Counseling is a professional field that requires as much or more courage than virtually any non-life-threatening occupation. In a fashion analogous to both the fire fighter or the police officer who is in direct physical danger, effective counselors must fortify themselves and prepare themselves as well as possible when they enter the unknown and…

This chapter presents counseling ideas and strategies to promote family trust and confidence. These steps include getting the family into the office, the role of proper attire, displaying of credentials, seating arrangements, and the acquisition of informed consent. Also presented is the author's approach to a first family counseling session, with…

This article presents the results of a study intended to establish baseline information and a database relative to counselors' receipt of third party payments. This database provides information against which to measure the success of future efforts to gain recognition and benefits for counselors with insurance agencies and other third party…

A successful alcoholism counselor needs to have a suitable personality, the proper training, and a realistic idea of what it is like to work in the field. In order to assess the necessary personal qualities and training, and to obtain firsthand information about working as an alcoholism counselor, alcoholism counselors and supervisors (N=50)…

Discusses the impact of seven contextual variables related to counseling office environment: the initial reception, the name of the center, the color of the room, music, counselor, clothing, seating arrangements, and the room itself. Offers suggestions for improving the counseling process. (RC)

Counseling is a dyadic interaction between client and counselor, in which their cognitive processes influence how they interact and communicate. To investigate the effect that a match of cognitive complexity between counselor and client has upon the counselor's empathy, 9 counselors and 27 clients participated in a study. After 7 weeks of…

Judaism provides for human mental health as well as modern psychology since all elements of counseling philosophy and techniques are inherent in classic Jewish institutions and practices. As opposed to a behaviorist theory of determinism, the Judaic theory of personality and development believes man is endowed with free will but only at the point…

Identifies psychotherapeutic and professional skills and personal characteristics important for private practice of marriage/family therapy in rural areas. Discusses implications for professional training. Describes private practice in geographically isolated Wyoming community, citing importance of skills in adjunct professional activities, i.e.,…