Despite the American tradition of “rugged individualism,” working successfully is rarely a solitary activity. Although counselors are proud of their professional identity and strive to be experts in whatever their specific disciplines may be, there is still room for — even a need for — communication and the exchanging of
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No, I didn’t! Denial revisited
Given that I thought I’d cultivated my listening skills, it was uncharacteristic of me to so abruptly interrupt a patient who felt compelled to plead his court case of a criminal charge in group therapy. We in group, of course, were experiencing the very common occurrence of denial. As part
Promoting understanding of PTSD
If there’s one thing Hallie Sheade wishes people knew about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it’s that the disorder is actually the human body’s natural reaction to trauma. “PTSD is a very normal response to a very abnormal experience,” says Sheade, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) who runs an equine-assisted therapy
A heart for helping people
As Stephen Southern was boarding a plane this past spring to make his third professional outreach trip to China, he thought about his longtime mentor, Robert Smith. Southern, a professor and chair of the Mississippi College Department of Psychology and Counseling, was leading 18 of his students on a study tour
Tossing and turning in the digital age
For centuries, poets and playwrights have ascribed a kind of magic to sleep: “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep,” says Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Poet e.e. cummings wrote, “over my sleeping self float flaming symbols of hope,
The inner life of the counselor
A psychiatrist’s wife once questioned him about why he was so faithful in going to see Zen master Shunryu Suzuki for mentoring and guidance. His response was simple: “Where he is, is where I want to be … in that place of sanity.” One of the greatest gifts we can share with
Advocacy in action
Advocacy is a concept that can evoke visions of protesters and picket lines, phone banks and information booths, and maybe even knocking on doors and accosting strangers on the street. But at its most basic level, advocacy means to help or assist, and isn’t that the essence of counseling? “I feel
Counselors and the clinical staging model
Counseling is a preventive profession, typically working with issues and challenges that our clients face daily. However, client concerns often exist at deeper levels, and counseling process often shades into therapy. As counselors, you regularly encounter children and youth who may be at risk. Whether with a medicated child who
In search of wellness
Jacqueline Swank, an assistant professor of counselor education and researcher at the University of Florida, believes in the power of nature. “I grew up on a farm,” she says. “Every aspect of my life involved nature.” The barnyard and surrounding woods were her playground, but living close to nature offered her
A game plan for life
Athletes experience the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat and everything else that comes between the highs and lows of competition. Sometimes, though, they need help managing the accompanying feelings, which is one reason sports counseling has become a growing specialty. Unlike sports psychology, which focuses primarily on game-time performance,