Children and young people (C&YP) counselling training and art psychotherapy training lead to two distinctive psychological therapy approaches; one is informed by British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy's Competences for work with children and young people (4-18 years) [BACP. (2019a). "Competences for work with children and…

A large body of research has indicated that rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) is highly effective for treating many chief complaints. Because of the neurological and developmental limitations of young children, a counselor is required to use concrete and stimulating ways to treat young children. By incorporating art, color, and texture to…

Chance, a word used in various languages to refer to "possibility" or "opportunity", is the name that was intentionally chosen for a project which has been running for 11 years in Naples and is aimed at young people aged 15-17 who have dropped out of compulsory schooling. Despite being based on a school structure and located…

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is prevalent among women. Person-centered counseling (PCC) is an effective core therapeutic approach to use when treating women with this issue. This article provides (a) an overview of CSA, (b) an orientation to PCC, and (c) a case example illustrating the primary application of this approach.

Paradoxical intention helps clients separate themselves from their neurotic symptoms. The client is instructed to exaggerate the symptom and finds, paradoxically, the symptom occurs less. In provocative exaggeration symptoms are described so as to evoke laughter at the very symptom that causes anxiety. (Author)

This article describes an eight-week mindfulness meditation-based group that took place at a university counseling center. The group is patterned after the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Group members are taught…

Describes how metaphors can be used in a weight control approach to: (1) uncover underlying feelings; (2) reveal hidden solutions; (3) create an aversion to undesirable intakes; (4) provide the client with a thin self-concept; and (5) increase compliance. Provides examples to demonstrate these uses. (Author/RC)

This paper reviews family therapy with chronically dysfunctional families including the development of family therapy and current trends which appear to give little guidance toward working with severely dysfunctional families. A theoretical stance based upon the systems approach to family functioning and pathology is presented which suggests: (1)…

Describes prediction therapy, a cognitive behavioral approach which suggests that individuals seek situations that are optimally predictable. Outlines a five-step protocol of prediction which includes establishing a climate for change, analysis and assessment, identification of therapeutic goals, reorientation and reeducation, and provision of…

The techniques of initiating and terminating therapeutic encounters have been disproportionately represented in the literature of strategic therapy. Using the patient's own report, the middle phase of therapy for severe marital difficulty is illustrated. Central to the final outcome was a paradoxical instruction. (Author)

Loneliness and isolation of older adults can be treated with group therapy. Group methods such as reality orientation, remotivation, reminiscing and psychotherapy groups can increase social interaction but require special consideration of environment, scheduling and individual limitation as well as counselor training. (JAC)

The Erica Method, a form of play-diagnosis and play-therapy used widely in Sweden, utilizes a standardized material that consists of sandboxes and miniature toys. The method is a very useful tool for better understanding of both developmental, neurological and psychopathological problems of childhood. (Author)

Describes how imagery can lead couples to more constructive perspectives on their Interactions, e.g., when progress in therapy sessions focused on a couple's (family's) communication slows down, therapists can encourage couples to try imagery to understand interactional patterns within their own developmental periods. Provides examples of…

Describes the use of symbolic gifts as a subtle confrontational treatment technique that counterbalances harsher encounter methods usually employed in drug-free therapeutic communities. Recommends use of this technique as an ancillary treatment device in milieu therapy settings. (Author)

Reports the development of a scale for evaluating family therapist skills. All items discriminated significantly between videotaped segments of effective and ineffective family therapist skills and between experienced and inexperienced family therapists. Interrater reliability and internal consistency of the categories were acceptable. The scale…