H olistic care, or the integration of primary and behavioral health care along with other health care services, is becoming more common. In my experience as a mental health and chemical dependency counselor in an integrated care site, I have come to value the benefits that such wraparound services offer.
Category: Member Insights
Articles written by members of the American Counseling Association
It was like someone was sitting on my chest. From the moment I awoke each day, I could barely breathe, and throughout the day, I teetered on the verge of tears. My wife and I had separated, and I thought my 20-year marriage was about to end. My heart was
In the counseling profession, resistance is essentially considered a four-letter word. Actually, many counselors probably feel more comfortable using a four-letter word than they do talking about a client’s or supervisee’s resistance. There are good reasons for this aversion. Traditionally, resistance shown by clients or during supervision was considered a
The overwhelming number of women who have participated in the #MeToo movement has drawn renewed attention to issues of sexual violence, which remains pervasive in our culture. This newly risen wave has created a refreshed platform for addressing gaps in counselor training for sexual assault response. Even though statistics from
Words matter. The language we use when discussing sensitive, controversial or stigmatized topics reflects and shapes our attitudes and beliefs about those topics. Such is the case with HIV and AIDS. Since being widely identified in the 1980s, HIV and AIDS have been perceived negatively by the general public, resulting
An activist is a person who campaigns and takes action for social change. Counselors are often activists for their clients and for their profession by nature of being in a helping field. The issue of self-care looms for both counselor practitioners and counselor educators as we face difficult client issues,
We are living through a historic era that many people describe as divisive, polarizing and disheartening. The world of social media never sleeps, and we are bombarded with images of pain and strife. The visible presence of neo-Nazi groups marching, the increase in arrests and deportations of immigrants from sanctuary
Kyle hears the drone of the elevator music playing behind the bland voice that states, “All calls are important to us. Thank you for your patience. A customer service representative will be with you in just a moment.” Kyle knows the message well because he has been on hold for
Actors, dancers, musicians and other performers are vulnerable to a variety of challenges and clinical issues that are unique to those who choose to make their living using their creative talents and skills. Although artists are people just like the rest of our clients, I believe it is important for
O ver the past 13 years, I have dedicated my career to developing mental health services and models within the academic setting as a school counselor, mental health therapist and now as an assistant professor in counselor education, where I engage in community action research to develop mental health models