“Snake looks scary for us and we look scary for the snake! Always try to see yourself from the eyes of others!” — Mehmet Murat Ildan It was a balmy early summer night. The fireflies’ sporadic flicker illuminated the dusky gray. I had just let my canine companions out to
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The Counseling Connoisseur: Zen and the Art of Home Improvement: Learning to ACT
“When you catch yourself slipping into a pool of negativity, notice how it derives from nothing other than resistance to the current situation.” ― Donna Quesada, Buddha in the Classroom: Zen Wisdom to Inspire Teachers I recently took on several home improvement projects. With a contractor hired, my home
Embracing intuition
One meaning of intuition is “something that is known or understood without proof or evidence.” Given that definition, it’s not surprising that objectively studying and measuring a counselor’s intuition can be challenging. But that hasn’t stopped Jesse Fox from trying. In 2013, as part of research Fox was doing for
Reconsidering ADHD
The stereotypical image of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the raucous little boy who can’t sit still in the classroom and is a discipline problem at home. But counselors who commonly work with ADHD know that it can also manifest as a young girl who is seemingly always in her own
Recognizing and managing deception in the therapeutic relationship
I had been working with “Alex,” an 8-year-old boy diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, for longer than six months. His hyperactivity had become a major problem at school, and much of our clinical focus had been on managing behavior in the school environment. Each week, Mrs. T, his mother, who drove almost
Polyvagal theory in practice
Picturing brain chemistry can be something like picturing a hurricane. Although we can imagine bad weather, it is difficult to imagine changing that weather. But Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory gives counselors a useful picture of the nervous system that can guide us in our efforts to help clients. Porges’ polyvagal
Counseling in isolation
Nebraska native and licensed mental health practitioner Tara Wilson grew up in a town so small that her high school graduating class comprised only 10 people. When her young niece was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, Wilson’s family organized a pancake breakfast and benefit auction to cover the
Professional trip to India opens eyes, fills hearts
Counselors around the world have more in common than you might think. Angela Coker, an associate professor at the University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL), found herself talking about some very familiar issues with international colleagues recently at a conference in Bangalore, India. Challenges that American counselors face –
The serious leisure perspective in mental health counseling
In his book The Gift of Therapy, Irvin Yalom explains the vital role of learning about a client’s “leisure-time activities,” “hobbies” and “recreation habits,” yet he never defines what leisure is and how it is connected to mental health or mental health counseling. Many other well-known mental health theorists have
Nonprofit News: Finding work in nonprofits as a new counseling grad
You have your sheepskin in hand, your name in large letters and the words “Master’s Degree” seemingly beaming out for the whole world to see. The high of the ceremony is still floating in your head when it suddenly hits you: I NEED A JOB!!! You may start off confident