We therapists live for moments when everything “clicks” and our clients arrive at an understanding that had eluded them until that moment. There is nothing more rewarding than when a well-placed analogy or metaphor creates the breakthrough moment. When spot-on, the resulting “lightbulb” reaction or “aha” moment is priceless. Of
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Is the National Football League ready for an openly gay player? What about society at large? Many in the media have been raising these questions since University of Missouri football star and NFL prospect Michael Sam “came out” in interviews this winter. The defensive lineman from Hitchcock, Texas, had told
Today is the day to learn the true lesson from Newtown. Today occurs a couple of months after the inaugural year of mourning, after the memorial services and after the “dust has settled” for those who are not personally connected to Newtown and its resilient community. Today epitomizes the “Now
Counselor educators hold the unique position of being gatekeepers for their profession, attempting to evaluate what harm a student might do to future clients if he or she has a deficit of skill or a lack of insight into his or her own behaviors, values, biases and abilities.
Suicide rates. Chain of command. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Military jargon and slang. For counselors, working with military veterans brings its own challenges and need for baseline knowledge. “Just as with any other culture that is different from your own, it is not enough to simply want to help members
Recreational marijuana recently became legal in Colorado, and several other states may soon follow suit. It remains to be seen what impact this decision ultimately will have on counselors working with clients in school, addictions, mental health and other settings. Catherine Iliff, a licensed professional counselor in Pueblo, Colo., says
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) taps into the “instinctive bond” humans have with other living things, says Michigan counselor Amy Johnson. The practice can also build trust and strengthen the therapeutic relationship between a counselor and a client, she says. However, simply having a dog in the room during a counseling session
There is a saying often repeated among people who skydive, bungee jump, white water raft or take part in other adventure sports: “We take risk not to escape life but to keep life from escaping.” This phrase that encapsulates the adventure sports subculture also shines a light on the disconnect
A recent government survey indicates more Americans are getting the help they need in crucial areas – such as heroin addiction – and our nation’s behavioral health is improving in some aspects, including the abuse of prescription pain medications. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently released the
I sit up straight in my chair in the small office, nudging my glasses up the bridge of my nose and hoping my new client doesn’t realize we’re the same age. Yet her comfort level with these new surroundings appears seamless as she tucks her legs underneath her and explains