Expert Interviews & Perspectives in Counseling

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 explore the rights of individuals with mental health conditions in the workplace, 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.

There’s a reason we long for travel when we’re in a funk. While routines can be very beneficial, the day-in-day-out slog can become a tedious rut. Couple this with screen addiction and all the stress of modern living, and you have a recipe for burnout. It may be time for a getaway, or perhaps something more meaningful.

The field of psychology is dynamic, it is one in which you can never stop learning from. As theories and therapies continue to evolve, it is essential for counselors to stay abreast of the latest research, continuing practices and learn new ways of thinking.

For those who grew up with a binary definition of men and women, it can be quite confusing to encounter people who don’t fit these categories. Not only are sex and gender different, there’s an entire planet of cultural gender constructs to wrap one’s head around. On top of this, language is polysemic and definitions overlap, meaning that trans and nonbinary people may use gender labels differently.

In the field today, there is an observable stratum of allies, yet their dedication to this goal varies a great deal, as does their level of skill, training, and overall experience. For this reason, it’s worth noting the distinct strengths and potential limitations of allied counselors, affirmative counselors, gender specialists, sex therapists, and LGBTQ+ counselors.

Many counselors begin their careers working for other people in a mental health clinic, educational system, medical facility, or a government setting. These positions provide counselors with financial stability and valuable professional experience. Over time, counselors may desire more freedom and autonomy.

Transition is the self-actualizing process of aligning one’s external being with their internal sense of gender. This includes social transition like gender expression, legal transition like changing one’s name or pronouns on documentation, and physical transition like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and Gender Confirmation Surgery (GCS).

Anyone who aspires to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) will inevitably take the National Counselor Examination (NCE). While each state has different licensure requirements, the NCE is a comprehensive test administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) and used throughout the United States.

Exploring one’s sexuality or gender identity is, by its very nature, an existential pursuit. In fact, LGBTQ+ clients often seek out therapy to help make sense of their phenomenological experience.

Cultural competence was introduced in the 1980s by social workers and counseling psychologists as an approach to working successfully in multicultural contexts. Primarily concerned with learning about the cultures of those with whom we live and work through the examination of behaviors, attitudes, and policies, cultural competence was embraced by the healthcare community and has been used widely throughout the industry.