Expert Interviews & Perspectives in Counseling

Expressive art techniques promote mental health and wellbeing. When clients allow themselves to laugh, let go, and relax, they can experience relief from painful thoughts and sensations, which helps decrease depression, anxiety, and stress.

Knowing that what we’re feeling is loneliness, why it’s there, and what it does to our behavior and cognitions are key steps on the way to feeling better. As with all psychological conditions, our tendency to feel like we’re the only ones on the planet with the same problem is a considerable obstacle to recovery. Understanding that what we’re experiencing is normal and well-understood takes some of that fear away.

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.

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.

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.

On July 12, 2012, the United Nations established March 20th as the International Day of Happiness.

During the month of April, the U.S. medical community celebrates Occupational Therapy (OT) Month to honor the more than 213,000 occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students who work to improve the lives of their clients and families.

Two benefits programs that may be available to individuals with disabilities—including those caused by mental health conditions—are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). While SSDI is based on the amount a person worked/contributed to social security taxes prior to applying for benefits, SSI is determined by financial need.

Telling kids to ‘just say no’ just doesn’t work. Today’s approach to drug education and substance use disorder programs has to focus, instead, on high doses of compassion and science. The stakes are high: nearly 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, but only 10 percent receive treatment; more than 90 percent of those who do have an addiction started to drink alcohol or use drugs before they were 18 years old.