CS Features – Expert Interviews, Guides, Professional Advocacy & Research in Counseling

There are over 19 million military veterans currently living in the US, making up nearly 10 percent of the adult population. In November, there are two events that acknowledge both our military and their family members.

Even though awareness and consideration have increased towards pet death sensitivity, there are many societal and cultural factors that do not support this type of grief. As a counselor, you need to be aware of this fact and offer supportive empathic counseling which helps your clients heal.

The statistics for domestic violence in the United States are staggering. Each year, more than 10 million people in this country experience domestic violence. One in four women and one in 10 men experience some form of sexual assault, stalking, or physical violence from an intimate partner. Unfortunately, things seem to be getting worse with a 42 percent increase between 2016 and 2018 alone.

In the first part of this series, we gave an overview of mental health disability and employment focusing on resources for creating a mental health-friendly workplace. In this piece, we move into the rights of individuals with mental health conditions at work, common challenges, and advocacy efforts. Aaron Konopasky, senior attorney-advisor for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offered his expertise as an attorney specializing in disability law, rights, and policy.

Building rapport creates increased communication, trust, and motivation in the counselor-client relationship. Developing a positive emotional connection leads to client satisfaction and greater therapeutic outcomes.

In the field today, there is an observable stratum of allies, yet their dedication to this goal varies a great deal, as does their level of skill, training, and overall experience. For this reason, it’s worth noting the distinct strengths and potential limitations of allied counselors, affirmative counselors, gender specialists, sex therapists, and LGBTQ+ counselors.

Cultural competence was introduced in the 1980s by social workers and counseling psychologists as an approach to working successfully in multicultural contexts. Primarily concerned with learning about the cultures of those with whom we live and work through the examination of behaviors, attitudes, and policies, cultural competence was embraced by the healthcare community and has been used widely throughout the industry.

Wages for counselors vary widely based on the type of counseling services offered, the level of education, and more.

One of the most effective tools you will use, as a counselor, is your self-awareness. In a therapeutic session, this perspective allows the counselor to question his or her own thoughts, feelings, and biases. Without this process, counselors may react to their own and their client’s subconscious programming.

As always, clients should be encouraged to ask questions, yet due to the long history of discrimination, LGBTQ+ individuals may have some unique concerns pertaining to their privacy, emotional safety, and legal rights.