Morrison, J. (2014). The first interview. (4th Ed). New York: The Guilford Press. The first interview by James Morrison is a step by step guide to the first interview in a therapeutic relationship. James Morrison is Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and has extensive experience in both the […]
relationship
Counsellor Tips: Principles of Good Parenting
Have you ever wrestled with a problem, walked away from it for a period, and then ended up having an epiphany while you were officially “off duty” from the problem? Laurence Steinberg, an internationally renowned expert on psychological development during adolescence, talks about having such an experience leading to the development of his book on […]
- March 24, 2017
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- 11781
- Children & Adolescents, Lifespan Development, Relationship & Families, School Counselling
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Practical Prioritising: Important, Urgent, or Just Demanded?
How many times have you looked back on periods of your life and wondered, “How was it that I ever thought that was a priority?” Whether it was a hobby you no longer engage, an unworkable relationship you sacrificed healthy ones for, or a compulsion you no longer regard as urgent, most of us have […]
- February 13, 2017
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- 7951
- Career Development, Personal Effectiveness, Stress Management
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The Perils of Multitasking
“Juggling is an illusion. … In reality, the balls are being independently caught and thrown in rapid succession. … It is actually task switching.” (Gary Keller) You probably know the feeling: you’re swamped with work, your email inbox is overflowing, and then you get that call — the one from someone whom you feel guilty […]
- January 17, 2017
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- 7091
- Career Development, Personal Effectiveness, Stress Management
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Team Functioning: The Why, What, How, and Who of a Team
Many people working in organisations try to avoid being part of a team. Perhaps the many levels of requirements for good teamwork place it in the “too-hard” basket. Yet there are many advantages accruing to both the organisation and the individual from successful teamwork, including greater efficiency, personal growth, improvement in communication skills, superior generation […]
- November 8, 2016
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- 26040
- Career Development, Group Work, Workplace Issues
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Emotional Intelligence: Definition and a Brief History
The idea that we human beings have not only a quotient of cognitive intelligence, our so-called “IQ”, but also a level of emotional intelligence, called either “EQ” (for emotional quotient) or “EI” (emotional intelligence) has been emerging for at least 30 years (Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso, 2004b). It began to be popularised in the 1990s […]
- August 12, 2016
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- 23299
- Career Development, Personal Effectiveness, Wellness, Workplace Issues
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Counselling Dilemma: Gambling Addiction and Social Media
You have been working as a gambling addictions counsellor for Relationships Australia for the past 5 years. You are active in the community and attend regular network meetings in your local area. One evening at a regular meeting you run into a previous client, Kobe. Kobe informs you that he has been in recovery for […]
- July 22, 2016
- 4
- 18065
- Addictions, Counselling Dilemmas, Ethics & Legal Issues, Group Work
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Topics
Addictions Ageing Issues Book Reviews Career Development Case Studies Children & Adolescents Clinical Mental Health Coaching Scenarios Counselling Dilemmas Counselling Theory & Process Counselling Therapies Creativity in Counselling Diagnosis & Treatment Disability Issues Ethics & Legal Issues Graduate Stories Group Work LGBTI Issues Lifespan Development Loss & Grief Multicultural Issues Neuroscience News & Events Personal […]
- May 10, 2016
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Connecting with the Power of Purpose
Suppose someone asked you: “Why are you here? What is the purpose of your existence?” Would you be able to answer that in a meaningful way? Aligned to that question is: “What do you value? What has meaning for you?” In my psychotherapy work, the question of MPV – meaning, purpose, values – often comes […]
- April 21, 2016
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- 5848
- Personal Effectiveness, Spirituality & Religion, Wellness
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How Colours Impact Us
Colour pervades our physical environment, from the soft colours of dawn to the bright colours of tropical birds. It also affects our emotional environment, as when we “see red”, “have the blues”, “turn crimson” with embarrassment; or when our bank account should be “in the black”. We are told that colour has huge effects on […]
- April 5, 2016
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- 2998
- Spirituality & Religion, Wellness
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Counselling Dilemma: A Seizure During a Counselling Session
A client has been seeing a therapist for three months when, during one of their sessions, the therapist appears to lose focus. The client feels a little angry that the therapist is not paying attention to them. After talking for a few more minutes, the client notices that the therapist is struggling to string sentences […]
- March 24, 2016
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- 3842
- Ethics & Legal Issues, Private Practice
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Get Going with Goal-setting
How are you going on your New Year’s resolutions? If you are like an estimated 93 percent of the population, you have abandoned those fine aspirations generated so earnestly in December. Despair not, however; in this article we look at why you should revive your resolutions, turning them into goals. We identify the areas of […]
- March 1, 2016
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- 3669
- Career Development, Personal Effectiveness, Private Practice, Stress Management
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E-therapy: A Look at the Benefits
Most of us would not have pursued a career in mental health helping (broadly including here counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, social work, and psychiatry) if we were not aware of and keen to extend to those in need the many benefits that the face-to-face therapeutic encounter brings. Accustomed to this format, we can easily dismiss online […]
- January 28, 2016
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- 5759
- Ethics & Legal Issues, Private Practice, Technology & Social Media
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The Social Value of Being an Active Listener
Every year my siblings look forward to the visit my husband and I make to my country of origin. They are very glad to see me, but they can’t wait to see him. Why? When he is with each one, it is as if that person is the only human being on the planet. My […]
- December 15, 2015
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- 5388
- Personal Effectiveness, Relationship & Families
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Defining Psychology and Psychological Science
Psychology is the scientific study of thoughts, feelings and behaviour (Weiten, 2004). Compared to biology, chemistry or physics, psychology is a young scientific field. In 1879, William Wundt established the first psychology research lab at the University of Leipzig. In 1881, the first psychology journal was established, also by Wundt. Other important early contributors to […]
- December 1, 2015
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- 4382
- Counselling Theory & Process
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