Describes the use of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) for working with children who present with mental health problems in the school setting. SFBT eschews a pathology-based model of mental health, focusing instead on the client's strengths and desire to change. Describes the techniques and application of SFBT and discusses the prevalence of…

Responds to D. A. Helminiak's (2001) article, focusing particularly on his argument for secular spirituality and his inherent biases in discussing the nature and existence of spirituality. Argues that all spiritual conceptions have theological implications, and that theology pervades the theory and practice of all psychotherapists, whether or not…

Partially replicated and extended study of the influence of counselor's treatment of a client's religious values, observers' religiosity, and their interaction on observers' perceptions of counseling. Findings support theory that people with strong religious values perceive counseling differently than people with weaker religious values. (JBJ)

Describes a technique of video-taping interactions between children and foster parents for use in counseling sessions to improve the parent child relationship. (HTH)

Comments on the exchange between N. S. Jacobson and S. D. Hollon, I. Elkin, R. D. Gibbons, M. T. Shea and B. F. Shaw, and R. J. McNally highlight issues of continuing controversy in the comparison of drugs versus psychotherapeutic interventions. Discusses the best way to control for things such as the allegiance effect and the role of pill…

Suggests the film "The Piano" reflects themes addressed in the fairy tales "The Little Mermaid,""Bluebeard," and "The Handless Maiden." Demonstrates how the film can be used with clients to address archetypal motifs of silence, betrayal, and the search for a voice. Discusses the film's symbolism using a…

Responds to the Forrest et al article on counselor trainee impairment. Extends the discussion in areas of: the effect of public interest on mental health professionals' misconduct; legal liability; the American Psychological Association's lack of involvement in trainee impairment issues; therapy for impaired trainees; the role of graduate students…

Psychosocial treatment options are nearly as broad as the behavioral problems that they address. With literally hundreds of treatment approaches available, how should clinicians select the most appropriate and effective intervention? One way is to consider using only those treatments with evidence of therapeutic efficacy. Indeed, funding agencies…

This article reviews research on the continuing-breaking bonds controversy. Across the course of the 20th century a shift in theorizing took place from an emphasis on the benefits of breaking bonds to investigation of the presence and usefulness of continuing bonds with a deceased person. These different theoretical formulations are examined and…

This paper discusses the issue of counsellor burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) and its potential impact on ethical behaviour. Burnout and STS are common outcomes of providing counselling and psychotherapy and may lead to counsellor impairment. A diminished ability to function professionally may constitute a serious violation of the…

The prevention of future violence through engaging violent adolescents in multisystemic therapy and the treatment of trauma with exposure therapy are two of the most important scientific advances in the field of interpersonal violence in the past 20 years. A particularly significant methodological innovation is the development of reliable and…

Though wilderness therapy programs are growing in number and popularity, the theoretical basis for distinguishing wilderness therapy from traditional therapeutic modalities is lacking. Existing models describing the wilderness therapy process have been stage-based, meaning the process has been conceptualized as sequential and discrete. Lost in…

Starting from Frances Tustin's description of failure of the containing function in autistic children due to a splitting between the masculine and feminine aspects of the containing object, the author suggests that the first stage in the psychoanalytic treatment of an autistic child consists in restoring that function by working through what he…

The medical director of a child guidance center is starting a new treatment program. The director has paid for three social work therapists to attend a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) workshop to the population of poor, Spanish-speaking teens. However, the medical director struggles with how to bring the principles of evidence-based practice…

Feminist therapy has revolutionized clinical practice and offered a model of empowerment for all therapy approaches. However, the long-assumed claim that feminist therapists are more likely to engage in power-sharing behaviors with their clients has not been supported by published quantitative research. In the current study, 42 female therapists…