Local law enforcement, code enforcement and animal control experts have known about the problems of animal hoarding and object hoarding for a long time. But excepting the sporadic attention given to the issue here and there in the professional literature, the mental health community is relatively new on the scene.
Category: Member Insights
Articles written by members of the American Counseling Association
Current education reform initiatives and reports are fueling new debates among national and state education leaders and policymakers about the viability of U.S. schools and solutions to pervasive education problems. Initiatives such as the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top program and President Obama’s Blueprint for Reform of
Dan sat motionless, riveted to his chair as he recalled his recurrent nightmare. “Every night …” He trailed off and faded back. “It’s the eyes. I see his eyes! Staring at me.” Dan was recalling a soldier, frozen to death and still at his post. The memory, too, was frozen
One of the long-standing debates in the counseling profession is whether the counseling process should be conceptualized scientifically or according to the assumptions of the humanities. At this point in history, most counselors would probably agree that both scientific and humanistic ideologies should inform the practice of counseling. These scientific
I believe sitting in the client’s chair weekly – experiencing exactly what it is like to be the client – would greatly increase beginner counselors’ empathy.
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
“Experiences, thoughts, actions and emotions actually change the structure of our brains. … Indeed, once we understand how the brain develops, we can train our brains for health, vibrancy and longevity.” — John J. Ratey, A User’s Guide to the Brain Counseling builds new brain networks. Research in neuroscience and
“Yoga? I’m not doing no yoga! Not enough testosterone! Yoga’s for girls! It’s just not me!” These were the kind of comments thrown at me when I first introduced a yoga/meditation/relaxation (YMR) group to 15 adolescent boys. Now, three years later, when a new boy joins the program, I still