CS Features – Expert Interviews, Guides, Professional Advocacy & Research in Counseling

Joining a counseling profession is about more than understanding licensing requirements and reading step-by-step guides. This is a profession committed to continued education, listening, and learning. To be a successful counselor or therapist, you have to be engaged with and aware of the larger conversations in the community.

Whether you are just starting your counseling career or already working in the field, CS features cover topics relevant to you. It holds scholarship and resource guides, expert interviews, tips for avoiding burnout and compassion fatigue, discussions of the latest academic research, and detailed analyses of the most pressing advocacy issues within counseling professions. Overall, we bring you into the conversation around the biggest issues in counseling and professions today.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month – Expert Interview & Advocacy Guide

Calendar Icon 09/23/21 Kimmy Gustafson

The statistics for domestic violence in the United States are staggering. Each year, more than 10 million people in this country experience domestic violence. One in four women and one in 10 men experience some form of sexual assault, stalking, or physical violence from an intimate partner. Unfortunately, things seem to be getting worse with a 42 percent increase between 2016 and 2018 alone.

Mental Health Disabilities and Employment: A Guide to Rights & Advocacy

Calendar Icon 09/02/21 Cevia Yellin

In the first part of this series, we gave an overview of mental health disability and employment focusing on resources for creating a mental health-friendly workplace. In this piece, we move into the rights of individuals with mental health conditions at work, common challenges, and advocacy efforts. Aaron Konopasky, senior attorney-advisor for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offered his expertise as an attorney specializing in disability law, rights, and policy.

A Salary Guide for All Counseling Careers: How Much Do Counselors Earn? (2021-2022)

Calendar Icon 06/16/21 Kimmy Gustafson

Wages for counselors vary widely based on the type of counseling services offered, the level of education, and more.

What Behaviors Correlate with Happiness? An Expert’s Guide to Being Happy

Calendar Icon 04/28/21 Cevia Yellin

On July 12, 2012, the United Nations established March 20th as the International Day of Happiness.

Occupational Therapy Month: An Expert’s Advocacy Guide for OTs

Calendar Icon 03/30/21 Nina Chamlou

During the month of April, the U.S. medical community celebrates Occupational Therapy (OT) Month to honor the more than 213,000 occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students who work to improve the lives of their clients and families.

Mental Health Disabilities and Employment: An Interview with the Social Security Administration

Calendar Icon 03/22/21 Cevia Yellin

Two benefits programs that may be available to individuals with disabilities—including those caused by mental health conditions—are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). While SSDI is based on the amount a person worked/contributed to social security taxes prior to applying for benefits, SSI is determined by financial need.

Advocacy Guide for National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week (2021)

Calendar Icon 03/22/21 Matt Zbrog

Telling kids to ‘just say no’ just doesn’t work. Today’s approach to drug education and substance use disorder programs has to focus, instead, on high doses of compassion and science. The stakes are high: nearly 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, but only 10 percent receive treatment; more than 90 percent of those who do have an addiction started to drink alcohol or use drugs before they were 18 years old.

Sex, Gender, and Personal Identity: What to Know as a Mental Health Practitioner

Calendar Icon 02/25/21 Alex Stitt, LMHC

Sex and gender aren’t synonyms, though they’re often treated as such on medical documents, legal forms, and in casual conversation. Therapists who intend to work with intersex and gender diverse people must understand how independent sex and gender are, in order to comprehend how they intersect.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week – Expert Resources & Advocacy Guide

Calendar Icon 02/19/21 Nina Chamlou

With National Eating Disorders Awareness Week coming up in February, we explore the range of eating disorders, what types of therapies are available, and resources for those struggling with (or those interested in treating) eating disorders.

How to Promote Social Justice Within Your Community – A Spotlight on Human Trafficking

Calendar Icon 02/17/21 Nina Chamlou

In recent years, a pipeline from the foster care system to trafficking has gained the attention of organizations like the Human Rights Project for Girls. The group published a report called “The Sexual Abuse to Prison Pipeline,” highlighting that girls who grew up in the child welfare system, especially those placed in multiple homes, are particularly vulnerable to the exploitation of traffickers, who coerce girls into compliance with promises of love and affection.