A potential problem for counselors is their insensitivity to religious issues. Counselors may be reluctant to deal with the religious dimension of clients' lives and problems, yet counselors who are sensitive and skilled in approaching religion may find a client's religious beliefs and spiritual values to be a valuable asset in problem resolution.…

There are no meaningful statistics on the number of people who leave destructive cults and no salient picture emerges regarding the frequency of maladaptive conditions following cult involvement. Nonetheless, of the total number of individuals coming out of cults, a seemingly significant subgroup evidences severely neurotic or psychotic-like…

There is currently a strong interest in brief psychodynamic therapy. Therapists adopting this approach need to become familiar with different character or personality styles. The psychodynamic therapist who understands and works in conjunction with the client's particular character style will be able to establish a therapeutic relationship more…

Although studies have examined assaultive behavior by patients toward mental health practitioners, very little research has explored patient violence toward, or harassment of, psychologists in independent practice and at other jobs. To investigate this area, a 17-item questionnaire was sent to independent practitioners in psychology. The…

The relationship between self-awareness and counseling outcome has received little attention in the counseling research literature. In order to test the relationship between counselor-induced and dispositional self-awareness and counseling outcomes, 60 female undergraduates participated in two audiotaped sessions. In the sign-up session subjects'…

Some researchers have attempted to connect suicide to a general history of mental illness; others have searched for diagnosis-free suicide risk factors; and still others have argued that different risk profiles may emerge for different diagnoses. In addition to these issues, it appears that suicide completers and suicide attempters show somewhat…

Alcohol abuse imposes financial, social, and emotional burdens on drinkers and their families. Couples suffering from alcohol-related problems who seek therapy often have expectations of retribution, restitution, and refuge. Although thoughts of retribution are difficult to elicit in therapy, non-drinking spouses often expect to inflict pain on…

This paper explains the most frequent psychological symptom that a car accident victim experiences and describes the nature of an anxiety and avoidant reaction to being in a car following an accident. The description of these responses is based on clinical and in-vivo observations from the treatment of more than 450 cases. Accident victim…

This document addresses the issue of problematic grief reactions, reactions which tend to be more common than are often realized and which may be a source of "existential" anxiety. It presents a treatment model which can be used with any loss-elicited grief reaction including the acute grief reaction typically encountered subsequent to the death…

It has generally been accepted that brief interactions with counselors can provide significant mood or symptom improvements in potential psychotherapy clients. Of primary importance appears to be the reduction of anxiety and depression and, consequently, the activation of hope which may be triggered simply by the act of being interviewed by a…

Career counselors and job search coaches must be prepared to assist disabled clients as this sector of the labor market increases. As the work force ages, there are greater numbers of workers dealing with disabilities and serious health problems. Sadly, individuals with disabilities often approach the job search process with misconceptions,…

A simple triadic model suggests that problems or circumstances come in three varieties: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. Likewise, client style might be categorized by the same three labels. If the therapist can correctly identify the client's circumstance and style, then the approach can be chosen that seems most likely to produce the most…

This document notes that it is commonly recognized that empathic attunement is vital if psychotherapy is to be truly therapeutic. It goes on to explain that, in spite of this recognition, therapists and clients alike will frequently demonstrate an anti-empathic attitude that indicates a basic opposition to understanding and being understood.…

The housing industry for the elderly has changed from being primarily the effort of charitable organizations to include a large number of for-profit businesses. Psychologists interested in dealing with this industry will have to be aggressive. Important considerations include the following: (1) managers make decisions about finances, products, and…

Many professional counselors have related the positive impact that their own personal counseling has made on their mental health and on their behavior with clients. A national survey of 146 counselors certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors was conducted to determine the extent to which counselors seek out and benefit from personal…