Describes challenges faced by a women's center when their relatively homogenous, middle class clientele shifted to one of diverse inner-city women. Strategies for meeting these challenges included encouraging staff members to examine their personal values and coping skills, reassessment of services and service delivery, and a commitment to…

Examines the personal side of the problem of counselor impairment. The impact this problem has on people, organizations, and the profession and the reasons why it is ignored are explored. Explains the relationship between these problems and the articles selected for this special issue. (Author/RB)

Few situations are more distressing for professional counselors than to know or suspect that a colleague is practicing while being impaired. Suggests appropriate steps an individual counselor might take to help an impaired colleague, using as a guide the ethical decision-making model developed by the American Counseling Association Ethics…

Although the problem of impaired professionals has been with us for as long as professionals have been so designated, this article considers potential harm to clients and the profession's obligation to monitor its members and provide appropriate rehabilitation. Definitions of distress and professional impairment are discussed, as are the…

This article explores programmatic approaches for identifying and treating impaired professional counselors through a review of models found in professional counseling, psychology, social work, and medical professions. The authors apply these models to a case study and suggest steps for a renewed effort to systematically address the issue of…

Wellness is a positive state of health that can be promoted in all counselors, impaired or not. This article discusses prevention from counselor preparation to clinical practice. Recommendations for preventing impairment are proposed for counselor education faculty, regulatory boards, employing organizations, and practicing counselors. (Author)