obama Budget

The Blog Erotic Gives Sex a Good Name

The Blog Erotic Gives Sex a Good Name

The Blog Squad announces launch of The Blog Erotic by internationally known sex therapist Dr. Stephanie Buehler. The blog will fill a void on information offered adults on the Web about healthy intimacy in relationships.

North Hollywood, CA (PRWEB) March 2, 2009 -- The Blog Squad team of blogging experts announces the launch of The Blog Erotic (http://www.theblogerotic.com) by internationally known sex therapist Dr. Stephanie Buehler.

The Blog Erotic already has a growing list of subscribers as it fills a void on what is offered on the Internet for adults curious about intimacy in relationships.

In fact, Blog Squad co-founder Dr. Patsi Krakoff predicts Dr. Buehler will quickly become the next Dr. Ruth or Dr. Joyce Brothers.

"Dr. Buehler writes about sex with humor, a high degree of intelligence and a natural comfort around these sensitive and important issues that intrigue us all," reports Krakoff. "She has many years experience counseling both men and women. The Blog Erotic is fun and informative."

"I started The Blog Erotic to fill a gap I saw in blogs on sexuality," says Dr. Buehler. "There are blogs that are titillating, and blogs that are medical, but there's very little in between for helping people trying to solve common relationship problems, like how to keep passion alive in a long-term relationship or how to talk with your partner about changes in your sexuality over time."

The Blog Erotic is a combination of many things. Dr. Buehler writes about:

• How to have a better sex life

• Sexual health news to improve sexual enjoyment and performance

• Social issues and events that affect people's sex lives

A few recent blog post titles include:

• What Women Don't Know about Male Sexuality

• Arriba! Mexican Mayor Gives Away Viagra for Sex in the "Third Age"

• Valentine's Day: It's Not About the Sex, Is It?

• Spontaneous, Shmontaneous: Planned Sex and Romance Isn't All that Bad

• How to Have "Vacation Sex" at Home

Dr. Buehler is an internationally known expert in the field of sex therapy, a California licensed psychologist and Director of The Buehler Institute in Southern California. She is also a member of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health and editor of the Women's Sexual Health Journal, and writes a column for OC Parent. She is frequently quoted in the media, from TIME magazine to Esquire. You can find The Blog Erotic at http://www.theblogerotic.com.

About The Blog Squad:

Business Blogging experts Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D. and Denise Wakeman are The Blog Squad™. They have teamed up to help professionals harness the power of blogs, newsletters, social media and ecommerce systems to make marketing tasks easier and more effective.

Between them they have 19 years of Internet know-how and write on 10 blogs. They know what works and what doesn't. You can read their popular blog at http://www.BuildaBetterBlog.com.

# # #

Contact Information PATSI KRAKOFF

KRAKOFF WAKEMAN ASSOCIATES INC.

http://www.buildabetterblog.com

858-375-5048

[Via http://www.prweb.com]

• Naturejobs and CheckOrphan Unite for Rare Disease Day
• Discovery Provides Hope For Sufferers Of Disfiguring Bone Disease

For the First Time: PachaMama to Host Path of Love Emotional Healing Retreat in Costa Rica

For the First Time: PachaMama to Host Path of Love Emotional Healing Retreat in Costa Rica

This May spiritual village PachaMama will host The Path of Love, an intensive emotional healing and self-discovery workshop for the first time in Costa Rica and for what is probably the most inexpensive price anywhere in the world

PachaMama, Costa Rica (PRWEB) March 1, 2009 -- This May, Costa Rican spiritual village PachaMama will for the first time host the Path of Love workshop, a deep and intensive emotional healing process. Offered in different locations all over the world, this will be the first time the Path of Love is held in Costa Rica, making it easily accessible to North American participants, and also allowing for what is probably the most inexpensive price anywhere in the world, detailed in the PachaMama website: http://www.pachamama.com/path-of-love.asp.

The Path of Love is an intensive, highly structured 7 day process in which participants are supported to passionately focus on their sincere desire or longing to realize their full human and spiritual potential. Path of Love has produced life-changing and breakthrough results for thousands of people all over the world. Indeed, many participants often mark their lives by before and after they participated in the Path of Love.

While generally speaking the Path of Love is a spiritually oriented group, it employs different therapy methods and techniques learned and developed over the years, including guided meditations, emotional cathartic work, self-enquiry, writing assignments and sharing with others, to face and burn through layers of identification, beliefs, negativity and emotionally charged defensive positions that keep us separate from directly experiencing our True Nature.

To provide a safe and loving environment for people to do these exercises in absolute confidentiality, Path of Love employs a large staff that is usually around 30 in number for groups of up to 30 participants. All staff members have done the process themselves.

The workshop will be led by two highly experienced facilitators from the international Path of Love organization - Alima Cameron, with 25 years of experience in transformation work, and Satyarthi Peloquin, a disciple of Osho for over 30 years and leader of training programs for 34 years, trained in Trauma Healing, Co Dependency, Postural Integration, Family Constellations, Neo Riechian, Hypnosis, and Miracle of Love work.

Path of Love's deep and transformative emotional healing work can leave participants in a delicate state, and the time after the workshop can be crucial in helping participants internalize what has been experienced.

Participants in the Path of Love workshop in PachaMama will have the unique opportunity to spend the time after the group and to digest the experience in nurturing, soothing and natural surroundings, with a healthy diet and easy access to meditations and yoga.

Set in the lush forests of Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, PachaMama is an oasis of an alternative lifestyle. It's a place to dive into a transformative spiritual voyage, rejuvenate the body, connect with nature and celebrate life.

PachaMama was founded by travelers who responded to the invitation of Tyohar, it's leader and founder, to manifest together a commune that embraces a new way of life. Ever since it was founded, the oasis became a gathering place for people from all over the world, creating a colorful and unique energy field. Read more about PachaMama by visiting http://www.pachamama.com.

Tyohar says about PachaMama: "The essence of PachaMama is the space of meditation. If you take meditation out of PachaMama life, if you take the presence of the silence out of PachaMama life, you can have exactly the same events and it won't be the same. It is that quality of silence, of meditation that gives the extra ingredient that turns the different happenings here into magic. It is a quality that is coming from within us. This is how we fertilize any situation, by keeping the freshness of our being, by taking an inner shower, and then whatever is happening is meeting a fresh presence."

Visit our website for more information about the Path of Love retreat - http://www.pachamama.com/path-of-love.asp

# # #

Contact Information Gaya Sky

Path of Love

http://www.pachamama.com/path-of-love.asp

506-88308796

[Via http://www.prweb.com]

• Naturejobs and CheckOrphan Unite for Rare Disease Day
• CheckOrphan Launches iWish to Commemorate Rare Disease Day
• Young Ex-servicemen At Increased Risk Of Suicide