Each April, we celebrate Counseling Awareness Month. Rather than a single day on which elected officials pass a proclamation or make an announcement at a meeting of the city council, we feel that counseling is so special, so profound and so important to society that it really deserves more than
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It was Tiffany Craig’s turn to do a “squiggle story.” She had drawn a squiggle on a piece of paper and, out of respect for her young client, took a turn imagining what the squiggle might be. Craig, who runs a private practice in North Laurel, Md., determined the squiggle
It should come as no surprise to school counselors that collaborating with teachers and other school personnel is key to effective results with students. Patricia Nailor, president of the American School Counselor Association and retired director of school counseling for Providence, R.I., schools, says the importance of collaboration can’t be
Ten years ago, I was in my office at school when a student came in, threw herself in the chair and stated emphatically, “Life really sucks, and I hate all my teachers.” She then burst into tears with such force that she began to hiccup uncontrollably. I immediately sat across
For the past several months, I have been thinking about the word resilience. This past fall, I had the fortune of attending the Illinois Counseling Association’s conference, where the theme was resilience. And at the upcoming American Counseling Association Annual Conference & Exposition in Pittsburgh later this month, we have
If you think elementary school students are only learning their ABCs and 123s, think again. Some are also absorbing societal messages that place importance on counting calories and dropping dress sizes. Anna Viviani, a counselor in private practice in Peoria, Ill., who works with eating disorder clients, remembers a conversation
You can’t change anyone else; you can only change yourself. Many counselors have used this common bit of wisdom to help clients overcome problems, but it’s crucial that counselors internalize that idea themselves, says Clifton Mitchell, a professor and coordinator of the community agency concentration in the counseling program at
Sometimes, cohesion is an open therapy group’s biggest challenge. Although the open-door approach provides ongoing support as people find themselves in need, building connection may feel nearly impossible as members trickle in and out each week. “Our open groups never close. I may have 13 women one week and three
Next month, thousands of professional counselors, counselor educators and graduate students will convene in Pittsburgh for the ACA Annual Conference & Exposition, cosponsored by the Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA). We will be joined by hundreds of exhibitors, publishers and employers. Many roads lead to Pittsburgh (literally), so I am aware
It’s often said that when you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like a job. That sentiment might be a little idealistic, but all too often, career counselors say, people miss out by not following their hobbies and passions into a career. Cyndi Doyle met one client in that