Mention the word trauma to Americans in the 21st century, and their thoughts are likely to turn to images of terrorism, war, natural disasters and a seemingly continual stream of school shootings. The horrific scenes at Newtown and Columbine still dominate public consciousness, particularly when our society discusses child trauma.
Category: Cover Stories
After three years of work that included 40 conference calls, numerous face-to-face meetings, two meetings at American Counseling Association annual conferences, two town hall meetings and the evaluation of feedback received from more than 100 ACA members, the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics was approved and released at the end of
Advocacy is a concept that can evoke visions of protesters and picket lines, phone banks and information booths, and maybe even knocking on doors and accosting strangers on the street. But at its most basic level, advocacy means to help or assist, and isn’t that the essence of counseling? “I feel
Americans live in a youth-obsessed society. Advertisers, the media and even the job market send the message that it pays to be young — or at least look young. But looking beyond the airbrushing and the nip/tucking, there is a stark reality: The population of adults 65 and older in the
Jacqueline Swank, an assistant professor of counselor education and researcher at the University of Florida, believes in the power of nature. “I grew up on a farm,” she says. “Every aspect of my life involved nature.” The barnyard and surrounding woods were her playground, but living close to nature offered her
Although there are differing definitions of self-esteem, most counseling clients would probably use the common cultural definition: a feeling of having respect for yourself and your abilities. Of course, defining self-esteem isn’t the same as understanding the important role it plays in emotional health. It’s a role that many clients may
A counselor’s path forward is rarely linear. Agreed? Somewhere over the course of a career, something is almost guaranteed to happen that will change the counselor’s perception of, approach to or relationship with counseling. In fact, if you practice or teach long enough, you are likely to encounter several “somethings” that will
Lori Russell-Chapin was a quarter of the way through her scheduled 40 sessions of therapy with a 22-year-old college graduate with Asperger’s syndrome whose social shortcomings — understanding cues, relating with others — were hampering his relationship with his girlfriend and his parents. As Russell-Chapin has done with hundreds of
Twenty years ago, the preponderance of Elaine Beckwith’s most troubling cases tended to center on substance abuse and the outpouring of near-psychotic clients cast into the general population after the onset of deinstitutionalization. The past few years have brought a new pattern to the fore, one as pronounced as it
When Russ Curtis visits his primary care physician (PCP) for his yearly checkup, the physician checks his blood pressure and his weight. She listens to Curtis’ heartbeat and asks if he’s been having any pain. She also screens for substance abuse and depression. It hasn’t always been the norm for