Recreational marijuana recently became legal in Colorado, and several other states may soon follow suit. It remains to be seen what impact this decision ultimately will have on counselors working with clients in school, addictions, mental health and other settings. Catherine Iliff, a licensed professional counselor in Pueblo, Colo., says

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) taps into the “instinctive bond” humans have with other living things, says Michigan counselor Amy Johnson. The practice can also build trust and strengthen the therapeutic relationship between a counselor and a client, she says. However, simply having a dog in the room during a counseling session