By Gregory K. Moffatt January 22, 2019
Sofia’s clothes were stylish and neatly pressed, and her jet-black hair was immaculate. Cropped short, not a strand was out of place. Subtle makeup highlighted her athletic features and youthful appearance, making her look much younger than she actually was. Only by looking closely could I see a hint of red in her eyes. She…continue reading
By Gregory K. Moffatt December 17, 2018
Boundary violations happen in two general ways — a momentary bad decision or a long series of bad decisions that leads to a huge error. Here are examples of each. A clinician friend attended a client’s graduation party. She had worked with this client for months as he dealt with the ending of his marriage,…continue reading
By Gregory K. Moffatt November 19, 2018
If you want to be a good counselor, know everything. Did I get your attention? I don’t really expect counselors to know everything, but I use this simple phrase to make a point. Remember how exciting it was when you finished your graduate work? No more tests, no more papers and no more assignments. When…continue reading
By Gregory K. Moffatt October 22, 2018
My colleague sat across from me, teary-eyed, in the conference room where we had met so many times before while she was under my supervision. Now, only a few months into her new life as a fully licensed clinician, she had lost a client to suicide. She was understandably distraught. The client was high risk…continue reading
By Gregory K. Moffatt September 24, 2018
Seven-year-old “Adam” (not his real name) concentrates on the project in front of him. He is coloring on a piece of paper on the floor in my therapy room, and I am sitting close beside him. Crayons litter the floor, and I can see him thinking carefully as he selects each color. He leans back…continue reading