Arlyn Anderson Mental Health Interpreting Consultant & Coach

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About Arlyn

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Whole Interpreter Enterprises Enhancing the Well-Being and Effectiveness of Interpreters who Practice in Mental Health Settings

Whole -

(adj) including all components without exception

Interpreter -

(n) someone who mediates between speakers of different languages

Enterprises -

(n) purposeful undertakings, especially ones requiring boldness

Two Unique Interpreter-Centric Services

&

Professional Coaching

For Life & Work

Mental Health Interpreting

Consultation & Coaching

Training and Developing Sign Language Interpreters to Practice Effectively & Comfortably within Mental Health Environments

Personal and Professional Coaching for Interpreters, Solopreneurs and Executives

Mental Health Interpreting

Educating and Inspiring Interpreters to

Practice Effectively & Comfortably within Mental Health Environments

Consultation

Education

Mentoring & Supervision

FOR INDIVIDUALSMental health interpreting is a broad field. It takes us into the intimate realm of psychotherapists, psychiatrists, counselors and beyond. It is the real-life stuff of pain and joy. It is the push and pull of resistance and growth. It is the sometimes strange territory where we encounter disturbing reaches of the human mind. There is, arguably, no other area of interpreting where who you are and how you take care of yourself are as important. Mental health interpreters provide better service to our consumers when we balance knowledge, specialized skills and personal development. Interpreters who develop this unique skillset are more prepared to manage the complexities present in the mental health environment. Being fully present, as practitioners of this work and as empathic human beings, brings to the fore the additional challenges of managing personal and professional boundaries and our own biases and personal sensitivities. This is a challenging and multifacited area of work. The outcomes are very personal and real. It is my belief that the tools gained by a study of mental health interpreting can be used in any setting at any point in one's career. From self-management to the deliberate nature of metaphor, silence and paradoxical interventions, there is much to learn and much of one's own creativity to tap. When interpreters begin to align with therapeutic goals and demeanor and become instruments of the therapeutic process, alliances may be formed and therapy can happen.
FOR AGENCIES & ORGANIZATIONSWhole Interpreter Enterprises offers a variety of coaching and consulting services - each personalized to meet the unique interests and needs of interpreting agencies and individual interpreters.Services include:Vicarious Trauma and Compassion Fatigue education and coachingIndividual and group education and training for best practices in mental health settings Productive debriefing of "difficult" assignmentsStaff goal setting Helping staff interpreters get "unstuck" and return to productivityPeer support and consultation groupsImproved communication with providers and professional consumers
FOR GROUPS & INDIVIDUALSEngage with this topic in an entirely new way. Join Arlyn on a unique personal and professional journey into the fascinating study of mental health interpreting.Choose one of several creative options for your study of this engaging topic. 1. 90-minute Individualized Mental Health Interpreting Consultation (approved for .15 RID CEUs)2. 16-week mentored study using The Whole Interpreter's Guide to Intepreting in Mental Health Settings (approved for 6.0 RID CEUs)3. Co-Create an RID approved Independent Study (IS) with Arlyn and your supervisor/mentor (approved for up to 2.0 CEUs)4. Bring Arlyn to your site for an in-person workshop or consultation group. (workshops approved for CEUs)Mental health settings of all types challenge interpreters to manage more than the typical dynamics present in other assignments. Mental health is present in various forms in every assignment - and sometimes the mental health information we manage is our own!
No Frame

Personal Coaching No Frame

What is Personal Coaching?

Each coaching relationship is unique and that can make it challenging to define. In its essence, coaching is designed to help you expand how you see yourself and what is possible for you. Whether you're reaching for a specific goal or simply seeking to feel happier and more fulfilled, a good coach won't tell you what to do, or try to sell you a pre-designed package to follow. A good coach gets to know you and what is important to you. Think of coaching as a genuine partnership with your best life as its central focus. How great is that!If you hunger for change and are ready to go for it, hiring a coach will make that change faster and more productive - and quite likely more fun. A great coaching relationship is both supportive and bold. It may be about self-discovery, and it is most certainly about exciting and meaningful action. A powerful coaching relationship helps you get accountable to yourself and what's important to you. Could Coaching Help You? Do you have a good-enough life, but feel like something is still missing - out of reach?Do you have a goal or a purpose that you aren't getting to, yet you don't want to let it die?If you are an interpreter, are you better able to express the opinions and thoughts of other people, than you are able to express your own?Do you want a more fulfilling life, but have lately begun settling for less?Are you your own worst critic?Do you recognize that to move forward you need more structure and accountability than you can give yourself?Do you love your work, but because of a lack of confidence you get in your own way?There are many paths to realizing a fulfilling life and career. Working with me as your personal coach is a path I invite you to take. As your coach, I want you to make the choices that will bring you to the most fulfilling life possible . . .Find it. Do it. Love your life again.
No Frame

I work with sole proprietors, entrepreneurs, students and interpreters, across the professional spectrum. I find myself drawn to coaching people who have been speaking or working for others and are feeling a call to find and reclaim their own unique voice.

My concentration is in helping people recover their true selves, transform their thinking and change their lives ifor the better. The answers are within you - I have no doubt - and that is where we look. I believe that the personal and internal work we do ultimately reverberates on a much larger scale. It is a bold, wonderful and important adventure.

I meet with clients using the telephone, skype, and videophone, so I work with intepreters, and others, across the country and beyond. Contact me to schedule our no obligation, complimentary consultation: Arlyn_wholeinterpreter.com.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didnt do, then by the things you did do, so throw off the bowline. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

Resources

Articles This section is under construction - thank you

Articles - Publications
MH Interpreting - Deaf MH
For You

Articles - Publications

Articles about MH and Interpreting

Mental Health Interpreting Draft Domains and Competencies - National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers(NCIEC)

RID Standard Practice Paper on Interpreting in Mental Health Settings

Managing Difficult Consumers and Situations

Psychotherapy with Deaf Clients - Vancouver Coastal Health Authority

Suggested Guidelines for Case Consultation

RID Standard Practice Paper on Video Remote Interpreting - see VRI in Mental Health Settings pp. 13-14

Self-Care Assessment for Interpreters

MH Interpreting - Deaf MH

Links to MH Interpreting Information

The Mental Health Interpreting page at the CATIE CenterThe Mental Health Interpreter Institute - AlabamaDr. Michael Harvey's Website - Vicarious Trauma and other important topics for InterpretersState of Minnesota - Deaf Mental Health Resources pageMental Health Resources for Deaf People - Gallaudet UniversityDeaf Wellness Center - University of Rochester Medical CenterAlternative Solutions Center - A Deaf owned and operated Psychotherapy and consulting practice - check out the resources page!Mental Health Resource List for D/HH Children and Adults - May 2010 - MinnesotaInterviews with Mental Health Interpreting Educators - 2008VIDEOS Mental Health Settings - Treehouse VideosFor Behavioral Health - Network of Care - MontereyDeafMD.org - Bridging Medicine and the Deaf World - Topics pagesNational Center for Deaf Health Research- Links OIC Movies - A collection of ASL videos from across the web
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For You

Self-Care Assessment for Interpreters.pdf

Coaches and Coach Training

Charlotte Toothman - Organizational and Leadership Development, Co-Active Coach

Coaches Training Institute - San Rafael, CA

International Coach Federation

True Colors - Coaching and Reiki

Crossroads Solutions Coach - Deborah Meyer

Coaching vs. Therapy - an Article by Dr. Patrick Williams, Ed.D., MCC

About Arlyn

ABOUT Arlyn

Arlyn Anderson, MA, CI, CT, CPCC Arlyn has crafted a satisfying niche in the interpreting field that integrates her many interests, including community building, technology and mental health. She is an interpreter, consultant, and personal coach. She practices these and other vocations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and across the country by telephone and video technology. Arlyn is driven by a commitment to design and communicate conscious, respectful and balanced approaches to interpreting in mental health settings. In the summer months you are likely to find her coaching and playing aboard her sailboat, "Freelancer."Arlyn's lifelong interest in mental health has led to exciting opportunities to study, practice, teach and otherwise engage with this fascinating topic. Early in her career, her curiosity was sparked by the innovative work of a team of Deaf and hearing mental health professionals at Ross Hospital, in Kentfield, California. In that a beautiful setting, in the shade of Mt. Tamalpais, they served children, adolescents and adults in a unique inpatient psychiatric setting. It was there she learned that interpreters, like herself at the time, who had little understanding of the mental health environment, could unintentionally interfere with therapeutic processes in subtle, but important ways. As the daughter of an inventor, Arlyn repeatedly witnessed how the spark of an idea, combined with creativity and resourcefulness could be carried through to produce tangible and useful creations. With this as her foundation, she set out to incorporate creativity, resourcefulness and heart into her practice of interpreting in mental health settings. About Co-Active Coaching: As Arlyn's mental health interpreting consulting work evolved, she recognized the opportunity to broaden her knowledge and skill-set to encompass the vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and othe personal challenges that often arose for her colleagues. She felt she needed a model for supporting and hearing the 'hard stuff' that would build on her intuition and compassion, and also give her a structure and ethical framework. Arlyn set out to see what there was to offer to interpreters who didn't feel the desire to do psychotherapy, and to the others who wanted to actualize the insights gained in therapy in a new way. The Co-Active coaching model turned out to be such a startlingly powerful fit that she has since received her certification and expanded her coaching services to include coaching interpreters and others beyond mental health settings -- simply for the sake of their fuller, happier, more productive lives. All things being interconnected, Arlyn believes that happier, more fulfilled, self-aware interpreters still provide the best mental health interpreting, too!
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Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Thanks, Everyone!

Consult Groups
Independent Study
1-1 MH Consultations
Personal Coaching
Debriefing Sessions

Consult Groups

Peer Support & Consultation Project for Interpreters

Pah! Skippy!

"Arlyn is always someone who lifts us up!! She help us to dig deeper in life and to always remember to take care of ourselves. We so often forget about the important things in life and she always seem to bring those things back to us and remind us of the importance to live than just be. "JenniferCertified InterpreterPSCPI group member

Independent Study

Independent Study Mentorships

Mental Health Interpreting "This experience was deeply rewarding. Arlyn challenged me to go beyond my comfort zone and I responded. It was indeed worthwhile. The study was personally inspiring. I grew from it and am so grateful for the experience. I am indebted to my professional mentor, Arlyn, for guiding me deeper into the unknown 'forests' of mental health interpreting. I wish for my colleagues to have even half of the enriching experience I did." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Independent Study Mentorship Mental Health Interpreting"Earning independent study ceu's with Arlyn Anderson as the coach/mentor was a beneficial and worthwhile experience. Talking about my work for the express purpose of professional development is now an essential part of my practice. Arlyn provides a way to obtain feedback for the complex, contextualized decision-making process the interpreting profession requires. Whole Interpreter Enterprises is at the forefront of the reflective learning, case conferencing and supervision field practices trend. Thank you for providing a place for honest dialogue to happen!"Rebecca Baldwin Rand, RID CI, CTTop--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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1-1 MH Consultations

60 & 90 Minute Individualized Consultations

90 Minute Individual Mental Health Interpreting Training and Consultation "My time with A. Anderson was most helpful. I felt supported and encouraged in my work in mental health settings. Her affirmation of my work was a motivation to continue my work in this area and perhaps to delve deeper into the special needs required in Mental Health Interpreting.""I was greatly benefited by my 1:1 session.""This was great!""Quality approach, quality interaction." "Arlyn did an awesome job!! She is very knowledgeable!!" "I benefited from being able to share 1:1 about some personal interpreting experiences that had challenged me. I felt our discussion would be held in confidence. These were things I couldn't share in a group setting. This was most helpful. "Wonderful! Thank you!""It was very informative with a safe atmosphere to discuss key parts in mental health interpreting""This was very beneficial - especially the individual portion""Wonderful hour!""Very helpful and it will definitely help me in many situations!""Yes! Yes! Yes!""I appreciated the time spent in the consultation. I'm always open to learning and keeping up in the field, understanding how theories have changed over the years for terps in a mental health setting. Arlyn was so friendly, organized efficiently, She presented the info/questions within the timeframe, I will definitely incorporate the ideas and info we discussed." "Excellent use of a hour of time. Thanks for the stimulating conversation and feedback!""Excellent! Thank you for bringing this to Greater MN!"Favorite topics that came up in various 1-1's:•Love the self-assessment sheet •Setting boundaries and 3rd person usage•Mental Health tips and tools•Learning more about therapists' goals - built my confidence•Self-care•Not mirroring clients' escalating emotions - if doing so could exacerbate a volatile state•The explanation of the 5 axes.•Interpreting for people with mental illness symptoms•Discussion of boundaries and alignment •Self-Assessment•Being respectful of the psychiatrists (other professionals, too) requirements of the environmental setting.•Deliberate intent in therapy communication•Eye Contact•Safety•Our discussions on "what to do" scenarios•Boundaries•Tools of Therapy/Neutral/Pleasantly Disinterested
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Personal Coaching Red Star

Personal & Professional Coaching

Life Coaching "I found Arlyn at a time when I was going through the motions of life, but not living life. I was in limbo and had become so caught up in my routine that I lost sight of my light at the end of the tunnel! I was frustrated with my interpreting career and I didn't even know who I was anymore. The only thing I was sure of was that I needed change. I knew I wanted to work with someone who had a great knowledge of the 'interpreting world' and someone who was nonjudgmental. Arlyn fit my criteria and yet brought so much more to the table with her wisdom, humor and genuine caring nature. Arlyn has been fantastic: by helping me redefine my goals, realize my potential and keep me accountable for the follow through in all aspects of my life. She also taught me that my feelings are real and okay, even the grieving ones that hurt the most. In less than a year's time of working with Arlyn my interpreting career has gone from a pipe dream to a very fulfilling journey with a new mentor, 2 new jobs and a big test, just around the corner! As for finding myself... turns out I've been here the whole time, but now I am learning how to express the person who is uniquely me. I am really enjoying life and am finding new adventures all the time! Because of these changes I'm not only seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but I am able to make it brighter and multicolored!!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I worked with Arlyn as my life coach for almost one year. It was one of the best gifts I ever gave myself . . . an opportunity to grow in self love and confidence. I guess one of the biggest challenges I experienced in my life prior to having a life coach was a painful lack of self-esteem. I walked around in my work and personal relationships doubting myself constantly. . . I experienced profound healing which is hard to put into words. Working with Arlyn was particularly helpful because she was serving me as a life coach but was also in the same profession I am in, a sign language interpreter. I felt she knew the challenges in my work and would always be there with understanding and compassion. She knew what she was talking about. She constantly affirmed me on a deep and nurturing level. Arlyn's coaching style was very gentle and was just what I needed. She is a great listener and asks poignant questions at the right times. She would not let me get away with brushing too lightly over something or wanting to push difficult issues aside. She challenged me to think deeply and honestly and go deep inside. I felt she truly cared that I would experience healing and growth through these sessions. I had a sense that Arlyn could be a little more 'tough' with clients if that is what they needed but rest assured always with compassion. She asked me directly what approach I felt worked best for me. I was honest with her and she responded in kind. I sense she has a variety of styles she could use with a variety of different personalities. After working with Arlyn I have a much deeper consistent level of self confidence and joy in my every day work and personal life. My fears of never being good enough have been greatly reduced. Realistically these fears and insecurities don't disappear overnight. When some of these old feelings come up again I have new tools of self affirmations that are very helpful. I can use the imagery tools we used together to confront these self doubts and deal with them."--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Life Coaching "Working with Arlyn was truly amazing. She helped me challenge myself to grow personally and professionally. She gave me the encouragement I needed to see the strengths I already possess and to refine the areas where I need to grow. Because of Arlyn's approach I felt fully comfortable being honest and vulnerable, which helped me grow in ways I never thought I could." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Life Coaching"I think what I have learned is to take ownership of my life and to not sit back and let others make the decisions. I was losing pieces of myself. I am also doing a better job at not letting people run-over me. I have also helped my daughter as well, using some of Arlyn's tools!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Life Coaching"My experience working with Arlyn has been invaluable. For the first time in my life, I'm learning to treat myself with the kindness I regularly extend to others. Doing so has required the desire to discover what's really important to me, and to remove the barriers keeping me from truly achieving those things. It has been incredibly helpful to recognize my old patterns and ways of thinking; even more so to make the attempt to unlearn the negative thoughts that I've had all my life. I'm finally beginning to figure out who I really am. The best part? I like the person I'm seeing! The process is not been easy, and my commitment to the process has occasionally wavered, but it has been worth every ounce of effort. I am incredibly grateful for the patience, encouragement and insight Arlyn has provided throughout my journey toward self-improvement. I couldn't ask for a more supportive guide." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Life Coaching"Coaching was one of the best things that could have happened to me during my internship . . . I would recommend this to anyone! I loved the approach to the coaching because it was always safe, comfortable and respectful. . . The biggest challenge I was working through before the coaching work started was my lack of motivation in certain areas of my career. Because I was hesitant about my skills and experience, I was not as driven to make choices that would ultimately open the most doors for me. I was ready to accept less than what I deserved and needed.Because of the benefits of my coaching experience I have felt more confident in myself as a professional. I am more comfortable expressing my needs and asserting who I am with mentors and colleagues. I understand what it means to be respectful as well as strong when it comes to conflict . . . Despite the short amount of time that I was able to work with Arlyn, I am so grateful for what I gained. I know that I have acquired life skills and perspectives that will benefit me in all areas of my life." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Life CoachingOne of the biggest challenges I faced before I started coaching with Arlyn was a lack of confidence in the choices I was making in both my personal and professional life. I was struggling to express my own vision for the present and future. I have become so good at being everyone else, I forgot who I was and what I wanted! Arlyn is easy to work with, fun, supportive, safe, and offers a lot of different exercises and tools to work with. You feel her total commitment and energy every time you work with her. Also, as a fellow interpreter, she understands very well the intricacies of our field and both the challenges and joys of the work. I am feeling more comfortable exploring my authentic self, I see where I am sending energy and time but not getting a strong return and I have made some shifts in my career track and in my personal life that are more in-line with creating a life that is balanced and interesting without being overwhelming.
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Debriefing Sessions

Support and Peer Supervision for Vicarious Trauma & Compassion FatigueAs a result of debriefing with Arlyn, it reaffirmed things I knew about myself and my profession, Our conversation was emotionally satisfying and with Arlyn's guidance, I was able to work clearly through a difficult situation rationally, focusing on myself rather than anger and hurt. I will refer back to her encouragement in all aspects of my life. Thank you so much, Arlyn, for your insight. Deborah Warshauer, CI & CT, Cherry Hill, NJ

Credentials - Affiliations

Credentials and Affiliations

Memberships and Affiliations
Recent Publications and Projects
Credentials and Education

Memberships and Affiliations

Professional Affiliations

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID)Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (MRID)Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT)World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI)National Association of the Deaf (NAD)International Coaching Federation (ICF)Minnesota Coaches Association (MCA) Minnesota Deafblind Association (MDBA)

Recent Publications and Projects

Recent Publications & Projects

Standard Practice Paper - Video Remote Interpreting-Mental Health Setting, RID, Inc., 2010 Standard Practice Paper - Interpreting in Mental Health Settings, RID, Inc., 2007 Author, Mental Health Interpreting, New Mexico Mentoring, 2006, Video production, Interpreting for Therapy, 2002, 2007Contributor, Content Expert, Mental Health Interpreting Draft Domains and Competencies, NCIEC, 2007Facilitator, Co-Founder, Peer Support and Consultation Project for Interpreters Working in Mental Health Settings, CSD of MN, 2008-present

Credentials and Education

Master of Arts, Human Development, St. Mary's University, Minneapolis, MN, 2011 Compassion Fatigue Specialist Educator, Traumatology Institute, Toronto, CA, 2010BA, Mental Health and Deaf Studies, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN, 2006 Certificates of Interpretation and Transliteration (CI & CT), RID, Inc. Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), Coaches Training Institute, San Rafael, CA, 2008Graduate, Coaches Training Institute, San Rafael, CA, 2007Certificate, Ohlone College Interpreter Preparation ProgramASL Studies, Vista College; University of California, Berkeley, CA; Interpersonal Communications, University of Montana

ID Matters Photo IDs

www.idmatters.biz

ID Matters is another big idea and really fun business by Arlyn Anderson.

ID Matters produces high-quality, over-the-edge photo ID badges and unique photo luggage tags for interpreting professionals, interpreting businesses and other �solopreneurs.� ID Matters was launched shortly after 9/11 when a swell of heightened security measures spread across the country. Overnight, interpreters found that it mattered very much �who you were� and �how you belonged.� ID Matters answered the problem by providing self-employed interpreters with a way to quickly and easily identify their professional role. Since 2002, ID Matters has been making badges for interpreters, interpreter education programs, RID chapters, college programs, agencies and video relay services, too. Along the way other business franchises have joined these customers in appreciating ID Matters� great customer service and quality product.

Looking for ID Matters? See other designs and order yours www.idmatters.biz

Contact Arlyn

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