WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:02.620 Hi everybody, Clayton Vandiver, your Lightkeeper 00:00:02.620 --> 00:00:05.400 here, and for this summer we have a real treat 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:09.500 for you. Lightkeepers Podcast Shorts. No, that's 00:00:09.500 --> 00:00:11.880 not a new clothing line. What it is, is short 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:14.259 versions of some of our most popular episodes 00:00:14.259 --> 00:00:17.800 that we keep getting requests to show you again. 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:21.000 So we've cut them down, made them all less than 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:24.120 10 minutes long, and here you go with part one 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:28.980 of the Lightkeepers Podcast Shorts. Welcome to 00:00:28.980 --> 00:00:31.920 the Light Keepers podcast. I'm Clayton Vandiver, 00:00:32.020 --> 00:00:34.640 your Light Keeper, with a show dedicated to everyone 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:37.500 who wants to get the most quality out of life 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:41.000 that they can. My co -host, as always, Charlene, 00:00:41.060 --> 00:00:44.340 our very own tame, licensed clinical social worker, 00:00:44.500 --> 00:00:47.759 certified in the state of Florida. We invite 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:50.060 you to join the conversation this week, which 00:00:50.060 --> 00:00:53.299 is about professional versus amateur support. 00:00:54.189 --> 00:00:56.969 Just who is that person and what qualifies them 00:00:56.969 --> 00:01:01.030 to help me? And so much more on this edition 00:01:01.030 --> 00:01:33.519 of the Light Keepers Podcast. Before we start, 00:01:33.900 --> 00:01:36.260 I'd like to invite you to please leave your questions 00:01:36.260 --> 00:01:38.780 or comments below. We always love to hear from 00:01:38.780 --> 00:01:41.439 you. Questions this week will be answered during 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:44.400 our next show that appears online every Wednesday 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:47.939 evening at 7 p .m. Eastern. The Light Keepers 00:01:47.939 --> 00:01:50.980 podcast is an exclusive production of A Guiding 00:01:50.980 --> 00:01:53.620 Light Incorporated. We'll tell you more about 00:01:53.620 --> 00:01:56.079 A Guiding Light at the end of the podcast, but 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:58.359 we don't have much time, so let's get right into 00:01:58.359 --> 00:02:04.569 this week's conversation. What does it mean to 00:02:04.569 --> 00:02:08.069 the general public when you say, who is this 00:02:08.069 --> 00:02:10.830 person? Are they professional? Are they amateur? 00:02:10.949 --> 00:02:14.210 How do you know? So that's a very good question. 00:02:14.389 --> 00:02:16.930 So the best way to know if you're working with 00:02:16.930 --> 00:02:19.650 a professional is to ask them what their qualifications 00:02:19.650 --> 00:02:23.639 are. and find out if they're licensed if they 00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:25.879 are licensed there's going to be a record of 00:02:25.879 --> 00:02:28.379 that that can be found online like for example 00:02:28.379 --> 00:02:30.599 i'm licensed through the state of florida department 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:33.479 of health so if you go online and do a search 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:39.560 for state of florida lcsw license lookup it'll 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:41.819 take you to a website where just by typing in 00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:43.719 someone's name you can verify that they have 00:02:43.719 --> 00:02:47.080 a license okay that's a good idea well how does 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:50.360 now how does the general public find that information? 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:53.919 You just type a search? You just do a search 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:57.120 online for whatever state you're in, whatever 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.419 their profession is, and license look up and 00:03:00.419 --> 00:03:02.400 it'll take you to a website where you can put 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:04.680 in their name and find out whether or not they 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.759 are a licensed individual. Okay, and you can 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:11.139 find information about both medical and counselor 00:03:11.139 --> 00:03:13.759 personnel? Correct, correct, because technically 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:16.500 as a counselor, I am a medical professional. 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:18.939 That's why I'm licensed through the Department 00:03:18.939 --> 00:03:22.900 of Health. Oh, okay. So that's an important distinction. 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:27.300 Even though I'm a counselor, what I do is considered 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:31.860 medical care. Okay, well I've heard some... some 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:34.819 folks say it's sort of like you're looking for 00:03:34.819 --> 00:03:38.199 either a professional and you don't want a witch 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:41.879 doctor. I've heard that term used in the industry. 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.199 So what would constitute a witch doctor? How 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:52.740 do you define that one? So, for example, if you 00:03:52.740 --> 00:04:00.319 were injured, would you call up Grandma? Uncle 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:03.800 Bob? neighbor across the street? Or would you 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:05.879 want to call your primary care physician or maybe 00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:09.439 go to an urgent care clinic? An amateur is someone 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:13.199 who works based off of their personal experience. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:18.100 A witch doctor. Okay. When you are in need of 00:04:18.100 --> 00:04:20.959 support, therapeutic support, you want someone 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:23.899 who has been clinically trained and they've been 00:04:23.899 --> 00:04:27.980 through the classwork, they've been through the 00:04:27.980 --> 00:04:32.350 testing, and they have been approved to be safe 00:04:32.350 --> 00:04:36.310 to provide that care. I say this all the time 00:04:36.310 --> 00:04:40.029 when people ask me, hey, I've got a camcorder, 00:04:40.129 --> 00:04:43.389 I've got a camera on my telephone, why can't 00:04:43.389 --> 00:04:46.189 I just shoot my own professional videos? And, 00:04:46.269 --> 00:04:48.790 you know, the people who sell camcorders and 00:04:48.790 --> 00:04:51.829 cell phones sort of throw that word professional 00:04:51.829 --> 00:04:55.430 around a lot because they think... You know, 00:04:55.449 --> 00:04:58.410 if we say that, then we can charge more for it, 00:04:58.449 --> 00:05:00.410 or they'll think they can do more than they really 00:05:00.410 --> 00:05:03.110 can. But, you know, when they make a Hollywood 00:05:03.110 --> 00:05:06.529 film, they spend many, many millions of dollars, 00:05:06.550 --> 00:05:09.290 and they use cameras that cost as much as some 00:05:09.290 --> 00:05:14.310 very luxurious cars. And don't you think they'd 00:05:14.310 --> 00:05:16.449 use cheaper stuff if they could get away with 00:05:16.449 --> 00:05:19.250 it? And if they didn't need it, don't you think 00:05:19.250 --> 00:05:21.930 they'd stay out of film school for... you know 00:05:21.930 --> 00:05:26.709 anywhere from five to seven years hey maybe we 00:05:26.709 --> 00:05:29.329 know something that the average guy on the street 00:05:29.329 --> 00:05:32.850 doesn't about making films and movies i'm sure 00:05:32.850 --> 00:05:34.829 it's exactly like that in the medical community 00:05:34.829 --> 00:05:38.110 if i needed to amputate an arm i certainly wouldn't 00:05:38.110 --> 00:05:41.350 grab the first chainsaw i saw well and it goes 00:05:41.350 --> 00:05:44.029 a little deeper than that because there are places 00:05:44.029 --> 00:05:50.149 online for example There are some wonderful resources 00:05:50.149 --> 00:05:53.709 online, especially if you're grieving. For example, 00:05:53.730 --> 00:05:56.129 there's one particular website that in the past 00:05:56.129 --> 00:06:00.170 has trained volunteers to provide online bereavement 00:06:00.170 --> 00:06:03.759 support. The problem is grief can be complicated, 00:06:03.779 --> 00:06:07.660 and not everyone is qualified or should be qualified 00:06:07.660 --> 00:06:10.420 to provide grief support because there's a lot 00:06:10.420 --> 00:06:13.680 that can be affected. Absolutely. And someone 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.339 who is not trained, who doesn't know how to look 00:06:17.339 --> 00:06:21.740 for potential influences, maybe a past history 00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:24.180 of substance abuse or a personality disorder 00:06:24.180 --> 00:06:26.899 or a mental health illness that might complicate 00:06:26.899 --> 00:06:33.500 that bereavement, unethical it's not just negligent 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:35.959 it could be down outright dangerous I understand 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:41.279 and is it just that they might assess the needs 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:45.259 incorrectly refer someone to the wrong resource 00:06:45.259 --> 00:06:49.160 perhaps even rope them into a network of pals 00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:52.939 that stand to profit I know there are some unethical 00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:55.680 people out there how much damage can they really 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:59.709 do They can do a lot and not even meaning to. 00:06:59.889 --> 00:07:03.490 You know, people go into this wanting to provide 00:07:03.490 --> 00:07:06.750 that support, that amateur support. They go into 00:07:06.750 --> 00:07:09.910 it with the best of intentions. But you know 00:07:09.910 --> 00:07:13.670 what they say. St. Bernard of Clairvaux said 00:07:13.670 --> 00:07:16.189 that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. 00:07:16.910 --> 00:07:20.490 That's a good point. And so they mean well. They 00:07:20.490 --> 00:07:25.560 really do. They really do. That's not always 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:28.459 the best course of action. They can cause a lot 00:07:28.459 --> 00:07:32.779 of harm emotionally, mentally, and can make an 00:07:32.779 --> 00:07:35.879 already difficult time a lot more difficult and 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:38.420 distressing. How does the person listening and 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:42.699 watching know where to turn for information about 00:07:42.699 --> 00:07:46.160 who might be a professional and who might be 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:48.939 a witch doctor? That's, again, where you have 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:51.819 to be very careful. There are a lot of resources 00:07:51.819 --> 00:07:56.850 available online. resources available to support 00:07:56.850 --> 00:08:00.209 you through end of life process. You know, there 00:08:00.209 --> 00:08:02.129 are people out there that call themselves death 00:08:02.129 --> 00:08:05.790 doulas that are out there to provide a wonderful 00:08:05.790 --> 00:08:09.889 support service, a wonderful needed service where 00:08:09.889 --> 00:08:12.430 they're supporting people who have been diagnosed 00:08:12.430 --> 00:08:14.649 with a terminal illness or their family as they 00:08:14.649 --> 00:08:17.290 go through this time. But the problem is, is 00:08:17.290 --> 00:08:20.850 these people are not being properly vetted. There's 00:08:20.850 --> 00:08:25.740 no, there's no specific training for them and 00:08:25.740 --> 00:08:28.300 so a lot of these people are amateurs that have 00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:31.560 come into the field through personal experience 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:36.259 that want to be able to help others and if this 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:40.019 if you're someone who who is like that that wants 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:43.559 to provide that support I applaud that, and I 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:46.620 encourage you to volunteer with your local hospices 00:08:46.620 --> 00:08:49.440 or hospitals. That's a wonderful outlet for you. 00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:51.679 But if this is something that you want to do 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:55.419 for a living, full -time, go to school. Get trained 00:08:55.419 --> 00:08:58.039 how to do it. That way you're not putting others 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:03.580 at risk of injury, mental or physical, and you're 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:05.820 not putting yourself in danger of litigation 00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:10.320 because in some states it's actually illegal. 00:09:11.070 --> 00:09:13.769 to provide therapeutic support without a license 00:09:13.769 --> 00:09:17.230 well it's always good to be willing to talk about 00:09:17.230 --> 00:09:19.769 quality of life because every single one of us 00:09:19.769 --> 00:09:23.269 will face some of these issues someday either 00:09:23.269 --> 00:09:27.129 not prepared at all or very well prepared indeed 00:09:27.129 --> 00:09:30.269 from joining us here on the light keepers podcast 00:09:30.269 --> 00:09:34.389 each and every wednesday evening at 7 pm eastern 00:09:35.820 --> 00:09:38.940 The Light Keepers Podcast is an exclusive production 00:09:38.940 --> 00:09:41.519 of Animation Studios and is brought to you by 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:45.480 A Guiding Light, a 501c3 nonprofit organization 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:48.899 dedicated to education and information that allows 00:09:48.899 --> 00:09:52.740 informed preparation for living the very best 00:09:52.740 --> 00:09:56.279 life possible. Visit the website at aguidinglight 00:09:56.279 --> 00:09:59.700 .org or make a tax -deductible contribution that 00:09:59.700 --> 00:10:01.820 helps others find the information and resources 00:10:01.820 --> 00:10:04.440 they need. You can send your check to the address 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:07.740 that's right below me right now. We're so grateful 00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:10.039 for your support and sincerely hope you'll join 00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:12.940 the conversation in coming weeks. Add your questions 00:10:12.940 --> 00:10:15.419 and comments below. Speaking of that, hit the 00:10:15.419 --> 00:10:19.240 like and subscribe buttons. It is free! And turn 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:22.220 on that notify bell so you'll catch every single 00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:26.000 episode. I'm Clayton Vandiver, your Light Keeper. 00:10:26.100 --> 00:10:27.799 We'll see you next time.