Johnnetta Betsch Cole couldn’t help but chuckling at the audacity (or, as she phrased it, the “chutzpah”) of the keynote message she was about to deliver to the thousands of counselors congregated Saturday morning at the ACA 2018 Conference & Expo in Atlanta. With charismatic presence — and a knowing
Tag: Self-care
In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente began what would become a landmark study on the health effects of adverse childhood experiences. Over the course of two years, researchers collected detailed medical information from 17,000 patients at Kaiser’s Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego. In
The field of counseling is one that offers great rewards. We get to see people go from their worst to their best. We get to be a part of the change that our clients are seeking. Even so, the hours and hours we spend listening to the pain of others
The alarm was relentless, even with several taps on the snooze button. I finally surrendered to the morning and rolled out of bed, practically tumbling over my 65-pound goldendoodle, Max, who was snoring below my feet. With one eye open, I made my way to the shower and blasted the
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” — Fred Rogers It was 9:53 a.m. on Sunday, June 12, when I received a text from
The strongest protection against disillusionment is resilience. If you are in the position to help a survivor or someone affected, challenge yourself to be a point of resilience for that person for as long as you can.
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
One of the many profound changes within the counseling profession for mental health counselors has been a gradual shift from psychodynamic and person-centered therapies to an emphasis on the medical model. The full history of this shift is an interesting one, featuring as much sociopolitical influence as scientific influence, but
As a counselor, which of the following elements are absolutely essential for you to do your job well? a) Thorough grounding in counseling methods and techniques b) A strong sense of empathy and compassion c) Adequate sleep d) Regular vacations or breaks e) All of the above The correct answer is
We have all taken seminars, classes and workshops focused on the importance of self-care. These forums generally highlight the importance of taking care of ourselves outside of work. We talk about the importance of finding balance, taking spin classes, kickboxing or engaging in hobbies such as drumming or knitting. But