Lynne Shallcross May 1, 2013
Cutting. Burning. Headbanging. Embedding. Self-hitting. Pinpricking. Thinking about people intentionally hurting themselves in these ways can be difficult but, sometimes, counselors don’t have a choice. When a client struggling with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) appears in a counselor’s office, the counselor’s task is to help — and the perhaps natural reaction to cringe or admonish the…continue reading
Lynne Shallcross April 1, 2013
Imagine picking up a stone on the side of a creek. Your task is to understand its markings, characteristics and shape solely through examination of the stone itself. Using that method would result in a comparatively limited view of the stone, says Michelle Flaum Hall. “If, however, we acknowledge the forces within [the stone’s] environment…continue reading
Lynne Shallcross March 1, 2013
What constitutes the identity of a counselor? Perhaps the answer, in its simplest form, can be found in the way that counselors introduce themselves. Martin Ritchie keeps it simple: “Hello, I’m Martin Ritchie, and I’m a professional counselor.” “I learned this from Sam Gladding,” says Ritchie, professor and chair of the Department of School Psychology,…continue reading
Lynne Shallcross February 1, 2013
This year alone, 13 million kids in the United States will be bullied. Three million will be absent from school at some point each month because they feel unsafe there. Those numbers are courtesy of the website for Bully, a 2011 documentary from award-winning filmmaker Lee Hirsch that comes out on DVD this month. The…continue reading
Lynne Shallcross January 1, 2013
What sets counseling apart from the other mental health professions? In many cases, the lines between the different helping professions can be blurry, causing even counselors themselves to debate the correct answers to that question. But one truly distinguishing feature of the counseling profession is its roots in career development, says Spencer Niles, distinguished professor…continue reading