When the outside world looked at Julie Bates-Maves’ client “James,” it saw a 60-something “junkie” who had wasted 20 years of his life shooting up heroin. But in James’ community of people who used heroin, he was a respected man — an authority figure who could be trusted. Throughout his
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Voice of Experience: The hurting counselor (an update)
In 2018, I published a Member Insights article in Counseling Today titled “The hurting counselor.” I received more feedback on that article than anything else I’ve ever written, and it went on to become the most-viewed article posted to CT Online at any point in 2018. Nearly all the responses
ACA online event encourages conversation about counselor stressors
“How can I to continue to hold hope for my clients while I feel like I’m drowning?” “How can I confront colleagues who commit microaggressions in client sessions?” “What advice do you have for students whose professors and textbooks do not address multiculturalism?” These were among the many challenging —
The costs of COVID-19: Parental anxiety syndrome
As counselors in the age of COVID-19, we have seen a lot. We have been on the front lines of treating a new wave of counseling crises, from broad-reaching trauma symptoms to an increase in panic attacks. One such example is related to parental anxiety. This is a term that
Revisiting 20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling
In the world of ophthalmology, having 20/20 vision means that a person can see the letters on an eye chart clearly and sharply while standing 20 feet away. It is estimated that just 35% of adults have 20/20 vision without the help of glasses or other corrective aids. Fifteen years
Primum cura te ipsum: First, heal thyself
During this bizarre and painful epoch beset by pandemic, racial trauma and social injustice, there is a growing emphasis on clinician well-being and self-care, and rightfully so. Countless articles and blogs have been written about self-care for counselor clinicians, and here is one more. Why write another one? Because as
Identifying and addressing competing attachments with couples
Couples come to counseling for a variety of reasons, and therapists are tasked with understanding the nature of couples’ concerns and offering helpful tools. Sometimes, as therapists, we might hear one partner complain about the things the other partner is doing and, often, these things may seem very trivial. We
The revised meaning of self-care in the wake of COVID-19
Practicing proper self-care is often the prescription that professional counselors will share with their clients to help manage life stressors and mental health symptoms during their day-to-day lives. That emphasis has taken on new meaning over the past several months as self-care routines have been offset by quarantining measures from
Starting post-college life in a pandemic
Spring 2020 college graduates have emerged into a world turned upside down by COVID-19. The job prospects and post-college lifestyles these graduates were imagining for themselves just a few months ago are today largely nonexistent. Unprecedented seems to be the buzzword of the season, notes Roseanne Bensley, assistant director of
Black mental health matters
Racial violence and discrimination are woven into the fabric of the United States. The way policies and laws are implemented. The weaponization of Whiteness and privilege. Disparities in education and health care. The horrible and senseless killings of Black people throughout our nation’s history and into the present day. How