Expert Interviews & Perspectives in Counseling

When swiping through apps or dancing at the club, have you ever felt like you didn’t vibe with the dating scene? A lot of factors contribute to this feeling of displacement, like beautyism, sexism, the focus on youth culture, or just a lack of shared interests. Yet what if there’s something deeper at work? What if our unique need for love changes our expectations of courtship?

A lack of motivation can be caused by a variety of sources. Some of these include stress, change, or an underlying mental health or physical condition. Other times, a lack of motivation can be a signal to make important changes in your career and lifestyle.

Since Kinsey, there have been many studies exploring the spectrum of heterosexuality and homosexuality, yet there has been little to no research measuring the spectrum of aromanticism to alloromanticism, and asexuality to allosexuality.

Some religious and spiritual practices can be healing to the individual, while others cause harm. If the counselor strives to treat the client as a whole person, religion and spirituality must be included in the therapeutic work.

Gambling disorder is the only behavioral disorder included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). It appears alongside substance use disorders and is formally considered to be a type of addiction. Like other addictions, gambling disorder represents persistent, recurrent behavior that continues despite significant harmful consequences.

Too much caring without proper boundaries can cause emotional stress and strain on the counselor. Even with sufficient self-care measures, chronic day-to-day occupational stress can wear down even the most experienced professional.

When clients show up for therapy, they often have exhausted all other resources, such as Internet searches, self-help videos, books, and other people’s advice. They may feel drained and unsure if therapy can help them.

The military meets our definitions of culture perfectly, and there are distinct differences from civilian culture that could impact military mental health. An understanding of factors such as military culture, moral injury, and resilience can maximize the counselor’s efficacy in assisting this population to maintain well-being.

Building rapport creates increased communication, trust, and motivation in the counselor-client relationship. Developing a positive emotional connection leads to client satisfaction and greater therapeutic outcomes.

As always, clients should be encouraged to ask questions, yet due to the long history of discrimination, LGBTQ+ individuals may have some unique concerns pertaining to their privacy, emotional safety, and legal rights.