Last-Minute Optimization Ideas to Boost Your Easter Ecommerce Sales

By: Chris Reid, Account Manager Easter is almost here but it’s not too late to make some last-minute adjustments to your Ecommerce presence for the holiday.The Easter bunny can bring major consumer traffic to many businesses: Americans spent an estimated $16.4 billion on candy, plastic eggs and other holiday merchandise in 2015. But you don’t have to be in the marshmallow Peep business to make the most of this holiday.If you haven’t started planning already, we’ve got a few smart marketing strategies that can help you keep your customers engaged and boost sales. Run a Contest Well-timed and engaging contests can increase your exposure on social media and attract more potential customers to your website. For example – depending on your business – you could have your Facebook fans send in their best Easter photos and offer prizes in different categories: craziest Easter bonnet, most creatively decorated eggs, kids in their Easter outfits, etc. Get fans to vote for their favorite entries and you’ll collect lots of shares, likes and comments along the way.You could also run the same type of contest on Instagram and make up your own fun hashtag to go with it. Update Your Social Media Branding Incorporate a little Easter into your social media pages – spring flowers, colorful eggs, pastels, bunnies and chicks are just a few possibilities.You can also try creating an Easter-themed cover photo for your Facebook and Google+ pages. Theme Your Social Posts Not sure what to post?You can’t go wrong with a fun holiday-themed photo.Photos on Facebook receive about 104% more comments and 53% more likes than text-only posts. While you’re thinking about your social media presence, don’t forget to create a few Easter-themed blog posts if it fits with your company’s style. Bring Easter to Your Website Your company’s website offers plenty of opportunities to capitalize on the Easter season. Set up a landing page for your Easter-related products and promotions and add some fun content that will keep visitors engaged. Send a Holiday Email An easy way to sneak in some Easter marketing is to send your customers a holiday email. Create an attention-grabbing Easter-themed subject line, insert some themed graphics and add a compelling call-to-action to drive visitors to your site. Although some of these tactics require some creativity and strategy, they can generally be done fairly quickly. Utilizing ones that best work for your business will allow you to take advantage of the Easter season to boost visibility and gain new customers. Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments!

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest In the decade of the 1960s there was a lot of complaints that came from the actors, directors and film enthusiasts. They clamour for a renaissance of Hollywood films. The movie industry was in a deplorable state, however, good fortune smiled on those who desperately wanted for change (Lev, 2000, p.5). In the 1960s up to the 1970s Hollywood went through a rebirth. It was known as the period of â€Å"great artistic achievement based on new freedom and widespread experimentation† (Kramer, 2005, p.1). One of the best example of â€Å"New Hollywood† is the blockbuster entitled One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. This film exemplified â€Å"New Hollywood† based on unconventional techniques seen in the way the plot, theme, visual style and even the people that worked on the project such as the director, cinematographer and actor in the lead role. It is rare for a film to enjoy both critical and commercial success (Maltby, 2003, p.180). The Cuckoos Nest movie was embraced by the critics as one of the finest examples of Hollywood excellence. It won five major Oscar awards. But more importantly the masses gave their own feedback, giving the two thumbs up sign by voting with their money as they patiently brave the elements to stand in line to buy tickets and see the movie for the second and even the third time.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This was not only beneficial to the studio but also on the main actor Jack Nicholson himself and according to one report, â€Å"By 1978, Jacks share of the Cuckoos Nest windfall grew to $15 million, becoming the kind of annuity that just kept on giving completed on a $4.4 million budget, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest became the seventh-highest grossing movie ever† (McDougal, 2008, p.200). Jack Nicholson, Milos Forman and Haskell Wexler came to Hollywood just at the right time w hen the movie industry in the United States was in the cusp of revolution. According to insiders, â€Å"The conditions for a revolution in Hollywood certainly seemed to be in place in the latter part of the sixties. There was the decaying regime: a studio system run by aging autocrats whose commitment to standardized technique and innocuous content seemed to make it impossible for genuine film artists to emerge in Hollywood† (Bernardino, 1991, p.1). Aside from that there was tremendous pressure to change. The bottomline is falling in most studios and this simply means that if it cannot produce a good movie that people will pay to watch then the golden days are over and they will have to learn how to file bankruptcy. According to film historians, â€Å"There was an external crisis: the initial challenge of television followed by the consolidation of its position as the mass medium, a situation which by the end of the sixties had led to truly alarming declines in the box offic e receipts of American movies† (Bernardino, 1991, p.1). Aside from that there were the discontented masses, the baby boomers and the educated young adults who are more than willing to break free from social restrictions (Bernardino, 1991, p.1). As a result some of the most spectacular films in Hollywood history were made such as films like The Godfather (1972); The Poseidon Adventure (1973); Jaws (1975) and Star Wars (1977) among others (King, 2002, p.46). Plot and Theme This film is a byproduct of â€Å"New Hollywood† as evidenced by the plot and theme. One writer even said, â€Å"With its narrative emphasis on institutional politics, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, reflects interestingly on the institutional structure of New Hollywood cinema itself† (Morrison, 1998, p.212).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is seen in the courageous use of mater ial taken from a novel by Ken Kessey. It can be said that this is not the first time that a movie outfit dared to tell the story of mentally ill patients and the intriguing and sometimes frightening scenes inside a mental asylum. However, this is the firs time that a studio tackled the idea that the psychiatrists and the supposedly health experts are the villains and not the lunatics inside the mental institution. According to the author of the novel the book shows how the said institution was used not to help people but to separate those who are not willing to conform to social rules (Kesey, p.1). This was depicted so well at the end of the movie when the character played by Jack Nicholson was reduced to a â€Å"vegetable† reducing what was once a bubbly character into someone who could no longer resist the people bent to subdue him. The plot and theme of the movie is a perfect example of â€Å"New Hollywood† not only because it experimented on visual style, cinematog raphy and other elements of production but more so because the whole story of the movie talks about going against the grain. The whole film is an illustration of how Hollywood used to stifle creativity and ingenuity in the movie industry and how powerful individuals are pulling the string and everyone involved are mere puppets. â€Å"Old Hollywood† was defined using the character of nurse Ratched. The name itself is something that denotes the idea of a rat and a wretched place. A rat is understood to be a creature that cannot be trusted and can easily turn traitor because the â€Å"rat† is someone who cannot go against those in authority has to constantly obey rules and conventions. The story is a revelation of how destructive is a dictatorship and why absolute power corrupts. Movies that came out from â€Å"New Hollywood† is also a dagger aimed at the old methods enjoyed by giant studios and directors and producers who became too powerful for their own good. Th e theme and plot of the story can be summarized in one statement: â€Å"McMurphy never lets rules – or even common sense – stand in the way of good fun† (Fish, 1984, p.10). It is this desire to experience happiness and fulfilment that has inspired the producers and creators of this film. Finally, the experimentation is also evident in the creation of the plot and theme of the movie. For instance, McMurphy was depicted as the suffering saviour. He seems to be portrayed as the Messiah but at the same time he is the worst example of what a Messiah should be, this is because he is uncouth, proud, and angry (Stone, 2000, p.92). But this ability to go against the conventional way of storytelling and film making sets this film apart.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Visual Style Just like the other products of its time, One Flew Over the Cu ckoos Nest can easily represent â€Å"New Hollywood† because of its striking visual style. If one will have an overview of the movies done in the 1950s there is a sense of predictability when it comes to how the director frames the shot and what are the things that are allowed to be within the frame. One example is the way the characters are framed in the scenes using tight shots. The camera focuses intently on the face of McMurphy and so the audience can feel and experience the nuances of his gestures and mannerisms. The same thing can be said with regards to the tight shot of Nurse Ratched. The visuals provided a complex character. She is soft-spoken and yet everyone is afraid of her. Even McMurphy at one point realized that he has met his match in Nurse Ratched. It must also be pointed out that use of colour or the absence of it intensifies the meaning of its scene. The first time the audience were acquainted with Nurse Ratched she came in wearing a black coat and then whe n she was ready to get to work she was transformed into this nurse wearing all white. This played well with the drab background of the mental institution and this is a good example of how directors in this particular era are not afraid to experiment on different techniques such as the different way they depicted violence. This can be seen in the way the main character was murdered, smothered by a pillow (Horwath, Elsaesser King, 2004, p.143). Director This film is an example of â€Å"New Hollywood† because of the director on the helm of film production. Milos Forman is not American-born. This is layered with complex implications. First, he is not tied to the conventional way of doing American films. Secondly, he brought with him the techniques that he had learned in Europe. Finally, he is used to experimentation and trying out new techniques. This is why the feel of the film was different as compared to other products that came out of â€Å"Old Hollywood.† Actor The a ctor that they brought in to play the part of Randall Patrick McMurphy is no ordinary actor. He is different in the sense that Nicholson exudes this aura of rebelliousness. He is a person who does not seem willing to conform to social norms. There are other actors that can play this part convincingly well but they are actors that are easily identified with the current system.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More But by bringing in Jack Nicholson as the actor in the lead role, the audience are immediately forewarned that this fellow will tend to break the rules instead of keeping them. Nicholson was not yet an established actor groomed by the studio. Nicholson is someone who is so talented and yet does not seem to fit in according to industry standards (Conner, 2002, p.6). Nicholsons facial features, his mannerisms and his acting was just perfect for the part. It gave credibility to what he was trying to project on the silver screen. His character is desperately trying to go against traditions and norms and his superb acting allowed him to speak not only to the critiques watching the film but the ordinary people who felt that there is a need to experience freedom and not to be repressed by rules and traditions that has ensnared them for too long. Nicholsons character is the personification of the challenge posed by those who are sick and tired of the â€Å"Old Hollywood† and are willi ng to stand up against institutional bullies. A commentary on the character of R.P. McMurphy clarified why this movie exemplify â€Å"New Hollywood† and it says: â€Å"McMurphys sanity takes the ward by storm: none of the patients have met anyone like him where the other patients were timid and quiet, McMurphy is cocky and loud; where they are unable to do more than snicker, his healthy laughter shakes the walls; where they are sexually repressed, he is self-proclaimed champion lover† (Fish, 1984, p.9). Cinematographer It was not only the actor and director that exemplify the new way of doing things in the â€Å"New Hollywood† it is also the cinematographers. The best example is Haskell Wexler who was the cinematographer of the said movie. Wexler typified the radical changes that were happening within the industry because he is a cinematographer who does not compromise easily when it comes to artistic freedom (Schaefer Salvato, 1984, p.247). His desire to expe riment can be seen in the way he tried to capture the emotion of the scene using excellent camera work. One of the best example is the tight shot of Nurse Ratched as she lies on the floor after McMurphy tried to suffocate her. Uncertainty Before Success There was a tremendous degree of uncertainty when one is trying to do something for the first time. There was nothing like this movie in the history of Hollywood. If one will say that this is unprecedented, it would have been an understatement. A few days after the release here are some of the reactions from critics and moviegoers, â€Å"One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest detonated like a nuclear revelation, touching a universal nerve and elevating Jack to superstardom in the process† (McDougal, 2008, p.198). The compliments kept coming and another commentary said, â€Å"Many theatres defied the usual one-week-in, next-week-out trend and extended the film for months the movie opened in Stockholm on February 26, 1976, and didnt c lose until eleven months later† (McDougal, 2008, p.198). Conclusion It is rare for a film to enjoy both commercial and critical success. The movie One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest was able to accomplish this rare feat. The reason given is that it is the by-product of â€Å"New Hollywood† and the proof also that the movie going public is looking for something new. This film exemplified â€Å"New Hollywood† because of the theme, visual styles, actor, director and cinematographer. Together they collaborated to create something unprecedented. The result was spectacular, it is one of the films that saved Hollywood and ushered in a new era in film making. References Bernardoni, J., 1991. New Hollywood. NC: McFarland Company, Inc. Conner, F., 2002. Hollywoods Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Lucky Breaks,  Prima Donnas, Box Office Bombs and Other Oddities. VA: Brasseys, Inc. Fish, P., 1984. Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. New York: Barrons Educational Series, Inc. Horwath, A., Elsaesser, T. and King, N., 2004. The Last Great American Picture Show: New Hollywood Cinema. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Kesey, K., 1962. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. New York: Penguin Books. King, G., 2002. New Hollywood Cinema: An Introduction. New York: I.B. Tauris. Kramer, P., 2005. The New Hollywood: From Bonnie and Clyde to Star Wars. UK: Wallflower Press. Lev, P., 2000. American Films of the 70s: Conflicting Visions. TX: University of Texas Press. Maltby, R., 2003. Hollywood Cinema. MA: Blackwell Publishing. Morrison, J., 1998. Passport to Hollywood: Hollywood Films, European Directors. New York: State University of New York Press. McDougal, D., 2008. Five Easy Decades: How Jack Nicholson Became the Biggest  Movie Star in Modern Times. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Schaefer, D. and Salvato, L. 1984. Masters of Light: Conversations with  Contemporary Cinematographers. CA: California University Press. Stone, B., 2000. Faith and Film: Theological Themes at the Cinema. MA: Chalice Press.

Electric and magnetic fields Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Electric and magnetic fields - Essay Example In the universe, magnetism has a great importance as most of the heavenly objects are influenced by the magnetic fields. The planet earth has also a constant magnetic field around it, as the magnet has a north and south poles; the earth has also the north and south poles. These poles were being in use from many years and people find their ways and directions utilizing the earth magnetic poles. Magnetic and electric fields are utilized to generate electrical power. Similarly, electric and magnetic fields are utilized to convert the electrical energy into mechanical energy by the utilization of a motor. A field of physics is dedicated to study the electric field that is Electrostatics. Electrostatics studies the electric field in relation with the electric flux, electric potential energy, electric potential, electrostatic induction and electric dipole movement. Electric field is a vector quantity having no fixed direction and has the units of N/C (Newton per Coulombs) or V/m (Volt per meter). The field is produced due to the movement of the electrical charged particles. The movements of the charged particles produce a magnetic field. The magnetic and electric fields are such linked to each other that one influences the other. In this way, the electric fields can be described by force that a charged test particle face. The force directs the electric fields in the similar direction as that of the force (Oatley 5-27). In this perspective the idea of electromagnetism grown and referred as the field dealing with both the quantities. Magnetic field is termed to be vector; the field has a direction and magnitude. The movement of the electrical charge produces the magnetic fields (Herlach & Miura 1-65). In this way, electrical charge or the charged particles highly influence the magnetic field. Magnetic fields are much important in determining the direction on the ship along with the most modern system like GPS (Global positioning system). Changing the magnetic

Market Strategy and Anti-Trust Regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Market Strategy and Anti-Trust Regulation - Essay Example To be specific, the company targeted a large market through the Product Line Expansion Strategy. In explanation, the De Beers Company had an effective distribution channel and it influenced other companies to make sales through the distribution channel. This ensured that the company gained control of the product supply globally due to the consumer surplus, regardless of whether it produced the diamond. The company had an excess supply of diamond, therefore, controlling the prices of the commodity. After 1990, there were new sources of diamond in other countries that sold the product directly to the market without involving De Beers. This created a producer surplus situation and the company employed its resources to purchase diamond from the emerged sources, as a strategy to maintain its market share (Thompson, Arthur, & Strickland, p. 23). The American courts had no jurisdiction to handle De Beers’ case for defying the country’s anti-trust regulations (Guide to Antitrust Laws). The company was not accountable for the diamond in the United States as the transfer of the title to the products occurred outside the country’s boundaries. However, the De Beers Company decided to pay the penalties even through it was under no legal obligation to make the payment. The justification is that it paid the fines in order to have the ability to enter the United States market to increase its

Thesis On E-Government In Jordan Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 20000 words

Thesis On E-Government In Jordan - Dissertation Example E-government is the short form of electronic government, also known as the â€Å"e-gov† and has a number of other names in digital government, the online government, and even transformational government. E-government discusses the manner in which government makes use of the exchange of information and services that are pertinent with regards to the citizens, individual businesses, and other governmental agencies to name a few. E-government thus takes care of information and communications technology, which in this paper we will call as ICT. All these processes are carried out to ensure that there is improvement within the processes, efficiency is achieved, public services are better managed and delivered and there are plenty of tasks that are done in the right manner as far as processes of democratic governance are concerned. Thus to add to the same discussion, we see that the E-governments encompass a number of different models including the Government to Citizen, also known as the Government to Customer, Government to Business and lastly Government to Government. However, to coin the most significant of these activities that E-government does in the related scheme of things, we see that E-government increases efficiency between the tasks ensure there is convenience all around and there is a better accessibility factor related to the provision of basic public services. Hence the interaction between the private sector and that of the public sector is also improved as a result of the very same.

Clients Description And Functioning Social Work Essay

Clients Description And Functioning Social Work Essay The client is a sixteen-year-old African American female who is pregnant with her second child. The client attends junior high school. The client lives with her mother, age unknown, who is unemployed. B. Setting Peak View Behavioral Health is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Peak View Behavioral Health is a psychiatric hospital dedicated to providing quality care to promote growth and structure for clients and families (Peak View Behavioral Health, 2012). Peak View Behavioral Health treats adults ages eighteen and older and, in January 2013, will begin to serve children ages four to seventeen. The hospitals services include acute psychiatric care, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient services, substance abuse, twenty-four hour assessment and Electroconvulsive Therapy. C. Reason for Referral The client was referred to Each One Teach One, an alternative school, by her prior public school principal. The client is pregnant with her second child and has been suspended from the public school. Adolescent pregnancy, intended or not, can have negative consequences. Common consequences of adolescent pregnancy include dropping out of high school, living in poverty, relying on public welfare, and experiencing higher levels of psychological distress, as compared to their same age peers (Stoiber, 2005). The consequences of the clients pregnancies are reflected by her situation. She has been referred to an alternative school and experiences psychological stress which impacts her relationships. The principal was aware of the clients first pregnancy, although no previous interventions were attempted. The principal suspects the client is having difficulty in her home life, although she will not disclose to the principal how she became pregnant twice. Client is not happy about the suspension from public school. Client does not understand why she is being suspended because she feels as though she has not done anything wrong. Although she is upset about the suspension from her public school, she does seem interested in the referral to the alternative school as evidenced by her accepting the referral and attending Each One Teach One. One of the highlighted strengths in the lives of African Americans is their strong educational or achievement orientation (Boyd-Franklin, 2006). Although the client is experiencing a negative social and economic environment, she appears to be motivated to better herself. The clients mother does not support the referral for client to attend the alternative school. The clients mother encourages the client not to attend school and get on the Welfare. D. Clients Description and Functioning Client is of average height and pregnant. Client attends school well groomed, e.g, hair brushed, teeth brushed, showered, and wears clothes that are clean and well-fitted. Although the client is pregnant, she is able to walk to school and walk up and down the stairs to her apartment without difficulty. Client took necessary testing precautions to be tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) after learning her father passed away from Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Consequently, client tested positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Client does not speak grammatically correct English as evidenced by client stating sentences such as I is learning, I does my work, and what this one is? Although client reports she sits in the back of the classroom, does not open a book and does not participate, clients math teacher reports client does well in math. Client has difficulty reading. The clients mother reports client as stupid and not ever amounting to anything. Client identifies one of her strengths as cooking. Client reports auditory and visual hallucinations in the form of vampires telling her you are one of us. Client fantasizes about being white, living rich and famous, and being saved from her current situation. E. Physical and Economic Environment The clients mother is unemployed and receives welfare of an unknown monthly amount. Clients mother has custody of clients first child in order to receive aide on that child. Client attended public school until suspended and will be attending Each One Teach One. In the evenings, client cooks and cleans for the household. Client describes her mothers day as a beached whale lying on the couch. Client states her mother eats, watch T.V., eats, watch T.V. The client and mother live in a two bedroom apartment, rent unknown, in Harlem. Client describes the neighborhood as the ghetto and consumed with crack heads. The clients apartment building is sprayed with graffiti. Americans visualize the ghetto as where the black people live representing a poor, susceptible to crime, drug-infected and violent part of the city (Anderson, 2012). The client defines her neighborhood as the ghetto due to drug activity and crime. F. Current Social Functioning 1. Family Situation. The client and mother live in apartment together. The clients mother has custody of the clients first born child and claims that child for welfare purposes, although the child actually lives with clients grandmother. The clients father previously lived in the home with client and mother prior to moving out. Clients relationship with her mother is volatile. The clients mother reported she should have aborted her. Client cooks for her mother, cleans the home, and runs errands for her mother when needed. Client fantasizes of wanting to be on the cover of a magazine or in a music video. Client has current and past history of sexual and physical abuse. Client was raped by her father. The clients first child, and the second child she is pregnant with, are products of rape by the clients father. The clients mother is aware of the rape of the client by her father but blames the client for taking my man. The clients mother also blames the client for clients father moving out of the house. The clients mother also admitted to sexually abusing client, stating who was going to please me. Client has also experienced physical abuse at the hands of her mother. The clients mother has slapped her and thrown a frying pan towards her head. The clients mother is verbally abusive calling client names such as bitch, whore, good for nothing and stupid. 2. Current Sexual/Emotional Relationship. Client reports never having a boyfriend but wishes she had a light skin boyfriend with nice hair. 3. Occupational/School Situation. Client has been suspended from public school and referred to Each One Teach One, an alternative school, due to her second pregnancy. Client enjoys math and does well in math, as reported by her math teacher. Client has difficulty reading and tested at a second grade reading level. Client has difficulty with her peers as evidenced by clients physical aggression towards peers, i.e., slapping, punching, and cursing at her peers. Client has obedient relationships towards teachers and principal as evidenced by following directions without defiance. 4. Other Social Relationships and Social Roles and Satisfaction. Client reports never having a boyfriend and does not have any friends. Client takes pride in being a mother but is not able to be a mother to her first child due to her own mother not allowing her child to live in their home because of the childs developmental disability. Client has expressed wanting to get her child back. Client does not currently attend a church but fantasizes of participating in the church choir. For generations, African Americans have used spirituality and religion as a crucial instrument for survival (Boyd-Franklin, 2006). One role of the African American church is to act as a refuge, as a sanctuary in an often times unfriendly world (Boyd-Franklin, 2010). Although client does not currently attend church, in her fantasies, she finds the church as a safe place from her negative and hostile environment. 5. Medical/Psychological. Client is pregnant with her second child. Clients first pregnancy resulted in a female with developmental disabilities. At time of clients referral to Each One Teach One, client had not yet seen a doctor for her second pregnancy. Client found out from her mother her father passed away from AIDS and client tested positive for HIV. Clients mother refuses to be tested for HIV because she believes she has not contracted the disease because she and clients father did not engage in anal sex. 6. Legal Issues. Client does not have any legal issues at this time. G. Personal and Family History relevant to current focus Client was born in November 1971 in Harlem. Mother reported client would sleep in the bed with her and the clients father. Client was bottle fed as a baby, as clients father would drink the breast milk from clients mothers breast. The clients mother reported client was three years old at the time of her first sexual abuse by her father. Client has experienced sexual abuse by her father and mother, and physical and verbal abuse from her mother. Individuals who are of lower economic status are more likely to experience traumatic events, and African Americans are more likely to be of lower socioeconomic status (Gapen et al., 2011). Clients mother reports there is no alcohol or substance use in the home. II. Assessment Psychological Functioning The clients intellectual functioning is at a moderate level as evidenced by grammatically incorrect language and a second grade reading level. In terms of the clients psychological functioning, her ego functions are moderately compromised. The egos ability to unify and combine mental processes is called ego functions (Berzoff, Flanagan, Hertz, 2011). Reality testing is the egos ability to recognize and agree with physical and social reality. The most important aspect of this function is the ability to tell the difference between internal reality and external reality (Berzoff, Flanagan, Hertz, 2011). The clients function of reality testing is compromised at times, as evidenced by auditory and visual hallucinations and retreats to her fantasy world. The clients ego function of controlling impulses is also compromised, as evidenced by aggressiveness towards peers. The egos attempt to maintain an accurate level of positive self-worth in the face of stressful or aggravating circumstances is self-esteem regulation (Berzoff, Flanagan, Herzt, 2011). The clients self-esteem could be defined as low due to physical, sexual, and verbal abuse. The clients low self-esteem can be seen through her fantasies of wanting to be someone else, e.g White, famous. Defense mechanisms guard the self from danger, actual or perceived (Berzoff, Flanagan, Hertz, 2011). In terms of defense mechanisms, the clients defense mechanisms could be classified as immature. The clients immature defense of dissociation, where a painful memory is detached from the feeling, is evidenced by the clients fantasies of herself leading a different life (Berzoff, Flanagan, Hertz, 2011). B. Emotional Functioning Between nine and twelve months of age children begin to develop Internal Working Models to characterize emotions and expectations resulting from interactions and communication between infant and caregiver (Riggs, 2010). Consistent with the notion emotional abuse negatively impacts Internal Working Models and the ability to regulate affect, research suggests emotional abuse places children at risk for poor self-concept and disorders of emotional regulation and impulse control (Riggs, 2010). In regards to the clients emotional functioning, her limited range of emotional expression and poor impulse control are demonstrated by her use of aggression and anger towards peers. The clients negative coping responses can be seen through her fantasies, as she cannot verbally express how she is feeling. According to attachment theory, insecure attachment styles are used because they are adaptive in relation to the behavioral responses of their attachment figure (Riggs, 2010). One type of insecure attachment pattern is disorganized attachment. Disorganized attachment can be connected to child abuse, lack of resolution to trauma or loss by parent, and maternal frightening behavior and psychopathology (Riggs, 2010). The clients attachment pattern can be classified as disorganized due to her experience of sexual abuse, by her mother and father, and physical abuse, by her mother. The clients disorganized attachment can also be attributed to her mothers lack of support in regards to her sexual abuse by her father, i.e., blaming the client for the abuse. Evidence of clients insecure attachment in early childhood can also be seen, currently, through clients dismissiveness, i.e., that she takes care of her mother despite the abuse, low self-concept (Berzoff, Flanagan, Hertz, 2011). C. Social/Behavioral Functioning Attachment insecurity, due to emotionally abusive parenting, adds to poor social functioning. In early attachment relationships, children begin to develop the skills needed to build future social relationships, such as self-awareness, empathy, negotiation, and conflict resolution. The security of attachment influences many areas of interpersonal relationships, including effectiveness in peer groups, reciprocity in relationships, empathy, problem solving, conflict resolution, and establishing close and intimate relationships with peers (Riggs, 2010). The clients social isolation, as evidenced by her lack of peer group, demonstrates the clients insecure attachment with caregivers. The clients lack of distrust in peers and adults is displayed through clients aggressive behaviors. D. Environmental Issues and Constraints Affecting the Situation The client lives in a neighborhood in which she would consider the ghetto. Client lives with her mother, although the relationship is unstable. Children with a very insecure attachment to their mothers are more likely than other children to live in high-risk families and environments (Kwako, Knoll, Putnam, Trickett, 2010). The client has experienced sexual, physical, and verbal abuse from her caregivers. African American families experience higher rates of poverty than families of other races. Living in poverty increases the risk of exposure to trauma and trauma is found more often in African American populations (Graves, Kaslow, Frabutt, 2010). The clients turbulent home environment, unsafe neighborhood, and lack of social supports and resources exacerbates clients distrust in others, social isolation, and negative self-concept. E. Motivation and Commitment to Services The clients mother does not support client attending school and would rather client take welfare services. Despite the clients mothers lack of support, the client is motivated to attend school to continue her education and be a positive mother for her children. F. Workers Understanding of Clients Presenting Situation/Problem The client is a sixteen year old, African-American teenage mother of two. The client has experienced severe childhood sexual trauma by her mother and father. The clients two pregnancies are results of sexual abuse from the clients father. The client lacks emotional support from her mother and is often ridiculed by her mother in terms of her appearance, intellectual functioning and overall being. Emotional abuse in the attachment relationship significantly increases the likelihood of developing insecure attachment, which is proven to be linked to low empathy and reciprocity, hostility or aggression and impulsivity, exploitation or ridicule by peers, social withdrawal or exclusion from group activities, and general patterns of un-relatedness and isolation (Riggs, 2010). The client lacks any type of social support from peers and, often times, interactions with peers result in aggressive confrontation. Clients distrust in peers and adults is evidenced by lack of nurturing relationships. Up to this point, client has not accessed community resources. Previous experience with racism frequently prevents African Americans from accessing assistance and/or services from organizations which historically have safeguarded Caucasians (Graves, Kaslow, Frabutt, 2010). Clients mother is distrusting of community institutions which may lead to clients inability to access support. According to attachment theory, a child forms representational models, i.e., internal working models, of attachment figures, of the self, and of self-in-relation to others based on their relationship with primary caregivers. When a childs caregiver responds in a sensitive, loving, and consistent manner, a working model of other as loving, reliable, and supportive is internalized. On the other hand, experiencing emotional abuse and neglect may instill damaging beliefs about the self, e.g., I am stupid, I am not worthy of attention, which may result in maladaptive models of self, other, and self in-relation to others. Instead of developing a working model of the self as worthy of love and attention, negative models of the self as worthless, incompetent, or powerless may result (Wright, Crawford, Castillo, 2009). Due to the clients mothers unstable and inconsistent caregiving patterns, client has developed a low concept of self, as evidenced by the clients feelings of unworthiness to h ave or accept any type of relationships. Although the client has experienced severe childhood trauma, insecure attachments with caregivers, and family and community instability, the client appears to be moderately resilient. Resilience refers to patterns of positive adaptation during or following major adversity or risk (Lopez Snyder, 2011). Faced with two pregnancies, unsupportive and abusive caregivers, and lack of social support, the client continues to be motivated to pursue her education, regain custody of her first child, and become a caring and loving mother to her children. III. Evidenced Based Practice Search This author began the search using the Google Scholar search engine with the term psychodynamic treatment for female African American adolescents of sexual abuse. This search yielded articles related to interventions for substance abuse. The same search term was used again but the term intervention was exchanged for the term treatment. This search yielded articles on cognitive behavioral interventions. This author then moved to using the search engine PsyhInfo. Terms including psychodynamic treatment, psychodynamic intervention, African American, adolescent and sexual abuse were again interchanged to aide in the search. This author then added the term sexual abuse survivor to the search. This search began to yield interventions related to psychodynamic interventions. This author began finding articles related to psychodynamic groups as a psychodynamic intervention. Continuing to use the PsychInfo search engine, this author then used search terms psychodynamic groups, adolescents, sexual abuse survivor and African American. This author was able to yield articles related to psychodynamic groups. This author then moved to using the University of Southern California Library to continue the search. This author again used the terms psychodynamic groups, adolescents, sexual abuse survivor and African American to yield further articles in regards to psychodynamic groups. This author was able to accumulate six articles in regards to psychodynamic group intervention. Overall, this author found it extremely difficult to find, in the literature, psychodynamic interventions specific to African American adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse. IV. Intervention Plan In the first years of childhood, the family is responsible for the care and development of the child. In healthy families, children learn they can depend of their environment to provide emotional security and physical safety. Children then gain behaviors which allow them to nurture their own emotional and physical health free from parents or caregivers. Poor health also can develop early in life. Children who live in families with characteristics such as family conflict, i.e., frequent episodes of anger or aggression, and lack of nurturing, i.e., relationships which are cold, unsupportive, and neglectful, can have negative consequences on mental and physical health (Repetti, Taylor, Seeman, 2002). Unfortunately, due to clients exposure to an abusive and un-nurturing environment, she has developed poor mental health, as seen by her moderate level of defense mechanisms, poor self-concept and lack of support. Due to the clients insecure attachment with caregivers, which has led to lack of support and untrusting nature to others, the intervention employed will be psychodynamic group psychotherapy. Because of clients young age, client will be more suitable for time limited psychodynamic group psychotherapy, which occurs between twelve and thirty sessions (Wise, 2009). The format used for psychodynamic group psychotherapy is verbal. The basis of the group should be to feel and talk, rather than act. Because it is a psychodynamic therapy, the therapist should wait for the group interactions to occur freely and then comment when appropriate (Wise, 2009). During the process of psychodynamic group psychotherapy, the therapist will attempt not to set agendas but follow the suggestions of the group. The belief is the group process will eventually lead to the most emotionally charged subjects if allowed to proceed without interruption. The therapist in the psychodynamic group psychotherapy session will attend to the group and individual members based on how the session begins (Rutan, 1992). The implementation of the psychodynamic group psychotherapy intervention is community based, therefore the client will need to access community organizations to utilize the treatment intervention. As previously noted, the client has not accessed community resources thus far. Another hurdle the client will have to overcome in order to maximize optimum results from the psychodynamic group psychotherapy intervention is a proper match to therapist leading the group and participation. Because client is untrusting of other others it may be difficult to engage client in group psychotherapy process. A therapist who creates an environment of acceptance, understanding and trust, and provides empathy and responsiveness will have a better chance of keeping and engaging challenging members (Gans Counselman, 2010). The goal of psychodynamic group psychotherapy is to make aware parts of the unconscious which result in negative distortions in present day perceptions (Rutan, 1992). Furthermore, goals of treatment are to assist in overcoming resistance to experiencing, expressing and understanding emotion. The psychodynamic group psychotherapy model allows for resolving the tension between suppression of emotions and explosiveness. The group format also allows for members to work together to manage and contain feelings (Wise, 2009). This aspect of psychodynamic group psychotherapy will be beneficial to client, as she has difficulty expressing her emotions, as evidenced by aggression towards peers. Although the client will gain emotional regulation skills through the psychodynamic group psychotherapy intervention, this will not be her main treatment goal. Psychodynamic group psychotherapy is also another way for individuals to interact within a system of relationships. This is beneficial due to most presenting problems having a relational context. Allowing individuals to interact and then reflect gives the individual the opportunity to use the group as a place to observe and change patterns (Wise, 2009). The client has expressed a desire to have safe, nurturing and loving relationships with others, but due to low self-concept does not feel worthy of such relationships. The clients goal for psychodynamic group psychotherapy will be to increase number of quality relationships from zero to at least two by the conclusion of the group sessions. The clients relationships will be measured by her own self-report, as well as therapist observations of her interactions and relationships with fellow members of the group and development of social skills. The catalyst for change in psychodynamic group psychotherapy includes change by imitation, i.e, learning by observing others, identification, i.e., unconsciously taking on traits or characteristics of others, and internalization. The therapeutic process develops using confrontation, explanation, interpretation and working through (Wise, 2009). Additionally, other therapeutic aspects which are addressed include support, self-revelation, learning, and self-understanding, with interpersonal learning as the utmost important (Wise, 2009). Because the client has developed negative internal working models, due to insecure attachment with caregivers, i.e. mother and father, the interactions with others in the group setting may begin to assist client in developing higher self-concept and more nurturing relationships. V. Discussion, Analysis and Rationale for Interventions Chosen Psychodynamic group psychotherapy was chosen as the intervention for the client due to her experience of sexual abuse by caregivers. Time limited, as well as ongoing psychodynamic group psychotherapy has been effective in treating women with a history of sexual abuse, due to the opportunity for the individual to reduce the feelings of isolation, guilt, and shame. An individual is able to effectively work through feelings when the individual is able to share their experience in a therapeutic environment comprised of compassion and acceptance. The psychodynamic group psychotherapy process provides an individual with the ability to incorporate a new object experience without devaluation or ridicule, while at the same time abandoning previous attachments which were associated with the original event and emotion (Nusbaum, 2000). When an individual is abused, the person tends to identify with the unloving, aggressive, and immoral characteristics of the superego rather than the gentle, loving and protective characteristics. The individual may interpret the caregivers failure to nurture and protect adequately as a sign they are unworthy and unlovable (Nusbaum, 2010). Evidence of these characteristics can be seen in the clients low self-concept and feelings of unworthiness to have any type of relationship. Within the psychodynamic group psychotherapy process, the group can demonstrate appropriate levels of protectiveness, love and concern to its members. Negative feelings often experienced by individuals with sexual abuse can often be eased through disclosure of the traumatic experience. The group can then provide corrective superego functions by not allowing its members to blame themselves for the experience, which may have been unavoidable and not their fault (Nusbaum, 2000). Psychodynamic group psychotherapy also deepens the alliance between group members and facilitates the development of relationships which can be observed and analyzed in the context of interpersonal fears and roadblocks. Furthermore, in psychodynamic group psychotherapy individuals can identify interpersonal conflicts and work through primary defense structures which are run by fears of trusting. Additionally, because abuse and neglect tend to occur in dysfunctional families, by successfully working through emotional conflict the psychodynamic group offers the opportunity for interpersonal learning and development of social skills, which are usually not modeled in dysfunctional homes (Nusbaum, 2000). This author is unable to implement the psychodynamic group psychotherapy intervention with the client but can visualize how the intervention would unfold with the client. In the first sessions this author would attempt to create a trusting, nurturing and safe environment where client would feel she could engage in the group process and share personal experience. According to psychodynamic theory, personality is formed developmentally. In this model each stage of development builds on the previous stage and each stage affects the following one. It is important to note in the therapeutic process, defects in earlier developmental stages can be corrected if that stage can be recalled, relieved and be affectively re-experienced and corrected in the here and now (Rutan, 1992). It will be pivotal for the clients treatment for her to share feelings, emotions and past experiences in order facilitate positive transformation. This author would predict the client would be difficult to engage initially due to her mistrust in others and feelings of unworthiness. After consistent nurturing, accepting, trusting and safe experiences in the psychodynamic group, this author would see the client begin to engage in the group process. Once the client begins to share personal experiences, feelings and emotions this author would utilize a specific intervention, the here and now. The here and now technique would allow this author to use the clients past experience to understand and explain occasions when she unconsciously repeats the past or misperceives the present based on what she has learned in the past (Rutan, 1992). This technique would allow self-learning and self-understanding in regards to how her past abuse and neglect as affected her current relationships. This author expects transference will likely surface in the therapeutic process with the client. Transference can be defined as the misrepresentation of present object relationships on the basis of early object relationships (Rutan, 1992). Transference will be beneficial in the therapeutic process with the client. It will allow for this author to gather information and explore the nature of early relationships based on the characteristics the client transfers on to this author (Rutan, 1992). Through the psychodynamic group psychotherapy process the clients main goal will to be to form quality, nurturing and trusting relationships. Relationships are important in forming personality, causing psychopathology, and curing psychiatric symptoms. As individuals develop in the psychodynamic group they are forming important relationships and, while doing so, every part of their character is emerging. Individuals reveal their defense mechanisms and transferences while, in turn, receiving feedback from the therapist and other members. There may not be any other therapeutic process where so much data is available to an individual about themselves as in psychodynamic group psychotherapy (Rutan, 1992).

It’s Time to Stop Corporate Downsizing Essay -- Argumentative Persuasi

It’s Time to Stop Corporate Downsizing Michael Moore is very opinionated. He can be very blunt and sarcastic, but he gets his point across. In his documentaries Roger and Me, Pets or Meat, the return to Flint and The Big One he is not speaking out for what someone has done to him, but for what they have done to the people of Flint, Michigan. In Roger and Me, Michael focuses on how Roger Smith, the CEO of General Motors (GM), closed his factory in Flint to open factories in Mexico. The closing of the plant left more than 30,000 people unemployed. Michael was determined to talk to Roger and get him to come to Flint to see what kind of effect his greed caused. In Pets or Meat, the return to Flint Michael returns to Flint to see that people are still struggling. One bright side though is Roger Smith’s pension has been cut by $100,000. In The Big One, Michael Moore has written a book titled, Down Size This, Random Threats From an Unarmed American. On his book tour he helps a bookstore establish a union and he gets Phil Knight, the CEO of Nike, to match his donation of $10,000 for the...