In a matter of months, 16-year-old “David” had gone from being a successful student to spending 12 or more hours per day playing video games. He lost his scholarship to a private school, then dropped out of school altogether, refusing to leave the couch, even to bathe. He also stopped
Month: December 2014
Wilderness therapy is an intensive, out-of-the-box treatment modality. One of the elements that makes it so effective – multiple staff who devote focused, substantial time to clients, both individually and in group settings — drives up the price tag. “[Wilderness therapy] is an investment, and I explain it to families
During its 63-year history, ACA has been physically located at just four addresses. The most recent building at 5999 Stevenson Ave. in Alexandria, Virginia, was home to the association for more than 30 years. So, you can imagine what moving to our new location might have been like. Sixty-two employees
The tenure for the president of the American Counseling Association is one year. In addition, there is a year as president-elect and a year as past president. The presidential year moves at a rapid pace, being filled with numerous responsibilities, opportunities and challenges. This has been true for me, already
Prologue: Your feedback needed! The Technology Tutor column has returned and will be published more often (bimonthly instead of quarterly). With more opportunities to bring you information about technology use in counseling, I want to know what you want to read about. In the past we’ve covered practice management systems,
G roup counseling was known to be a beneficial method of treatment for substance abuse even prior to the 1935 founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, but it wasn’t until after World War II that group therapy became a widely accepted form of treatment. It was used in psychiatric hospitals, outpatient treatments,
Every January, right as the new year begins, we are saturated by commercials for diets, advertisements for exercise machines and stories of people whose lives were transformed upon attaining the elusive goals of slimness and fitness. This message is an undercurrent throughout the entire year, of course; it just becomes
In the 21st century, we have more ways to communicate and get information than ever before. News headlines and celebrity gossip reach millions of people in seconds on Twitter. We share our lives with friends and family on Facebook, post our pictures on Instagram, look for jobs on LinkedIn and
The holidays are supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year,” right? After all, the greeting cards and carols of the season are filled with words like “cheer,” “joy,” “merry” and “happy.” For many people though, the holidays invite the opposite: dread, deep sadness or a resurgence of
When it comes to mental health care, how does your home state rank? The advocacy organization Mental Health America (MHA) recently compiled a state-by-state ranking of mental health indicators nationwide. The 50-page report exposes disparities across the United States, not only in the availability of mental health services but also