In this Issue:
Vo lu m e 1 , Is su e 1
A NOTE FROM THE CLINIC COORDINATOR.…1
Spr i n g 20 13
Be A Better You!
ASPIRE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT…. 2 COMMUNITY IMPACT: THOUGHTS FROM THE ARK …. 3
ASPIRE Clinic
FINANCIAL THERAPY: BUDDING COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH…. 4 A HOLISTIC HOME: EXPANDING OUR DEFINITION OF INTERIOR DESIGN…. 5
HOLISTIC SERVICES,
IMPROVED WELL-BEING
The ASPIRE Clinic, a collaborative unit of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia, is a unique resource that provides coun‐ seling and education services to UGA and the Athens community.
A Warm Welcome from the Clinic Coordinator
T
hank you for taking the time to explore the inaugural is‐ sue of the ASPIRE Clinic Newsletter. We are excited and proud to offer the members of our college and our community support‐ ers a snapshot of all things ASPIRE. Every semester, we will be high‐ lighting the work and achievements of our fantastic students and faculty members. Also, as a clinic dedicated to service & outreach, we will be sharing thoughts and perspectives from community entities that view the clinic as an important resource.
April 1st, 2013 marks the begin‐ ning of my 3rd year as the ASPIRE Clinic Coordinator. I am personally so proud of its growth and develop‐ ment over this short time! It contin‐ ues to be such a privilege to see how our services touch lives. With your support, I am eager to further our impact at UGA and within Athens. Keep Aspiring!
Megan Ford
ASPIRE to improve your... SELF
RELATIONSHIPS FINANCES
HOME
NUTRITION
HEALTH
LEGAL SITUATION
acquiring strategies for personal improvement and relationship enhancement
ASPIRE Student Spotlight: Learning & Making a Difference through Interdisciplinary Education
A
bby Suhr, a senior at UGA was involved as an ASPIRE Clinic intern in Fall 2012. As a psychology student, she recounts that the unique internship opportunity at ASPIRE was the ideal way for her to learn more about the mental health field, and marriage and family therapy (MFT) specifically. “The ASPIRE Clinic had a great impact on me,” she said. “It was helpful being around therapists and my supervisor who were so supportive of my future career aspirations and who were there to answer any questions I had about my present or future goals.” In completing the internship, Abby has found more clarity regarding what she wants to pursue. “Before the internship, I thought I might want to go into counseling or
Meet Abby Suhr, UGA student and former ASPIRE Intern, and Thomas Williams, former ASPIRE financial service provider, as they reflect on their past involvement with the ASPIRE Clinic.
MFT,” she stated. “The internship made me realize that I might want to be a school counselor in the future and reaffirmed that I want a job that helps people, like I thought before – that is something I know is never going to change.” Having such a positive experience has prompted Abby to encourage others to apply. “The internship is an AMAZING opportunity, especially if you are interested in counseling or MFT. There is a lot to learn, but you will have more than enough support from supervisors and fellow interns to be successful,” Abby shared.
T
Linda Fox, Dean, College of Family and Consumer Sciences Deborah Murray, Associate Dean of Extension and Outreach, FACS
In the year ahead, Abby will be moving to New York to participate in Teach for America as a Kindergarten teacher at a brand new school, Leadership Prep Canarsie. “I am so excited for the year ahead,” said Abby. “I hope my job will help a lot of kids, which is exactly what I am about.”
I
nterested in applying or learning more about ASPIRE Clinic internship opportunities? Positions are available during spring, summer, and fall each year. Contact Megan Ford at aspire@uga.edu or 706-542-6795.
June 2011 as a financial service provider. “My experience at the clinic influenced me to want to learn more about the relational, emotional, and behavioral aspects of money,” Williams said. He recalls that the unique educational environment of ASPIRE has helped him to grow significantly. “Student service providers at the clinic learn how to collaborate with proLorem ipsum dolor fessionals from different disciplines and te how to put classroom knowledge into homas Williams, a Virginia nasit amet, consecteaction. I personally gained quite a bit tive, moved to Georgia in 2010 tuerpartnering with other service profrom to begin the HACE Master’s of viders in the clinic and learning about FIRST M. LASTNAME Science program in Family Financial Planning. During the spring of 2011, he their respective professions,” said was informed about a financial counsel- Thomas. Through his experience with ing practicum that Dr. Joe Goetz was ASPIRE, Thomas has also adopted new creating that summer. He enrolled and professional goals, including further exbegan working at the ASPIRE Clinic in ploration of the therapy field. He has
M EET THE ASPIRE A DVISORY G ROUP
Megan Ford, Clinic Coordinator Jerry Gale, HDFS, Marriage & Family Therapy Program Maria Bermudez, HDFS, Marriage & Family Therapy Program Sarah Zenti, TMI, Furnishings & Interiors Program Joseph Goetz, HACE, Family Financial Planning Program Barbara Grossman, FDN, Dietetic Internship Program Alex Scherr, UGA Law School
found a passion for working with clients and assisting them in resolving complex concerns involving both finances and emotions. “The ASPIRE Clinic has motivated and encouraged me to want to learn more about the mental health profession and pursue a career as a therapist, with a focus on money,” he shared. “In the end, I would like to have a doctorate degree within this profession.” As Thomas works towards these goals, he plans to take both the Certified Financial Planner and Accredited Financial Counselor exams, while continuing to learn more about the mental health field.
Best of luck to Thomas & all of our ASPIRE students graduating this Spring!
“Thank you to the ASPIRE students who helped me get back on track.” – Ark Jubilee
Loan Neighbor
T
ASPIRE Outreach: Creating a Lasting Impact on our Local Community Director of The Ark, Lucy Hudgens, discusses how the ASPIRE Clinic has become an important local resource and how our work contributes positively to the members of the Athens community.
he Ark, an outreach center in Athens, provides emergency financial assistance to the lowincome population of Athens-Clarke County and surrounding counties. The assistance community members receive from The Ark helps to prevent the loss of necessary utilities and homelessness. The Ark & ASPIRE Clinic are active partners in the Ark’s Jubilee Fund Loan Program. “The Jubilee Fund pilot program started in 2009 to provide interestfree loans to our neighbors who had encountered a recent financial emergency,” Hudgens explained. “However, we felt that our clients needed a more holistic approach to financial literacy and education, so The Ark partnered with the ASPIRE Clinic to provide our clients with financial counseling sessions throughout the duration of their loan.” As the partnership has grown, Lucy noted how ASPIRE’s involvement has made a significant impact. “With the new partnership, we began to see an increase in the number of our neighbors repaying their loan and also completing their sessions at the ASPIRE Clinic,” she said. “The sessions
truly help educate and guide our neighbors to understand and navigate their financial situations, resulting in positive and long-term changes.” A recent loan recipient offered to share her personal ASPIRE experience. “I appreciate the information, advice, and education ASPIRE and the Ark have given, as well as the connections they have shared with me. This program has helped me to overcome the hurdles my family was facing.” “Our neighbors continue to go to the ASPIRE Clinic after the completion of the loan, which says a lot about the counselors and the program!” - Lucy Hudgens, Director of The Ark
Find out more about The Ark of Athens.
www.athensark.org
ASPIRE: T IPS FOR W ELL -B EING Research shows that
exercising with your partner can actually bring you closer emotionally. So, instead of lounging on the couch, get out and take a walk together!
When we are anxious
and stressed, our bodies often crave foods that will exacerbate these feelings most. While seemingly paradoxical, people naturally gravitate towards the wrong foods during the wrong times. The following may be things to avoid, particularly during stressful times: energy drinks, candy and sweets, processed foods, coffee drinks, alcohol, & spicy foods.
Noteworthy Look for the newly re-designed & enhanced ASPIRE Clinic Website (www.aspireclinic.org) Lorem ipsum dolor
launching in April 2013!
te sit amet, consectetuer
The highly-anticipated ASPIRE Financial
FIRST M. LASTNAME Literacy Lab, created with a generous donation by
SunTrust Bank (www.suntrust.com), will be finished in April. The lab will focus on providing service and outreach related to helping others improve their overall financial health.
k! Sneak Pee
ASPIRE Eye on Research: Budding Collaborations in Financial Therapy
F
or the ASPIRE Clinic and the University of Georgia, innovative research is key. Helped by the unique, integrative nature of the ASPIRE, important collaborations among UGA faculty members are possible...and happening. Financial therapy, a new field that is pioneering the examination of the relationship between finances and our feelings about money, has brought three outstanding FACS professors together through research efforts that explore more holistic and effective ways of working with financial problems. Dr. John Grable and Dr. Joe Goetz, from Housing and Consumer Economics and professors of Family Financial Planning, along with Dr. Jerry Gale, from Human Development and Family Science and professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, discuss their budding research efforts. “We are collaborating to develop evidence-based therapeutic financial interventions and strategies,” said Goetz of their current work. As national leaders in experimental and clinical research in financial planning and financial therapy, Goetz, Gale, and Grable are focusing new research on more effectively improving the financial well -being of individuals and families.
Grable explains that one current research endeavor could be considered “psychophysiological economics,” which examines the link between thinking and behavior. “Basically, what we are finding is that how people perceive events has an immediate impact on the physiological responses,” he stated. “We are looking to see if increased financial stress leads to different intentions to seek financial therapy services.” Grable asserts, “A better understanding of the connections between stress and behavioral intentions might help explain why some people seek help and why some clients fail to implement recommendations offered by therapists, planners, and financial therapists.” As the newly-elected President of the Financial Therapy Association, Goetz shared his enthusiasm regarding the growth of financial therapy research. “If you would like to contribute to our emerging field, please explore the Financial Therapy website and the Journal of Financial Therapy, which both highlight the outstanding developments within the field.” To find out more about Financial Therapy, please visit:
financialtherapyassociation.org
W HAT IS
F INANCIAL T HERAP Y ?
Financial Therapy is an emerging professional field that has grown out of the noted overlap between finances and our emotions and behaviors. Financial therapy provides a conduit for deeper understanding of these overlaps and creates a path for improved practice and research in instances when feelings and finances intersect. Financial therapy is growing to include academicians, practitioners, and researchers from a variety of disciplines including financial planning, financial counseling, financial coaching, marriage and family therapy, social work, psychology, and more!
Check out the Financial Therapy Association’s professional journal publication: www.jftonline.org
Important Contact Information Change: The ASPIRE Clinic’s email address has changed from ftclinic@uga.edu to
aspire@uga .edu
Please update us in your contacts!
A Holistic Home: Expanding Our Definition of Interior Design
Sarah Zenti TMI Lecturer,
FACS Furnishings & Interiors Program
A Q&A feature with TMI Lecturer, Sarah Zenti, helps us to under-
stand the impact of our physical environments on well-being and how home environment & design consultation services are providing exciting educational opportunities for her students.
Q. Tell us about your background. I grew up in the Midwest and attended Iowa State University, earning both a BFA and MFA in Interior Design. I began teaching in the FACS Textiles, Merchandising, and Interiors Department in 2011.
Q. In your mind, how does interior design fit into the ASPIRE Clinic? The ASPIRE Clinic understands that the home environment is an essential support for creating and maintaining a happy and healthy family. Along with the work of the other ASPIRE Clinic professionals, residential interior designers can help make a house feel like a home by creating a functional and expressive environment that supports the needs of its individual members. The work that a residential interior designer does within the clinic is diverse and individual, we are able to assist clients with any needs, including establishing a personal identity, issues of organization, setting up a functional interior, and assessing issues of accessibility. No matter what a client’s need, big or small, design service providers at the ASPIRE Clinic understand that the home can influence emotional, physical and, behavioral reactions, making it an essential component to the comprehensive approach of the clinic.
Q. How are you working to expand the traditional definition of design and create new educational opportunities? For many, the traditional understanding of residential interior design is that it is a profession which only deals with aesthetics: the application of colors, textiles, etc. I want to expand this definition and alter the perception of the profession through education and demonstration of the various areas within a residential environment that interior design(ers) can affect. Over the course of this semester, I have tasked my Furnishings and Interiors students with developing potential educational classes that can be offered to the Athens and UGA communities through the ASPIRE Clinic. Students were asked to examine the numerous demographic groups located in the community and select one specific demographic. Once selected, students researched and identified potential residential interior designrelated topics/issues that would impact their chosen demographic and develop a class around it. The result of this exercise was an exciting and fresh mix of client classes and content that begins to expand the perceived definition of interior design and supports the collaborative mission and spirit of the ASPIRE Clinic. The classes created by students focused on important, inclusive topics like establishing and maintaining a healthy kitchen to promote healthy eating and sustainable living, in which clients might learn how to plan and set up a kitchen/dining space in a way that promotes family meal preparation, organization, family communication, and healthy, sustainable alternatives for cleaning and maintaining kitchen surfaces. A class like this could easily incorporate and be supplemented by other ASPIRE services: Nutrition, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Financial.
ASPIRE Clinic 210 McPhaul Center 706‐542‐4486 aspire@uga.edu www.aspireclinic.org
Thank You!
March Newsletter Contributors Abby Suhr Thomas Williams Lucy Hudgens Joe Goetz John Grable Jerry Gale Sarah Zenti Newsletter Design/Layout/Editing Megan Ford
© 2013 ASPIRE Clinic