Counseling the aging

In a culture preoccupied with youth, the aged are often relegated to a secondary and neglected status. Mary Buckley's article asks us to take another look at the aged and realize that, contrary to our prejudices, personal growth and creative living do not end with the beginning of retirement. She describes her counseling style with the aging, which is designed to provide an atmosphere of understanding and sharing in order to foster their growth.     

Genomic Counseling: Next Generation Counseling

Personalized medicine continues to expand with the development and increasing use of genome-based testing. While these advances present new opportunities for diagnosis and risk assessment, they also present challenges to clinical delivery. Genetic counselors will play an important role in ushering in this new era of testing; however, it will warrant a shift from traditional genetic counseling to “genomic counseling.” This shift will be marked by a move from reactive genetic testing for diagnosis of primarily single-gene diseases to proactive genome-based testing for multiple complex diseases for the purpose of disease prevention. It will also require discussion of risk information for a number of diseases, some of which may have low relative risks or weak associations, and thus, may not substantially impact clinical care. Additionally, genomic counselors will expand their roles, particularly in the area of health promotion to reduce disease risk. This additional role will require a style of counseling that is more directive than traditional counseling and require greater knowledge about risk reducing behaviors and disease screening.     

Improving the Counseling Relationship

The TFA System is a practical method counselors can use to adapt theories, techniques, and their personal style to working relationships with clients.     

Counseling the incest offender

The Center Against Sexual Assault in Phoenix, Arizona is currently treating 50 incest offenders in its Offender Group treatment program. The average age range is 31–45 years old, and 80 percent were sexually or physically abused as children. These men have been found to be extremely self-centered, exhibit poor impulse control, and possess a strong denial of reality. The treatment program includes several intake sessions to ascertain suitability of the offender to this type of therapeutic approach and a stated self-admission of at least the possibility of incestuous involvement. The offenders work in groups, as well as individual sessions.