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Showing posts from April, 2023

Counseling Awareness Month: Essential Skills for the Modern Mental Health Therapist

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 Written by Kelsey Someliana-Lauer, Therapy Practice Solutions Virtual Assistant Counseling Awareness Month takes place every April in the United States. The origins of this month can be traced back to the 1970s when the American Counseling Association (ACA) began promoting the idea of a national counseling week. The first National Counseling Week was held in 1974, and it was later expanded to become Counseling Awareness Month in 2002. The purpose of having a Counseling Awareness Month is to increase public awareness about the importance of counseling and to recognize the contributions of counselors to mental health and well-being.  What makes counseling so effective, though? It’s no secret - studies show the therapeutic relationship between a client and therapist is the key to producing change and healing work. But what skills can a therapist use to create that strong bond? In other words, what makes a great therapist, and what makes great therapy? Today, the pros at Therapy Practic

Three MBSR-Inspired Exercises to Help Clients (and Clinicians) Reduce Stress

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  Three MBSR-Inspired Exercises to Help Clients (and Clinicians) Reduce Stress Written by Kelsey Someliana-Lauer, Therapy Practice Solutions Virtual Assistant April is Stress Awareness Month , a time dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of stress on our lives and how we can manage it. Stress is a natural response to challenging situations, but when it becomes chronic, it can have serious negative effects on our physical and mental health. Unfortunately, many mental health therapists experience chronic stress without realizing it, which can lead to burnout, anxiety, depression, and other health problems. We can become so involved in trying to heal others that we may neglect ourselves in the process! One of the best ways to combat stress is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program that helps people manage stress and improve their overall well-being. It was developed in the 1970s by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massa