Much has been written in recent years about the concept of empowerment, particularly as it relates to urban youth of color. The author agrees with Bemak et al.'s underlying premise that much of what is written about and practiced with respect to the empowerment of African American youth makes the assumption that counselors somehow empower young…

This study involved the replication of previously reported research examining a school counselor-led intervention using a structured group counseling approach aimed at improving the academic and social competence of elementary and middle school students. The goal of this replication was to strengthen support for the intervention while contributing…

Animals are increasingly being used for emotional support and therapeutic intervention in a variety of settings including, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and prisons. Therapeutic animals can bring comfort to the ill, bereaved or lonely, and there are indications that owning a pet may positively influence an individual's health and well-being.…

The national statistics for child sexual abuse are staggering. In 2004, there were 209,880 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assaults according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. While effective treatment alternatives for victims are being provided, non-offending caregivers can be easily overlooked. Mason and Erooga (1990) have…

A career dilemma is a hypothetical or real situation in which a character is confronted with several career options each of which has advantages and disadvantages. The main purpose of presenting and discussing a dilemma in career counseling groups is to confront several appraisals of the situation in order to promote more complex thinking about…

The development of cultural competency skills is important for a clinician in any cross-cultural setting where a working knowledge of the client's culture is important to the delivery of services. This paper suggests that incorporating attendance at Twelve Step recovery programs may begin to facilitate cultural competency for students, or at the…

The environment in which a school counselor conducts group counseling within a school is different from the environment in which a therapist conducts child or adolescent therapy groups outside of school. Although some of these factors inherently create challenges for the school counselor, others offer special benefits to aid in the screening…

Art has been considered to be a valuable therapeutic tool with children and adolescents who are experiencing grief. This article explores the use of art within the context of group bereavement counseling. The literatures concerning the effectiveness of grief groups and the use of art therapy with children are reviewed, and a case study of a…

Recent estimates indicate that 10% to 25% of women in the United States report clinically significant depressive symptoms and that Black women are less likely to obtain care for depression and to receive appropriate treatment when they do seek care. Current mental and social health services necessitate a search for strength-based treatment models…

Despite their best and frequently heroic efforts, school crisis intervention teams often find themselves unprepared for the many types of tragedies they face. This timely text prompts crisis intervention team members to reevaluate their beliefs and practices and consider a new approach to dealing with school crises. The author, a longtime school…

Students with special needs and disabilities are often unprepared to handle the transition from school to work and/or school to post secondary training. They often lack direction and knowledge of the world of work or of the barriers they may face as they move beyond high school. School counselors can be instrumental in assisting with this…

Statistics suggest a steady increase in the number of international students attending universities in the U.S. However, limited information is available to guide professionals in the delivery of effective mental health services to this diverse group. University counseling centers have repeatedly reported little to no success with international…

Two experimental conditions, a manualized cognitive-behavioral anger-control treatment incorporating empowerment strategies and a relapse-prevention treatment without the anger-control component, were compared to assess their impact on levels of trait anger and attributional styles of women recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. Participants…

This document presents a comprehensive guidance program based on the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program and designed for use in a school district that services kindergarten through 12th grade. It is divided into two major sections, structural and programmatic. The structural section of the document explains the philosophy, assumptions,…

Several factors have predicted participation in smoking cessation programs: (1) higher motivation or self-efficacy; (2) education; (3) smoking level; (4) smoking history; (5) quit attempts; and (6) health concerns. The variables that have predicted participation, however, generally have not predicted cessation. The transtheoretical model has…