The management of a consulting practice requires heart and mind. To be successful, private practitioners must strike a balance between two roles: that of the caring, empathetic, and customer-focused clinician, and that of the astute business owner, which necessarily involves collecting fees and making money. Most people entering the counseling profession do so primarily because they feel called to help…
The 2014 ACA Code of Ethics encourages consultants to “make a contribution to society by using part of their professional activity in services for which there is little or no financial return.” This is an important tenet of the counseling profession that promotes counselors' empathy and reputation for social justice. However, advising customers for a reduced fee or free of…
[ NOTE: This is the second track in a COVID-19 recovery series. See the first installment here.] Elsa, my 2 year old poodle, and I enjoy our routine neighborhood walks. It's gotten more common since the onset of COVID-19, and we both look forward to the fresh air, the change of scene, and connecting with the neighbors in passing (socially…
A good book has been an unwavering companion for my whole life. Sometimes literature has given me a reason to step back from a busy life and retreat to the much-needed introverted space. In other cases, it has given me a safe haven, the company of imperfect but lovable characters, a deep emotional awakening of empathy, or a connection with…
The first time I saw my internship manager use a genogram, I was in love. Here was a tool that immediately established a dialogue between counselor and client as they checked family history, dynamics, health, socioeconomic data and more. But a funny thing happened when I started integrating the genogram into my own internship. Although the genogram helped promote conversation,…
When overseeing novice counselors, one of my favorite discussions that comes up a lot is, of course, about how unique a therapist's work is. Yes, it is often incredibly hard work, but at the same time we are given an intimate front row seat for the experience of hope, pain, change and healing. (With that in mind, I highly recommend…
"We just don't communicate well," Merle reported in our first meeting, while her husband Luke nodded softly in agreement. Like many couples who presented themselves for counseling, Merle and Luke believed that "communication problems" caused a lot of their relationship problems. As a couples therapist, I knew that "communication problems" can mean countless things. As with many couples I see,…
When we are confronted with a new, unknown virus, our fear can get out of hand and we often assume the worst. We give in to our fears. We panic. The uncertainty overwhelms us, exacerbates old fears and fears and creates many new ones. If this reaction sounds familiar, you were probably alive when HIV, the AIDS-causing virus, caused widespread…
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Richard Yep, CEO of ACA On March 12th, the ACA employees and I will have worked in our “home offices” for a whole year. Given the growing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, we initially planned for staff to work remotely for two days (March 12-13 last year) so that we could test our technology in case we might be working…