ACA’s Future School Counselor Award is open to any counseling student in a masters or doctoral degree program (student ACA members),and working toward a career in school counseling at either the elementary, middle or high school level. This is one of four graduate student competitions facilitated by ACA on a
Search “play therapy”
618 Results
Search Results
Celebrating Man’s Search for Meaning
Viktor Frankl was born in Vienna, Austria, on March 26, 1905, and died in that same city on Sept. 2, 1997. Frankl wrote the celebrated Holocaust testimony Man’s Search for Meaning and is widely known as the founder of logotherapy/existential analysis, which is a form of existential counseling. Logotherapy, sometimes
When the behavior of others negatively affects clients’ mental health
In a 1624 devotion, the English poet John Donne argued, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” This sentiment still rings true in modern-day counseling. Behaviors exhibited by other people in clients’ lives — often the
Investigating the impact of barbershops on African American males’ mental health
Ralph Ellison, a famous African American novelist, literary critic and scholar, completed a series of essays in Shadow and Act that depicted the many social differences shaping Black and white America. He held the African American barbershop in high regard, proclaiming its significance as an institution as higher than secondary
Untangling trauma and grief after loss
Death, loss and grief are natural parts of life. But when death arrives suddenly and unexpectedly, such as with suicide or a car accident, the overlap of the traumatic experience and the grief of the loss can overwhelm us. Glenda Dickonson, a licensed clinical professional counselor in private practice in
Voice of Experience: We are all writers
I have been a writer since I was a very young child. Back then, I would write stories on my notebook paper from school — the large, three-lined paper on which children learn to produce their letters — sometimes writing with a crayon. Using cardboard from discarded cereal boxes, I
Pandemic telehealth: What have we learned?
Last year, safety precautions and restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in early spring caused most counselors’ in-person interactions with clients, colleagues and students to come to an abrupt halt. To continue treating clients, many clinicians shifted to conducting counseling sessions through video or other digital media. For some
A time to make dreams come true
So many people dream of fame, fortune, fast cars and fancy homes. For so long now, I have dreamed of freedom — freedom to be my full true self without judgment, shame or ridicule. So, who am I, do you ask? I am a 33-year-old female mental health counselor (and
COVID-19 and the ‘casino effect’
Providing mental health services during a pandemic is a perspective changer. A few weeks ago, I happened to work with three clients back-to-back, providing counseling services through telehealth. COVID-19 has opened a door, and a necessity, to being creative in how we provide services and mental health support. It has
The intersection of childhood trauma and addiction
Substance dependence leads to persistent negative consequences and the loss of human potential. These consequences often include chronic health problems, dysfunctional family environments, harmful economic impacts and premature death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 21.2 million individuals in the United States met the criteria for