ACA MEMBER BLOGS

One thing you notice in a small town, is that everyone pretty much knows everyone else. Most people are related to one another, either by blood or marriage.

As we approach the end of 2017, you may find yourself reflecting on all that you have achieved in the past year. If you set them at all, are you able to recall your resolutions? Did you achieve any? If so, amazing! Give yourself a round of applause! If not, you’re not alone.

In South Carolina where I practice, over 11.1% of children are currently diagnosed with ADHD and 13.1% have received the diagnosis at some point. The rural area in which I practice is also fraught with poverty – families often struggle to meet basic needs, high school students are unable to find jobs, etcetera.

Last week I wrote about two significant challenges counselors face in Wyoming: a culture that doesn't encourage people to ask for help, and what I call the (seeming) lack of resources to fund mental health services.

Recently, I found a research article that reminded me of my wild teenage days. Yes, I was a tough one--- stubborn, defiant, and moody. Difficult? Sure. Typical? Maybe. But my style of resistance was a different brand.

Have you ever had the (further) infuriating experience of dealing with an intense experience and someone has told you “You just need to calm down”, as if ‘calming down’ were some button to be pushed? Many of our clients, and us as people, often find difficulty in regulating intense emotions.

There is nothing to be ashamed of when longing for partnership, simply be sure to avoid neglecting yourself in the process. The following tips may help you regain focus on the one who truly matters, you.

Sadly, Wyoming has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. Some blame the long, cold winters. But in my short time here I've observed two other critical contributing factors: a (seeming) lack of resources, and a culture that doesn't encourage people to ask for help.

Bibliotherapy, like art, music, and movement therapies, is a form of creative arts counseling. While the term was coined in the early 20th century, ancient scholars regarded the curative value of reading so highly that the inscription “The Healing Place of the Soul” adorned early library doors.

The holidays can be a joyous time for many, but certainly not all. It may be the most wonderful time of the year for some, but a time of stress or even dread for others.