Less than 3 percent of U.S. adults identified themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual in a recent government survey, the first large-scale collection of statistics on sexual orientation. When asked about the findings, members of the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling, a division of the
Tag: Mental Health
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
Mental health treatment has greatly improved over the past century. It has moved away from exiling patients to mental “hospitals” and instead offers inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, individual therapy, group therapy and several other options. There is, however, one specific mental health population that is underserved and underrepresented time and
Despite the seemingly widespread understanding that mental illness is a disease that can be effectively treated, prejudice toward individuals with mental health issues still pervades our society. People with such conditions are often depicted as undesirable and incapable of maintaining meaningful personal relationships or holding positions of authority. Organizations such
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,
“One-stop shopping” is viewed as a good thing when it comes to buying groceries, picking up a prescription, grabbing a cup of coffee and filling your gas tank. Why not do the same when it comes to physical and mental health care? This concept is the focus of the American
Once a month, volunteers take to the streets of Orlando, Fla., to hand out oranges and a kind word to downtown shoppers, businesspeople and other passersby. The program, dubbed “Orange You Happy,” is part of the Mental Health Association of Central Florida’s (MHACF) focus on suicide prevention. The roughly 30
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
Recreational marijuana recently became legal in Colorado, and several other states may soon follow suit. It remains to be seen what impact this decision ultimately will have on counselors working with clients in school, addictions, mental health and other settings. Catherine Iliff, a licensed professional counselor in Pueblo, Colo., says
There is a saying often repeated among people who skydive, bungee jump, white water raft or take part in other adventure sports: “We take risk not to escape life but to keep life from escaping.” This phrase that encapsulates the adventure sports subculture also shines a light on the disconnect