The 2014 ACA Code of Ethics calls counseling professionals to “gain knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity, dispositions, and skills pertinent to being a culturally competent counselor in working with a diverse client population.” At face value, this is easy enough to understand. But when it comes to multicultural competence, what does
Search “play therapy”
618 Results
Search Results
Taming impulses
About five years ago, a young client walked reluctantly into Jennifer Skinner’s office. In addition to impulse-control issues, the 10-year-old had been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), struggled with issues around being adopted, and had medical concerns. This long list meant the boy was often
When yelling doesn’t work
Stop! Stop throwing that toy! Put it down. Put it down now! Don’t make me say it again. If you don’t stop that right now …” We all know how this story ends — with a frustrated parent and an upset child. But the story doesn’t have to end this
Our most-read articles of 2018
What were counselors reading in 2018? This year saw the explosion of the #MeToo movement, so it’s no surprise that a piece on supporting clients through sexual assault response was among the top five articles that received the most views at Counseling Today’s website, ct.counseling.org. Readers were also interested in
Supporting clients through the anxiety and exhaustion of food allergies
The diagnosis of a food allergy is life-changing, not just for the individual but for those who love and live with that person. In addition to avoiding exposure to certain foods, the condition requires that these families and individuals explain, over and over again, the seriousness of the allergy at
Counseling Connoisseur: Children and grief
Nicolas was just under 3 years old when he attended his grandfather’s funeral. He wandered through the sea of adults, holding tight to his mommy and daddy’s hands as he made his way to the front of the line where his grandfather lay peacefully in the casket. His grandmother picked
Working with foster and adoptive families through the lens of attachment
“He just got kicked out of his second preschool program! We’re nearing the end of our options here. What do we do?” I could hear the desperation in the mother’s voice as she described the past few months with the 5-year-old she and her family were fostering and would soon
A counselor to the core
When Simone Lambert was 4, she walked up to a circus elephant and tried to hug it. Lambert doesn’t wholly remember this episode, but her family tells her that she approached the majestic pachyderm fearlessly and enthusiastically. She never got close enough to complete the embrace, but the encounter marked
The people whisperers
Licensed professional counselor (LPC) Hallie Sheade can’t remember a time when she didn’t love horses. She has been told that her equine passion started when she was 2 and begged to be allowed to ride a carnival pony without her mother holding her hand. Sheade, an American Counseling Association member,
Tools for navigating the world at large
By the time children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are approaching elementary school age, they are already exhibiting symptoms that typically lead to lifelong social difficulties. Among these symptoms: impaired communication and interaction, an inability to self-regulate and modulate emotions, very narrow and specific interests, and sensory processing difficulties that