This text presents current, accessible information on enhancing the counseling process using a brain-based paradigm. Leading experts provide guidelines and insights for becoming a skillful neuroscience-informed counselor, making direct connections between the material covered and clinical practice. In this much-needed resource-the first to address…

Helping skills are an essential component of today's student affairs practice. On a day-to-day basis, it is student affairs professionals who often work directly with students in need of mental health support and monitoring. "More Than Listening: A Casebook for Using Counseling Skills in Student Affairs Work" is written for those student affairs…

Presents a survey of published and private opinions of mental health professionals revealing a previously hidden consensus concerning certain values that enhance mental health: Freedom, Love, Identity, Truth, Universals, Symptom Management, and Work. There was disagreement about the effect of many other values on mental health. (Author/BH)

Comments on Hershenson, Power, and Seligman's position on mental health counseling theory and also on the evaluation of their article by Blocher. Criticizes Hershenson et al.'s models, claiming they fail to provide a clear image of how theory plays a role in present and future endeavors of mental health counselors. (Author/ABL)

Introduces special journal issue on ecosystemic mental health counseling, defining ecosystemic thinking as thinking that recognizes indivisible interconnectedness of individual, family, and sociocultural context. Contends that ecosystemic mental health counseling enlarges the field of inquiry and interventions and leads to depth perception and…

A sound theoretical orientation is essential to the professional integrity of mental health counseling. Existential theory is congruent with the values of mental health counseling and offers a useful theoretical framework for explaining interventions. The basic concepts of existential theory as a basis for practice are delineated. (Author/EMK)

Continues the discussion of postmodernism, constructivism, and multiculturalism presented in several recent publications of the "Journal of Mental Health Counseling." Besides providing an analysis of the junctures and distinctions among these three major conceptual forces, discusses their implications for mental health counseling practice.…

A review of counseling theory and research demonstrates that emotionally arousing and expressive techniques are used in both brief and long-term mental health counseling. Techniques of emotional discharge or ventilation, insight, attitude change, creation of cognitive dissonance, and completing unfinished actions are supported in the literature.…

Contends that ecosystemic therapy can be approached from two epistemological perspectives, each providing different way of thinking about nature of human systems, way problems develop, and means by which mental health counselor understands and works within systems. Presents case illustrating different "thought" rules and actions underlying these…

The fact that religiosity has been consistently associated with positive mental health outcomes is a warrant for counselors to explore the resources of one's religious tradition for therapeutic change. Argues that pastoral counseling is particularly suited for addressing the ego development needs of adolescents, and that the vicissitudes of…

Reviews and applies three broad, diverse theoretical models currently existing within the field to a case study in order to demonstrate their respective strengths and weaknesses. Derives a framework for an integrated-eclectic model from these three positions. Examines future directions that theory building may take. (Author/ABL)

Presents reaction to Hershenson et al.'s article on theory and mental health counseling. Discusses the critical features of conceptual model building in the context of establishing a heuristic, parsimonious, and testable theory of mental health counseling. Explores the importance of the role of theory in practice and research. (Author)

Reacts to previous article in which Becvar and Becvar contend that ecosystemic model represents counter-cultural movement, turning point, in mental health field. Finds it sad that, to many helping professionals, ecosystemic approach is still considered revolutionary. Hopes that Becvar and Becvar's article will stimulate continued discussion of…

This major article points out that many problems with which counselors deal arise from unfortunate learning conditions and should not be conceptualized as illness. It suggests that counselors focus upon the client's sense of competence and upon his individual interests. (EK)

Comments on Falvey's article, focusing on whether and how research in mental health counseling can be enhanced. Makes a distinction between appreciation and consumption of research on the one hand, and research production on the other hand. Discusses ways of enhancing appreciation/consumption and production. (Author/ABL)