Richard Yep, CEO of ACA Every year my April column seems to remind you that this is the month of awareness-raising for counseling – a recognition we came up with many, many years ago. I felt that there were so many stories to tell, so much to be proud of and so many activities that I could do that a…
This award honors doctoral students with exceptional insight and understanding of the consulting profession and the work of professional advisors in the areas of mental health, private practice, community agency, agency, organization or related advisory institutions. Winner: Adriana Walsh Adriana Walsh is a master student in the clinical mental health counseling program at Wake Forest University. Before moving to North…
Most people agree that a sexual affair is considered infidelity, but what about sending a flirting text? What if your partner takes out multiple loans and acquires a large debt without your knowledge? Is it a betrayal to have virtual sex with someone other than your partner, connect with an ex on social media, or maintain an online dating profile…
As professional consultants, we are often confronted with challenging clients who express the wish that their lives should be different, but always make the same decisions. We don't act as counselors as advisors, but if we don't ask questions that encourage our customers to find out what's true for them, we are doing them and ourselves a disservice. It is…
Professional clinical advisors who have maintained their careers for decades have literally got thousands of clients through their doors. There is no denying that the job is worth it, but the daily work of helping people overcome trauma, loss, addiction and other “difficult” challenges can strain even the most resilient practitioners. This raises the question: How do consultants maintain their…
Jennifer Meyer, a licensed private practice licensed professional (LPC) in Fort Collins, Colorado, had a client who, after more than 30 years of marriage, found that her husband had embezzled money from their mutual business. This infidelity, along with his recent verbal abuse, prompted the woman to divorce. The client was hurt, shaken, ashamed, lost and confused about her future,…
In the beginning, social media sites like Facebook and Instagram were more about getting in touch with people you know in real life or updating your profile to reflect the way you hoped have others would see you. However, adding the Facebook news feed (and its Instagram equivalent) changed everything. The definition of news is "newly received or remarkable information,…
The novel corona virus that causes respiratory disease COVID-19 has made headlines for several weeks and has dramatically affected life as we know it. The recent outbreak, which the World Health Organization called a pandemic, has disrupted global trade, shaken the US stock market, and led to travel restrictions and international border closings. Major events have been canceled here in…
To enter my office, I first go through a row of three heavy steel doors. The lock for each door is controlled from a remote center. I wait for a humming signal that the door has been unlocked before continuing. When I saw a prisoner for the first time, I was so scared that I wondered if I really wanted…
In 2016, shortly after participating in a CACREP-accredited graduate program for clinical psychological counseling, I heard outside the classroom of an international human rights movement centered around the experience of "hearing voices" – what would it be? called auditory-verbal hallucinations in clinical mental health situations. The movement includes people with unusual perceptions, often referred to as psychosis. I slowly got…