When we experience a threatening event, our bodies automatically respond in a way that allows us to protect ourselves or escape from the situation. This fight or flight involves an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and breathing rate. All these changes help us to physically deal with danger or leave the situation […]
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Critical Incident Counselling
Over time, the distinction between the three terms, stress, traumatic stress, and crisis, have become blurred, thus numerous professionals started using these terms synonymously. Some authors specifically indicate that they deal with both stress and developmental crisis, but do not make distinctions between these terms/concepts. Others define their work as dealing with crisis, but take […]
- September 21, 2010
- 0
- 5839
- Stress Management, Trauma & Disaster Mental Health
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Responsibilities of Counselling Supervisors
Counselling supervisors have the responsibility to provide ongoing training in the context of related supervised experiences to enable supervisees to deliver effective and ethical services. Because of this, supervisors must be well trained, knowledgeable and skilled in the practice of their profession and in clinical supervision. Failure to have appropriate supervision experience will make it […]
- September 13, 2010
- 6
- 70839
- Counselling Theory & Process, Supervision
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Types of Therapeutic Groups
Group therapy is a popular mode of therapy for both therapists and clients. Group therapy is a highly effective form of psychotherapy that is based on interdependence and interaction among the group members who mutually disclose personal material (Laski & Riva, 2006). While group therapy is sometimes used alone, it is also commonly integrated into […]
- September 8, 2010
- 0
- 49220
- Counselling Theory & Process, Group Work
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Happiness, Positive Psychology and Wellbeing
The concept of happiness is the corner stone of the assumptions of positive psychology. Happiness is characterised by the experience of more frequent positive affective states than negative ones as well as a perception that one is progressing toward important life goals (Tkach & Lyubomirsky, 2006). Identifying factors that contribute to happiness has proven to […]
- August 30, 2010
- 9
- 141365
- Counselling Therapies, Wellness
- Read More
Children and Emotional Development
A child’s earliest experiences with emotion most often occurs in the family setting. Consequently, the family plays an important role in the development of emotional understanding, particularly interactions between parents and children. For example, children who possess secure attachments with their parents show greater emotional understanding than those children who do not possess secure attachments […]
- August 23, 2010
- 0
- 41587
- Children & Adolescents, Lifespan Development, Relationship & Families
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Reasons for Unresolved/Complicated Grief
In this post we explore psychological and social factors that may contribute to unresolved/complicated grief. Click here for a list of symptoms and behaviours of unresolved/complicated grief. Psychological factors Anger and guilt can often be a key source of adjustment difficulties in the process of grief. Guilt can inhibit the grief process if mourners are unable […]
- August 18, 2010
- 2
- 35169
- Loss & Grief, Trauma & Disaster Mental Health
- Read More
Anxiety and Performance
Anxiety is most often considered a problem if it occurs when there is no real threat or when the anxiety response is disproportionate to the threat being faced. However, when there is a real situation or stressor to deal with, the anxiety level might actually be appropriate. Appropriate levels of anxiety activate the organism to […]
- August 5, 2010
- 1
- 14736
- Clinical Mental Health, Personal Effectiveness, Stress Management, Wellness
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Values and Conflict Resolution
Every person has distinctive viewpoints that are equally valid (from where they stand) as the other party involved in the conflict. Each person’s viewpoint makes a contribution to the whole and requires consideration and respect in order to form a complete solution. This wider view can open up the communication transaction possibilities. It may require […]
- July 19, 2010
- 1
- 20088
- Counselling Theory & Process, Personal Effectiveness, Workplace Issues
- Read More
Treatment Steps in Behaviour Therapy
Behaviour therapy/counselling is used to help “clients acquire new coping skills, improve communication, or learn to break maladaptive habits and overcome self-defeating emotional conflicts” (Corsini & Wedding, 2000). The behavioural therapist/counsellor focuses on interpreting the client’s behaviour, emphasising a collaborative and positive relationship with the client and values the use of objectivity to assess and […]
- July 5, 2010
- 1
- 35314
- Counselling Theory & Process, Counselling Therapies
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Attachment Theory
Attachment theory has emerged as a leading tool for understanding the deeper roots of the dynamics in a close relationship. Originally developed to explain attachments of children to their caregivers, this theory has been especially fruitful in couple therapy as it helps to explain how adults come to depend on one another. Attachment is viewed […]
- June 18, 2010
- 0
- 14106
- Counselling Therapies, Relationship & Families
- Read More
Behaviour Couple Therapy
Behaviour couple therapy is concerned about how people learn and unlearn dysfunctional behaviours. The model relies on cognitive behaviour theory whereby the general assumption is that changing the cognitions of an individual is critical to help clients overcome their problematic behaviours and bring about change. The theory also believes that behaviour is maintained by its […]
- June 8, 2010
- 2
- 8804
- Counselling Therapies, Relationship & Families
- Read More
Temperament and Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are thought to result from a difficult temperament (as well as biological and social factors). Personality traits and temperaments are dimensional characteristics that are heritable and manifest early in life. These characteristics underlie or influence cognitive processes, interpersonal and social functions, emotional and affective states and biological stress systems (Howland, 2007; Shiner, 2005). […]
- June 1, 2010
- 1
- 19945
- Clinical Mental Health, Diagnosis & Treatment
- Read More
Personality and Disorders
Everyone has personality traits that characterise them as unique individuals. Such traits refer to the usual way in which a person thinks, feels and behaves. Specifically, personality refers to the pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviours, consistently exhibited by an individual over a long period of time. Personality is a complex combination of traits and […]
- May 28, 2010
- 0
- 2382
- Clinical Mental Health, Diagnosis & Treatment, Lifespan Development
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Psychological and Social Effects of Alcohol Abuse
“When the wine goes in, strange things come out.” ~ Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, The Piccolomini, 1799 Alcohol consumption is part of our daily lives. It is used and enjoyed in most developed and developing countries around the world. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant even though it is commonly mistaken to be […]
- May 21, 2010
- 2
- 53157
- Clinical Mental Health, Relationship & Families
- Read More