Likening the Personal Mastery Counselor to a symphony conductor, the author describes these counselors as skilled and masterful leaders who can orchestrate the behavior of others without excessive direction or manipulation. He then reviews skills and competencies these counselors must develop. (Author/HMV)

Compares scores on the Omnibus Personality Inventory by groups of relatively effective and ineffective trainees. Trainees completed tests prior to first practicum experience and were evaluated by practicum supervisors at the end of each practica. Data revealed significant differences in personality characteristics of the groups. (Author)

The effects of training counselors for the core therapeutic conditions of empathy, warmth, and genuineness were studied in terms of increased levels of actualizing as measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory. Results support the discriminant validity of the inventory. (JKS)

This paper concentrates on the erotic aspects of the interaction between cotherapists. This includes the nonrational but healthy sexual attraction that can influence the functioning of the therapeutic team. Increased sexual tensions may adversely affect the therapeutic relationship. Methods of dealing with these matters are presented. (Author)

Examined the relationship between beginning therapists' personalities and their evaluations of three divergent family therapy styles. Sixty clinical and counseling psychology students completed the Adjective Checklist and three friends/family members rated them. Self-rated personality factors of dominant-masculinity and nurturant-femininity were…

Replicated and extended the Atkinson, Furlong, and Poston (1986) investigation that examined Black subjects' preferences for salient similar and dissimilar counselor characteristics within a disconfirmatory hypothesis-testing strategy framework. Found a high rank-order correlation between two samples on preferences for counselor characteristics.…

A tentative classification was derived by identifying specific beliefs and practice behaviors that discriminate among six theoretical orientations. From a sample of 199 practicing social workers from 133 mental health, family service, and medical centers, two dimensions were formed: active-interactional versus reflective individual and the…

Studied the influence of counselor and client sex on relational communication patterns in counseling within a systems theory framework using audiotaped intake interviews of 36 counselors. Both counselor sex and and client sex were significant factors in participants' perceptions of each other during the intake. (JAC)

Examined the preferred counselor characteristics of two groups: students with disabilities and students who were educationally and economically disadvantaged. Counselor characteristics were examined in terms of how preferences are differentially expressed for help with personal-social versus vocational-educational concerns. (Author/BH)

Examined the influence of counselor sex on students' (N=188) expectations of counselor expertness and understanding. Results showed most students expressed no gender preference for vocational problems, but women showed a pattern of preferring a woman counselor for some personal problems. (JAC)

Examines a model for predicting interaction between various potential racial pairings of counselor and client. Hypothesized counseling predispositions for racial conciousness stages are formulated with implications for same and cross-race dyads. Offers suggestions for future research, as well as counseling and training recommendations. (BH)

Reexamined the relationship of self-designation of race to preference for counselor race in 160 Black students. Results rejected the use of self-designated race labels as a reliable method of predicting student preference for counselor race, suggesting the influence of changes in the social and political climate. (JAC)

Social work clinicians who continue to practice during pregnancy should be aware that their condition will affect their clients' responses as well as their own, and that the pregnancy may even present unique treatment opportunities. (Author)

The central theme of this paper is that, as practitioners, career counselors must both watch things and make things happen in their own lives, and really practice what they preach in order to truly inspire and energize their clients. This paper explores three things: the elements of Working, Learning, Playing, and Giving and the way they fit…

Results suggested that both able-bodied and disabled students preferred disabled counselors for discussing personal problems. The able-bodied students who appeared most maladjusted tended to reject the disabled counselor. Implications for counselor selection and job assignment were discussed. (Author)