It’s true that there are many common factors among those who serve in or are affiliated with the military, but there are a large number of differences too. Age, ethnicity, gender, period of service, full time or part time, combat or not — all of these factors have their own impact on the experiences of military-affiliated clients.
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Counselors who are working with college-aged clients with social anxiety should talk through and create a plan for the client to navigate the many anxiety-provoking situations that may arise as they begin (or return to) school.
It is possible that some of the men who end up in your office may experience symptoms related to a negative body image. By helping clients confront the negative thoughts that plague their minds, we can potentially eliminate the harmful and, most times, irrational thoughts that haunt them.
“I believe the lessons and approaches presented in the PT model of conducting therapy, albeit in the physical realm, apply in very concrete ways to our work as professional counselors.”
There are not enough veterans in the counseling career field serving others in the military population. At the same time, that truth does not minimize the need for mental health counseling for the military population.
“He had no reason to trust me. If I had been in his shoes, I wouldn’t have trusted me either.”
Empathy allows for the full and complete exploration of thoughts, feelings and behaviors, with no intent to short-circuit the process simply because we cannot tolerate someone else’s pain.
Counselors can assist clients and families who are impacted by chronic illness by validating their experiences, providing psychoeducation, and stepping up to advocate on local, regional and national levels.
With the rising number of catastrophic events, counselors should prepare now to ensure they are ready to help survivors move forward even in the face of resistance.
Jessica Coalson and Anabel Mifsud, both of the University of New Orleans, were named grand prizewinners for essays that they submitted to the ACA Future School Counselors Awards and the ACA Tomorrow’s Counselors Awards, respectively.