Heather Trepal, when asked to describe her close friend, mentor and colleague Thelma Duffey, paints a picture of passion and action. “She is not someone who shies away from things,” says Trepal, an associate professor in the department of counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). “When
Tag: Creativity
Creativity
A person’s mind is a mysterious labyrinth of thoughts, feelings, memories, ideas and compulsions; the mind of a young girl is likely even more complex. Disney-Pixar’s latest animated offering, Inside Out , bravely delves into that intricate world in a way that effectively captures the nuances of the way people
A client comes in for his first counseling session. He has a carrot sticking up his nose and a banana in his left ear. “Help!” the client cries. “Can you tell me what’s wrong with me?” “Simple,” the counselor says calmly. “You’re not eating properly.” Laughter is an essential part of the
When working with adolescents in a group setting, it is important to provide opportunities to explore, evaluate and process the dynamics that occur within their homes. After all, eventually they will be faced with the dilemma of figuring out how to apply what they have learned in therapy to situations
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
In an article written for the Journal of Counseling & Development in 2006, titled “Baby Boomers Mature and Gerontological Counseling Comes of Age,” Mary Maples and Paul Abney suggested that professional counseling would become more complex as the baby boomers continued to age. They said that the increasing number of
Can video games and comic books be used as a counseling tool? Absolutely, say Josué Cardona and Stephen Kuniak, licensed professional counselors who advocate for what they call “geek therapy.” Superheroes, science fiction and other “geeky” things can be used as conversation starters with clients and help to further the
A growing number of counselors are embracing “geek therapy,” or incorporating video games, comic books, superheroes, science fiction and other “geeky” things into their work with clients.
Maybe it’s because I live in New York, a city that offers daily encounters with artists from all walks of life, or perhaps it’s because I have years of songwriting and performing experience myself. Regardless of the reason, I have often sought out (mostly unsuccessfully) clinical research or counseling practices
On occasion, even the best counselors in the field find themselves feeling stagnant or bogged down by routine — stuck in a box rather than thinking outside the box and trying new things with clients. A new joint initiative launched by the American Counseling Association and the Association for Creativity