The "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM) is one of the most successful technologies in modern times. In spite of well-argued critiques, the DSM and the idea of "mental illness" on which it is based flourish, with ever more (mis)behaviors labeled as brain diseases. Problems in living and related distress…

Reviews the filmed interview with Gloria by Perls (1965) which demonstrated some standard Gestalt therapy techniques and presents examples from film. Identifies discrepancies between Perls's description of Gestalt therapeutic processes and his interview behavior. Makes reflections on the inherent difficulties with the concept of the emerging…

By serving as experts, counselors can help judges, hearing officers, or juries see that all persons receive a fair hearing and that informed decisions are made. Counselors can help to make a difference by learning to express professional opinions in an honest and professional manner. Experienced attorneys recognize the benefits of expert testimony…

Presents ethical directions in two broad areas often seen as inherent in strategic approach (conscious deception and intervention outside client awareness). Emerging from a discussion of the clinical implications of a constructivist view and a meaning system vocabulary of client change, five ethical presuppositions are exemplified. Discusses…

Pastoral counseling provides many opportunities for dual relationships. Some pastoral counselors cope by entering private practice, which may exacerbate the problem by removing resources for collegiality and accountability. Pastoral counselors can avoid dual relationships by understanding their vulnerability, subscribing to and communicating a…

Presents a multidimensional model for cross-cultural counseling based on perceptual psychology concepts. The major premise is that the effectiveness of cross-cultural counseling is mutually dependent upon the counselor's and the client's perceptions of each other and of the counseling process itself. Outlines propositions suggesting directions for…

Suggests that counselors abandon the use of negative interventions and adopt positive attitudes in helping people with their problems. Affirming techniques such as reframing and flowing with a client's energy help counselors use their creative energy in an effective, positive manner. (JAC)

Discusses issues related to transference and resistance in counselor-client relationships as well as in family relationships. Strategies for coping with these reactions are presented. Suggests that therapists can change the impact of past experiences by changing present behavior and ways of construing one's experience. (JAC)

Discusses trust as a basic issue for clients entering into the counseling process. Counselors need to recognize and respond to clients' ways of testing trust, such as requesting information, telling secrets, asking favors, and questioning the counselor's motives. (Author/JAC)

Addresses practical issues concerning test score interpretation. Percentile bands are recommended for reporting to clients the extent and limits of what test scores reveal. Variety of suggestions and examples are provided for rendering interpretations meaningful. (Author)

Examines concept of therapist centrality and how remaining fixed in this position can lead to therapeutic overinvolvement and possible impediment of therapeutic goals. Discusses specific aspects pertaining to this concept such as development, clinical indications, and implications, along with clinical and supervisory corrective techniques. (Author)

Claims client posttermination contact with counselors who have relocated has been neglected as training and practice issue. Uses analytic reflections to explore counselor, client, and process variables relative to counselors' response to "following" clients. (Author/ABL)

Examines nature of fiduciary relationships between social workers and clients, and describes ways they shape professional conduct. Reviews cases that have contributed to evolution of fiduciary principles in helping professions, and discusses significance of these cases for social work practice. Sees confidentiality, informed consent, and conflict…

Explores the efficacy of touch in the counseling situation by examining the importance of tactile communication in human development, the impact of socialization and cultural factors on the meanings of touch, and clinical and research evidence relevant to the use of touch in therapeutic settings. Suggests guidelines for the use of touch in…

Explores the transference phenomenon and five of its manifestations in the counseling situation, including perceptions of the counselor as: (1) ideal, (2) seer, (3) nurturer, (4) frustrator, and (5) nonentity. Proposes methods for managing clients' transference behaviors. (LLL)