Reviewed literature on dealing with resistant clients and, based on review, developed survey to elicit counselors' reactions to and experiences with resistant clients. Responses from 215 American Mental Health Counselors Association members suggest that nearly all counselors have encountered resistant clients, but counselors' reactions to and…

Students and clients who do not seek counseling voluntarily often are characterized in a negative light and receive services that are prescriptive and forced, resembling a rigid philosophy. An alternative and more humanistic approach is that of solution-focused counseling, which emphasizes therapeutic collaboration. (Author)

Current discussion of action theory is premised on the fact that many counselors may avoid action approaches because of previous misunderstandings. Article addresses 12 misunderstandings. Overall, action theory is presented as highly suitable for understanding human behavior and for counseling as it is based on a wide spectrum of research as well…

This paper describes some of the complex difficulties faced by therapists treating incestuous families. The many levels of transference and countertransference are described, pointing to one reason for treatment complexity. It is claimed that the therapist's emotional reactions can be understood as a parallel to the internal and interpersonal…

Reviews the growth of self-help groups and the current status of the movement. Suggests ways in which counselors can draw upon such groups in their professional practicies. Includes suggestions for evaluating groups and resources on self-help groups. (Author/ABB)

Counselors may feel anger when clients do not behave according to their expectations of what is a good client. Client resistance, client impositions, verbal attacks on the counselor, and overinvolvement by the counselor in client dynamics seem to be relatively common occurrences that annoy counselors. Possible counselor responses to these feelings…

Surveyed 310 therapists to assess their perceptions of healthy family functioning and the goals of family therapy. Results indicated that therapists are fairly consistent in what they say a healthy family is and what they pursue in therapy. Age and professional identity were most influential in predicting values. (LLL)

Last decade has seen some major impacts of feminism on institution of psychotherapy regarding theories, treatment techniques, and assessment instruments. Changes in attitudes toward women as therapists and as clients have reflected general advances of women's movement. Presented at American Psychological Association Convention, Toronto, Canada,…

Analyzes the impact of world views on professional life style and counselor value systems. A philosophical approach is outlined. Theism, deism, agnosticism and antheism are discussed. Another author reviews this approach and urges counselors to focus on the philosophical area of axiology. (Author/CC)

Compares counseling to the choreography of dance. Reviews other counseling structures, such as the scientific process, and then introduces the "choreography of counseling." Claims that counseling, as in a dance performance, involves an introduction, exploration, exposition, and resolution. Offers principles and techniques for success in each of…

A qualitative study of 30 counselors or psychotherapists revealed numerous themes. These major themes include the following: transition by the practitioner toward the use of healing; the taboo over talking about spiritual and healing experiences; the nature of healing as distinct from therapy; supervision difficulties; and the concept of spiritual…

Argues that integration in counseling requires dialectical thinking in order to reconcile different visions of reality typically seen in divergent therapeutic traditions. Offers a model of integration based upon the superordinate concept of "the vicious cycle" derived from an ironic world view. Also provides an illustrative case study.…

Raises possible ethical issues concerning the potential for subtle imposition of a group leader's values on participants in a group. Presents vignettes which demonstrate how easy it is to steer clients toward a particular path. Concludes it takes wisdom to determine when counselors cannot work with certain clients because of a conflict in values.…

Examined how the clarity of 38 counselors' stated intention and their anxiety while in session mediated the outcome in brief counseling. Counselors, clients, and independent judges rated the quality of the counseling sessions. Results showed that clarity of counselor's stated intention was related positively to the judges' ratings, while anxiety…

An increasing amount of research supports group therapy as an effective treatment option for eating disorders (Moreno, 1994). In an attempt to further delineate therapeutic factors associated with productive group work, this study represents an exploratory, descriptive analysis of client and therapist perspectives on group process and outcome.…