Guided Autobiography: A Counseling Tool for Older Adults

The author describes Guided Autobiography, a course based on the life review concept, and evaluates its impact on self-concept, time competence, and purpose in life. Despite a lack of significant results on the dependent measures, informal evaluations and a follow-up study indicated that the course had resulted in some positive changes.     

The Eureka—A Tool for Career Counseling

This article discusses the use of the Eureka for those seeking employment during the current economic trends affecting the labor market. Clients using this approach will be exposed to a wider variety of occupational options, thus expanding their range of realistic choices. The Eureka offers direction and current reliable information about the labor market in a short period of time.     

Circumplex Model of Family Systems: A Treatment Tool in Family Counseling

The Circumplex Model and its diagnostic inventory, FACES III, are emerging as important tools for the family counselor. The authors describe the model and inventory and illustrate their use through a case study with a multiproblem family.     

The Sexual Identity Timeline: A Reflection Tool for Developing Competence in Counseling

Greater attention to sexual identity development from an inclusive and affirmative perspective must be incorporated into counselor education training. Counselors are well positioned to address issues related to human sexuality; however, without reflection across the spectrum of sexuality-related issues, counselors may rely on personal bias, or they may choose to avoid the topic altogether. In order to adequately train counselors, it is important to identify learning activities that counselor educators can utilize. Given the significance of sexuality across the lifespan, we propose that counselor educators actively guide their students through reflection about their own sexual identity development. This article presents the Sexual Identity Timeline (SIT) as a reflective learning activity to incorporate into the counseling curriculum.     

Genetic Counseling as a Tool for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention: A Genetic Counseling Framework for Common Polygenetic Disorders

Advances in genetic epidemiology have increased understanding of common, polygenic preventable diseases such as type 2 diabetes. As genetic risk testing based on this knowledge moves into clinical practice, we propose that genetic counselors will need to expand their roles and adapt traditional counseling techniques for this new patient set. In this paper, we present a genetic counseling intervention developed for a clinical trial [Genetic Counseling/Lifestyle Change for Diabetes Prevention, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01034319] designed to motivate behavioral changes for diabetes prevention. Seventy-two phenotypically high-risk participants received counseling that included their diabetes genetic risk score, general education about diabetes risk factors, and encouragement to participate in a diabetes prevention program. Using two validated genetic counseling scales, participants reported favorable perceived control and satisfaction with the counseling session. Our intervention represents one model for applying traditional genetic counseling principles to risk testing for polygenetic, preventable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.     

Reverie: between thought and prayer

Abstract:  Taking inspiration from a quotation by Lao Tzu, this paper considers 'reverie' as a dynamic process of containment as well as a state of mind. Reverie as a quality of thought akin to prayer is explored in the relationship between self and other. In infant observation, the paper contemplates the development of a baby's capacity to reach beyond the personal world to an archetypal experience of being held, where the creation of an internal space in mind could indicate the beginnings of spiritual awareness. 'Maternal/analytic reverie' views the passage of unconscious communication between patient and analyst as the result of a 'window' opening in the meniscus of the analyst's self. 'Paternal/supervisory reverie' reflects on the impact on a patient of an extra containing mind of a supervisor. 'Archetypal reverie' considers the transforming impact of numinous dreams on the psyche, and reflects on the power of prayer. Drawing on clinical examples from these four areas, the aim is to demonstrate the usefulness of the 'void within' and the perceptive function of emptiness in the 'doors and windows' of our mind.     

The Genogram as a Tool in Career Counseling

A genogram is a three-generational graphic representation of a client's family of origin. The author depicts a sample genogram and outlines a three-part approach for use of a genogram in career counseling. Several possible uses are suggested.     

Sports Counseling: A New Counseling Specialty Area

This article provides background information about sports counseling for student-athletes. A proposal for a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs specialty training area for sports counseling is presented.     

心理咨询新模式:聚焦于问题解决的短期咨询

“聚焦于问题解决的短期咨询”是一种新兴的心理咨询模式,它因其正向思考、省时省力等优点迅速在世界范围内崛起,并被广泛应用在不同的咨询情境中。文章在对聚焦于问题解决的短期咨询简介的基础上,介绍了其产生背景,指出了该模式的应用领域,并对其作了简要评价。     

Marriage Counseling: A Christian Approach to Counseling Couples

An approach to marriage counseling aimed at Christian couples is described. The theoretical bases of the approach are cognitive behavioral therapy and structural and strategic marital therapies. Techniques are drawn from various schools of marriage therapy. Shared Christian values between counselor and clients are used to promote increased marital commitment, marital satisfaction, and personal spiritual growth. Marital satisfaction might be increased through helping the couple increase their intimacy, enhance their communication, improve their conflict management, and forgive each other for past and present hurts.     

2001: A Counseling Odyssey

Futurists can be categorized as extrapolators, romantics, or systems thinkers. They make predictions about the future in response to current and impending world crises emerging from the impact that humans haue on this earth. Many of these crises have a direct bearing on the functions performed by the counselor. How does the counselor view the future? Can the counselor be classified in the same way as the futurists? In this article futurists, crises, and counseling strategies are discussed in an attempt to bring about congruence and to assist counselors to become aware of and recognize their role in shaping the future.     

Counseling: A conversion experience

In this article, the experience of conversion, which is usually delegated to the realm of spiritual studies, is applied to the counseling experience. It is posited that a person who goes through a successful counseling process will experience a turning around, will cease leading life in a dysfunctional way, and will move forward in a manner by which the person experiences life in a new perspective. This new perspective brings the person wholeness and balance.     

The American Counseling Association Practice Research Network (ACA‐PRN): A New Research Tool

In an era of increasing accountability, there is a need to provide data on counseling outcomes. That is, there is a need to substantiate the claim that counseling works. This article describes the American Counseling Association Practice Research Network (ACA‐PRN), which is designed to provide data on evidence‐based counseling.     

The Counseling Profession's Commitment to Diversity-Sensitive Counseling: A Critical Reassessment

The authors pose questions in this article that are intended to stimulate more effective strategies to ensure gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in the counseling profession. The first question addresses the implications of between-group versus within-group differences for the counseling process. The second question examines the need to expand the dialogue across all minorities. The third question asks who should conduct multicultural research. Various constituencies, including clients, practitioners, counselor educators, scholars, and researchers are affected. Inconsistencies are noted between the strategies now being used to achieve diversity and the philosophical foundations of the counseling profession itself. Seven recommendations are made.     

Continuum of Counseling Goals: A Framework for Differentiating Counseling Strategies

Counseling process goals are presented in a developmental continuum similar in concept to Maslow's hierarchy of needs with implications for counseling practice.     

The Colored, Eco-Genetic Relationship Map (CEGRM): A Conceptual Approach and Tool for Genetic Counseling Research

The Colored Ecological and Genetic Relational Map (CEGRM) [pronounced see-gram] is a conceptual approach and tool for presenting information about family and nonkin relationships and stories about inherited diseases in a simple, understandable form. It combines information that can be derived from pedigrees, genograms, ecomaps, and social network analysis in a single, or series of, pictorial maps based on colors and shapes. The CEGRM is based on a social systems perspective, particularly emphasizing social exchange and resource theories. The CEGRM should be particularly useful in genetic counseling research with members of suspected cancer-risk families or families with other late-onset inherited diseases. A genetic counseling client comes with a social history and context as well as a genetic one. Client decision-making in terms of reproductive plans, therapeutic intervention, lifestyle behavior and sharing or withholding of genetic information frequently becomes enmeshed with preexisting psycho-social relationships among biological kin, affinal kin (in-laws) and fictive kin (friends who act as family). The CEGRM makes it easier to compare different types of social interactions between the client and his/her significant others and among family members on the same dimensions.