The Senate called for a $30 billion health budget proposal that would call for deep cuts to mental health and substance abuse programs for adult Americans. As The News-Press reports, the Senate proposal would cut $63.3 million from adult mental-health programs and $23.2 million from adult substance-abuse programs. Senate Health and Human Services Appropriation Chairman Joe… continue reading
When young adolescents attend voluntary substance prevention programs that present the information in an interesting way, it is likely to reduce alcohol use, according to a new study. Researchers evaluated an intervention program called CHOICE, “which is presented during five 30-minute sessions in a non-confrontational and non-judgmental manner. The program dispels myths about the prevalence of… continue reading
The passage of the National Defense Authorization Act will make it easier for active duty personnel and veterans to receive counseling via video teleconference through something called telehealth counseling, a move that Gen. Peter Chiarelli is calling a “big victory” for the Army. “It’s the biggest step forward we’ve seen in two years,” the former Army vice chief… continue reading
Although many experts believe that being bullied or excluded by one’s peers leads to depression, evidence from a new study suggests that the traits depressed children already possess make them more susceptible to bullying and being social outcasts. As CNN reports, the study, which was published in the journal Child Development, suggests that children and… continue reading
Along with studies pointing to African Americans having higher instances of medical problems than other races, it is also purported that African Americans are more likely than whites to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, a newly released study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry contends that there might be a bias in these cases…. continue reading
Sometimes an intense work environment can cause a person so much stress that it manifests into physical ailments. Absenteeism, sometimes to relieve stress-induced ailments such as nausea or headaches, is costing the United States $225.8 billion annually. But University of Haifa researchers believe that the best way to relieve workers’ “burnout” symptoms is not through days… continue reading
Studies pointing to skyrocketing mental health costs for veterans as well as a new initiative from First Lady Michelle Obama suggest that one of the biggest concerns for the 2013 homecoming of Afghanistan combat troops will be helping these new veterans treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But Anthony D. Mancini, an assistant professor of psychology at Pace… continue reading
Features
Since 9/11 and the United States’ subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, many Americans have grown all too familiar with the term posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which was first popularly applied to veterans of the Vietnam War in the 1970s. Today the term shows up regularly in headlines and in magazine articles, in TV news… continue reading
David Kaplan, chief professional officer for the American Counseling Association, delivered the following keynote presentation at the American Association of State Counseling Boards on Jan. 4. He can be contacted via email at dkaplan@counseling.org or by phone at 703-823-9800 ext. 397. “I am a prisoner in my own state.” These were the words of a… continue reading
No matter their specific area of concentration, all counselors have the same overall goal: to help their clients accomplish their mental health, wellness, education or career-related goals. Even though the underlying mission of the counseling profession is the same, the fact that there are so many different types of counselors — ranging from school counselors to… continue reading
Cover Stories
A calming presence Called to the scene of a fire, Michael Dubi immediately noticed the elderly woman. She stood in place, silently, simply watching as her home and all of her belongings were consumed in flames directly in front of her. “She could not speak or move,” says Dubi, president of the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP)… continue reading
From the President
DPC — the next step In my columns, I have presented what to me have been some exciting developments and additional recognition for us as professional counselors. As I reflect on those developments and think about the significant progress that our profession has made, I would like to share what I envision as a next step for professional counseling. In this… continue reading
From the Executive Director
Thanks, and a request For several months now, the American Counseling Association has been fortunate to see our membership numbers grow. At first, the inclusion of professional liability insurance for every master’s-level student member appeared to be the reason for our growth. However, we are now seeing increases in the “Professional” and “New Professional” categories as well. In fact,… continue reading
Knowledge Share
Bringing mindfulness into your counseling practice Sometimes the easiest tasks can be so difficult to perform. Mindfulness meditation has always fallen into this category for me. I struggle so much to get myself to sit down and meditate on a regular basis, even though I know from experience that when I sit in meditation for even a few minutes in the… continue reading
