By Laurie Meyers July 25, 2017
Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Superstorm Sandy, Pulse nightclub … It is only a partial list, but this roll call of places and events seared into public memory makes it obvious: The 21st century has provided counselors with many unfortunate opportunities to exercise disaster mental health counseling skills. Post-9/11, the practice of disaster…continue reading
By Laurie Meyers June 22, 2017
Pop culture has long exerted an influence on our lives, but some might argue that this overlap has unofficially reached its peak. After all, in November, a former reality TV star was elected president of the United States. And, of course, it is now possible for us to play computer games, listen to music, watch…continue reading
By Bethany Bray May 24, 2017
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 18 percent of the adult population, or more than 40 million people, according to the National Institutes of Health. Among adolescents the prevalence is even higher: 25 percent of youth ages 13 to 18 live with some type of anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders…continue reading
By Laurie Meyers April 25, 2017
You should be ashamed of yourself.” How many of us have heard — or perhaps even used — that phrase? Being on the receiving end of such a pronouncement is never pleasant. More important, experts firmly believe that attempting to wield shame as an instrument of change is both ineffective and harmful. In fact, many…continue reading
By Laurie Meyers March 24, 2017
The specific biological mechanisms that underpin how people develop as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or queer (LGBTQ) are still undiscovered, but what many researchers have determined is that neither sexual/affectional orientation nor gender identity is a choice. Rather, they are innate, unchangeable parts of who a person is, much like skin color. And like…continue reading