“Amanda” sat on the couch across the room from me drawing on a sketch pad. A lovely young girl of 14, she weighed scarcely 100 pounds, and with her cheery and naïve smile, she looked as innocent as they come. If I hadn’t seen attachment disorders many times before, I
Tag: Counselors Audience
Counselors Audience
Relationships are the heart of counseling. No matter how the profession grows and changes, relationships will remain central to the good that counselors do in their clients’ lives. And counselors should never lose sight of that fact, say Jeffrey Kottler and Richard Balkin. The duo will deliver the Saturday keynote
The following article was inspired by Robert Fulghum’s All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten . ***** All I really need to know I learned in practicum. Practicum was just the beginning of a rewarding career that includes lifetime learning, giving of self, acceptance when a client
There are lots of “what ifs” that come with being a professional counselor. What if a client invites you to his or her wedding or graduation party? Should you go? What if you’re one of only a few counselors in a rural area, and a client turns out to be
Wilderness therapy is an intensive, out-of-the-box treatment modality. One of the elements that makes it so effective – multiple staff who devote focused, substantial time to clients, both individually and in group settings — drives up the price tag. “[Wilderness therapy] is an investment, and I explain it to families
In the 21st century, we have more ways to communicate and get information than ever before. News headlines and celebrity gossip reach millions of people in seconds on Twitter. We share our lives with friends and family on Facebook, post our pictures on Instagram, look for jobs on LinkedIn and
Watching a movie — whether at home curled up on the couch or at the theater with a tub of popcorn — is a great way to relax and check out from reality for two hours. Movies can also be a hit-the-nail-on-the-head portrayal of life, including mental health struggles and
Maya Angelou, noted poet, author and inspiration to many counselors, passed away today at age 86. Angelou, a longtime professor at Wake Forest University, gave the 1997 keynote address at the American Counseling Association’s annual conference in Orlando, Florida. “I still remember her ACA conference keynote more than 17 years
The other day I was asked to speak with the members of the board at the agency I work for about what it is like to be a child therapist, what my day is like and things like that. “Just tell one of your success stories,” I was advised. “No
“Anger is a signal, and one worth listening to,” wrote Harriet Lerner in The Dance of Anger, her seminal book about anger and intimate relationships first published in 1985. Lerner told millions of readers — in the counseling field and beyond — that our anger is a tool alerting us that