A flurry of activity has taken place these past several months around your national ACA headquarters. I can remember in the “old days” when there was a bit of a lull for a few weeks after the annual conference. That was good because it allowed staff, leaders and members to take a
Month: May 2015
The 2014-2015 year as the 63rd president of the American Counseling Association has moved at a rapid pace. It has been an honor to serve as your president during this fantastic year, highlighted by the ACA Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida. Special for me are the relationships established during
One of the many profound changes within the counseling profession for mental health counselors has been a gradual shift from psychodynamic and person-centered therapies to an emphasis on the medical model. The full history of this shift is an interesting one, featuring as much sociopolitical influence as scientific influence, but
How do you determine your level of effectiveness in your work with clients? In everyday practice, counselors typically rely on clinical judgment and their own assumptions about the therapeutic alliance and client progress. Few would argue against the importance of good clinical judgment, but there is persistent evidence that counselors’
The 10 days that Jeffrey Kottler spent in earthquake-ravaged Nepal this month were exhausting and painful but also some of the most worthwhile work of his career, he says. Kottler served in a medical team with Empower Nepali Girls (ENG), the nonprofit he founded 15 years ago. The help the
A client comes in for his first counseling session. He has a carrot sticking up his nose and a banana in his left ear. “Help!” the client cries. “Can you tell me what’s wrong with me?” “Simple,” the counselor says calmly. “You’re not eating properly.” Laughter is an essential part of the
When a client seeks help, often the focused, tailored nature of individual counseling is exactly what he or she needs. But sometimes there is a particular alchemy in a group. Many clients benefit from group counseling, either in addition to or instead of individual treatment. Why is that? The counselors
In the aftermath of the recent earthquakes that have devastated Nepal, Jeffrey Kottler has found that some of the most effective counseling tools available are empathy and a listening ear. Kottler, a professor of counseling at California State University Fullerton, is in Nepal to join the earthquake relief efforts of
I grew up in a low-income housing project on the South Side of Chicago. I faced many challenges as a young girl in this homogenous and sometimes destructive community. Of the many things I experienced while growing up poor, I’d like to raise some awareness of how black girls continue
The people of Nepal are focusing on basic needs right now – finding shelter, food and water; staying safe; and caring for family. Anything else, including processing the trauma that comes from experiencing a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, will come later, says Jeffrey Kottler. Kottler, an American Counseling Association member and professor of