For clinicians working with individuals who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a key component to any therapy (group or individual) is helping these clients see the “big picture” when it comes to social situations, academic assignments, the need to do daily chores at home, reacting to the size of
Category: Member Insights
Articles written by members of the American Counseling Association
Mateo (not his real name) sat on the floor in my office playroom. Each week in therapy, he routinely played with a small plastic doll and every time, without fail, he placed objects in the doll’s mouth. This day, however, he did something more aggressive. His eyes wide and his
It was my first intensive in-home counseling session with Josh, a delightful blue-eyed 10-year-old who was living with his 72-year-old aunt, Katherine. She had been granted custody of Josh a few months before I was assigned to the case. Previous reports and intakes described Josh as a child at risk
The American Counseling Association’s Professional Standards Committee has spent considerable time exploring the role of field placement in the development of counselors’ professional identity. Surveys on this topic were sent to professional counselors, counselor education programs, internship sites and graduate students. A review of the 148 completed surveys (out of
Professional development is a career-long requirement for counselors. As professional counselors and counselor educators, we have attended or presented at numerous conferences and skills-training workshops over the course of several decades. This range of experiences has allowed us to observe that presenters frequently infuse experiential exercises into their presentations. In
Maybe it’s because I live in New York, a city that offers daily encounters with artists from all walks of life, or perhaps it’s because I have years of songwriting and performing experience myself. Regardless of the reason, I have often sought out (mostly unsuccessfully) clinical research or counseling practices
There is sound research available that demonstrates the efficacy of certain evidence-based treatments when working with the military population. However, most of that research seems to disregard the necessary prerequisite for counselors in achieving reliable treatment outcomes — the ability to build trust with a client population that has a
T onight, 5-year-old Jonathan is a fretful, whiney and downright irritable child, and with good reason. He is sneezing, running a low-grade fever and has a runny nose, symptoms so easily recognized that even Jonathan can diagnose himself as having a cold. Five-year-old Greg is just as fretful, whiney and
Are you a mental health counselor? If so, you may be only vaguely aware of the ways in which CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs)-only language in hiring, credentialing and reimbursement policies could impact your practice. As practicing mental health counselors and board members of the Maryland
Everyone who enters a graduate program in counseling daydreams at some point about his or her professional future. The ultimate goal for some is to start a private practice. For others it is to work in a certain setting or with clients who have specific issues or treatment needs. Many