Believable Visions of the Good: an Exploration of the Role of Pastoral Counselors in Promoting Resilience

Although adjustment after trauma is often positively associated with meaning, some studies challenge this connection (Bonanno, Memory, 21(1), 150–156, 2013; Silver and Updegraff 2013). In this article we elaborate on the relation between existential meaning and resilience. First, we conceptualize existential meaning—searching for and finding meaning in life—in terms of “orienting in moral space”, using the philosophical ideas of Taylor (1989), the psychological meaning-making model of Park (Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 257–301, 2010), and existential theory. We argue that orienting systems in moral space are “believable visions of the good”. We then search recent literature on resilience—in particular literature in which the connection with meaning is challenged—for indications of a connection with existential meaning. We conclude that resilience necessarily comprises a “moral dimension” that is an adaptive process of (eventually) finding meaning in life. Finally, we discuss implications for the role that pastoral counselors, as professionals in the domain of existential meaning, may play in promoting resilience in organizations where employees regularly face existential issues like violence, suffering, and death.     

Resilience of Professional Counselors Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Professional counselors who provided services to those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita completed the K6+ (screen for severe mental illness), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Results indicated that participants who survived the hurricanes had higher levels of posttraumatic growth than participants who served as volunteers. Both volunteer and survivor‐volunteer participants were susceptible to compassion fatigue. To further resiliency, self‐care strategies were found to minimize burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious traumatization.     

Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity of Employment Counselors

The relationship of role conflict and role ambiguity to job satisfaction and other variables was examined in a national sample of 506 employment counselors. A survey was mailed to USES counselors in ten states. Regression analysis showed that the 11 personal and organizational variables included in the study accounted for only a small amount of the variance in role conflict or role ambiguity. On the other hand, role conflict and role ambiguity were negatively and significantly related to job satisfaction of the counselors. These stress variables were related positively and significantly to counselors' propensity to leave the agency. Privacy of counseling facilities and time spent in counseling activities were two variables contributing most to explaining variance in role stress. Both related negatively and significantly to role conflict and role ambiguity.     

Counselors as Surrogates

This article describes the use of a participant-observation experiment as an alternative form of counseling. Two college counselors shared the same experiences as a group of entering freshman students and later used their shared knowledge to better establish counseling rapport. A review of the literature shows several applied anthropology and classic fostering psychotherapeutic approaches. The results suggest that this experiential method was a successful way of bridging the transition from the counseling setting to an actual functioning milieu with this particular group of young adults. This method has applications in workplace and family settings as well.     

Detecting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Role of Counselors

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a physical illness, the cause of which is unknown. Known also as chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome and myalgic encepalomyelitis, the illness has a probable incidence of 2 to 3 per 1,000 among adults and adolescents and is seen also in children. Only a small minority of cases are diagnosed, and only 25% of those suffering from CFS suspect this as the diagnosis. For this reason, counselors often see persons with unsuspected cases and may play an important role in detecting and referring these clients appropriately. Case histories are used to illustrate how suspected cases of CFS can be distinguished from depression and other mental health conditions in counseling practice.     

Counselors as environmental engineers

Counselors should engineer extending and corrective experiences for their counselees. If appropriately selected, such experiences can prove a powerful adjunct to the more traditional one-to-one counseling relationship. Ways are pointed out in which counselors can use school and community experiences to accomplish guidance goals     

2005 National Society of Genetic Counselors Presidential Address: Raising Our Voice

This Presidential Address was given at the annual education conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors in Los Angeles, California, USA on November 14, 2005     

丧失、创伤及人类复原力

通过文献回顾,探讨丧失、创伤及人类复原力问题,以期促进人们对复原力的理解并为灾难创伤后民众的心理复原提供一些理论根据.研究发现,复原揭示的轨迹不同于恢复过程,面对丧失或潜在创伤时复原力比通常人们想象的更普遍,并且是通过各种不同途径来实现的.     

Collaborative Consultant: A New Role for Counselors Serving At-Risk Youths

School and community counselors have important roles in developing and implementing mental health programs for youths and families. Counselors who are working with the more complex issues of at-risk youths can enhance implementation of prevention programs by altering their roles to function within a collaborative consultation model. This model represents a new paradigm in that counselors interdependently and collaboratively partner with people previously considered their “consultees.” Such collaboration can result in more comprehensive and integrated programs, and it can prevent fragmentation and duplication of efforts. Collaborative consultation is described and contrasted with more traditional consultation models, and a 5-stage implementation process is presented. Personal and systemic factors that support the collaborative process are examined.     

Genetic Counselors in Startup Companies: Redefining the Genetic Counselor Role

Genetic counselors (GCs) have recently begun moving into non-clinic based roles in increasing numbers. A relatively new role for GCs is working for startup companies. Startups are newly established companies in the phase of developing and researching new scalable businesses. This article explores the experiences of four GCs working at different startup companies and aims to provide resources for GCs interested in learning more about these types of roles. The article describes startup culture, including a relatively flat organizational structure, quick product iterations, and flexibility, among other unique cultural characteristics. Financial considerations are described, including how to understand and evaluate a company’s financial status, along with a brief explanation of alternate forms of compensation including stock options and equity. Specifically, the article details the uncertainties and rewards of working in a fast-paced startup environment that affords opportunities to try new roles and use the genetic counseling skill set in new ways. This article aims to aid GCs in determining whether a startup environment would be a good fit, learning how to evaluate a specific startup, and understanding how to market themselves for positions at startups.     

Counselor Role and Function: An Appraisal by Consumers and Counselors

This article reports the perceptions of parents, members of the business community, school administrators, and counselors regarding the role and function of secondary school counselors, The research reported here was presented as part of a symposium entitled, “The Development of a Model School Counselor Education Curriculum” at the Annual Conference of the American Personnel and Guidance Association, St. Louis, Missouri, 1981.     

Resilience from Childhood Stressors: The Role of Cultural Resilience,Ethnic Identity,and Gender Identity

This study examined the potential influence of cultural resilience, ethnic identity, and gender identity on resilience processes across diverse racial/ethnic groups of young women. A sample of 200 women who attended a large state university were studied, of whom 50 self-identified as White, 50 as African American, 50 as Asian or Asian American, and 50 as Latina. Results indicated significant racial/ethnic differences in childhood stressors experienced by the women such that African American, Asian/Asian American, and Latina women reported more overall childhood stressors and more stress associated with racism and sexism than their White counterparts. Furthermore, ethnic identity search and an androgynous gender identity contributed to greater resilience. Implications for research and practice are discussed.     

The Anima as an Archetype of Human Resilience in the Face of Calamity1

This paper will provide a theoretical basis for looking at a dream in the analysis of a client during a calamity. Finding the archetype of the anima is a way of responding to a crisis, in this case to the COVID-19 pandemic period. With all the basic instincts disrupted by a catastrophe, the emergence of the anima, as archetype of life, is there to remind us how to survive and recover. The anima archetype, often representing psychological resilience in ancient myths, shows up in dreams to guide human transformation from the struggle to survive trauma to the art of living a full life.     

心理咨询师在危机干预中的作用

危机干预工作中需要专业人员的参与,而心理咨询师就是这样的专业队伍。他们不仅应具备该职业的基本素质,如道德素质、反省能力和诚实品质,而且还应具备特殊的专业素质,如生活经验、镇静心态、灵活性、充沛精力、快速反应能力和换位思考能力等。当然,除去日常专业训练所养成的各种素质以外,心理咨询师也要掌握有关心理危机干预技术,如关注、倾听、评估以及某些具体的危机干预措施。最后介绍了国内外危机干预中心理咨询师的主要工作领域和服务形式,并探讨了我国心理咨询师参与危机干预工作的一些设想。     

Resilience and Positive Emotions: Examining the Role of Emotional Memories

Abstract Resilience has been frequently associated with positive emotions, especially when experienced during taxing events. However, the psychological processes that might allow resilient individuals to self-generate those positive emotions have been mostly overlooked. In line with recent advances in memory research, we propose that emotional memories play an important role in the self-generation of positive emotions. The present research examined this hypothesis in two studies. Study 1 provided initial data on the validity and reliability of a measure of emotional memories networks (EMN) and showed that it had a predictive value for broad emotion regulation constructs and outcomes. In addition, Study 1 showed that positive EMN mediated the relationship between psychological resilience and the experience of positive emotions in a context of sadness, even after controlling for pre-experimental positive mood. Study 2 replicated results of Study 1 in a context of anxiety and after controlling for positive affectivity trait.