To determine if counselors integrate clinical behaviors for addressing religious/spiritual issues in counseling consistent with their ratings of the importance of such behaviors, the authors conducted a national survey of American Counseling Association (ACA) members. Seventy-eight ACA members rated the importance of and frequency with which they…

In this phenomenological study, counselor and client participants (N = 14) described the conditions that fostered meaningful therapeutic connections. Among all participants, consistent descriptors appeared that were rigorously synthesized into a detailed depiction of therapeutic contact. (Contains 2 figures.)

Although an ethical sanction is viewed as an incredibly stressful event for professional counselors, the experience of being sanctioned is not well known. This article provides an overview of the sanctioning process, a discussion of professional silence, and a case example of a sanctioning experience for a counselor. The sanctioning experience is…

Forty-four school counselors and school counseling interns participated in a descriptive study that explored whether students include spirituality and religious issues when they see their school counselor and assessed school counselors' comfort and perceived competence in addressing these concerns. Findings indicated that most respondents (86%)…

The purpose of this study was to examine how belief in a just world (BJW), political ideology, religious ideology, socioeconomic status of origin, and race relate to social justice advocacy attitudes among school counseling professionals. A sequential multiple regression indicated that political ideology and BJW were statistically significant…

The authors review the empirical literature on counselors' values, describe values salient to the 4 largest ethnic minority groups in the United States, identify similarities and differences between counselors' values and those of the minority groups, and discuss implications for counseling ethnically different clients. Understanding counselors'…

This article draws from a phenomenological study on the experience of being a bereavement counselor. Ten bereavement counselors shared their experiences in bereavement counseling. Spiritual and emotional aspects of bereavement counseling with grieving and dying persons are discussed as well as the spiritual effects on and growth processes of the…

Although current research indicates that psychotherapeutic change both affects and is affected by spiritual concerns, relatively little is known about the degree to which spirituality is used as an intervention in counseling and how it is perceived by clients and mental health professionals. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions…

The author discusses her experiences seeking consent from 16 clients to use clinical material for publication. Sharing case examples from her practice, she elucidates her process with clients and focuses on the beneficial and detrimental effects on the therapeutic relationship. Seeking consent raises issues of confidentiality and stimulates…

The authors examined variables that could be predictive of attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. A survey was conducted with 132 counselors-in-training in a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (2001). Participants attended a medium-size, regional university in the southwestern portion…

Mental health counselors (MHCs) are generally perceived as empathic, caring professionals. However, the terms that mental health counselors use to describe their clients sometimes contribute little to the valid assessment and treatment of psychological problems and are disrespectful to clients. This article reviews the literature on counselor…

Assessed counselors' and clergy's (n=95) beliefs about depressive religious ideation. Respondents agreed such ideation is a misinterpretation of Judeo-Christian principles, and believed in benefit, right, and ability to challenge such ideation. Expectation of client resistance to such ideation being challenged was more varied. (Author/ABL)

When, why, and how clinicians decide to write about clients are ethical concerns. There are risks and potential clinical ramifications as well as responsibilities for how these decisions are made. On the basis of 141 interviews with psychoanalysts who have published in 3 major national and international psychoanalytic journals, the author explores…

The authors offer an integral approach to counseling ethics using K. Wilber's (2000a, 2000b) integral metatheory. The article examines traditional counseling ethics through the lens of K. Wilber's (2000a, 2000b) "all-quadrants, all-levels" model, consisting of quadrants, levels, lines, states, and types. The authors begin with the 4 quadrants and…