CounselingTodaySeptember 2010 Cover Story 28 Strength in numbers By Lynne Shallcross Counselors who specialize in group work believe the empowering sense of community and connection helps certain clients blossom in ways that may be hard to achieve with individual therapy. Features 28 36 Livelihoods and cultures in crisis By Lynne Shallcross Louisiana counselors provide on-the-ground accounts of how one of the largest oil spills in history is affecting the mental health of residents in Gulf Coast communities. 41 Breaking the cycle of addiction and crime By Chris Morkides Drug courts offer substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, job counseling and social skills training to nonviolent offenders who otherwise face time in jail or prison. 36 44 Reader Viewpoint One school’s response to external traumatic events By Thomas J. Pallardy Concerned by how their own students and staff members might respond to media coverage of the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech, St. Laurence High School in Illinois developed a plan to help members of its community process external traumatic events. 48 Reader Viewpoint 41 Addressing spiritual diversity By Angela St. Hillaire Although a diversity perspective is being preached in counselor education, a review of the literature suggests that spiritual diversity might remain a neglected aspect of multicultural training. Extras 50 Soledad O’Brien, Judith Beck to keynote 2011 ACA Conference An award-winning news correspondent and an expert in cognitive therapy will address counselors gathering in New Orleans next March for the annual conference. Contents September 2010 | Counseling Today | 3 CounselingTodaySeptember 2010 Columns 10 Washington Update 11 The Two-Minute Advocate Counselor Career Stories 12 Numbersby the Numbers 16 New Perspectives Children and traumatic events 18 Private Practice in Counseling Although the exact emotional toll the Gulf Coast oil spill will take on residents remains to be seen (see “Livelihoods and cultures in crisis,” page 36), studies of past traumatic events Resource Reviews 22 suggest that children’s mental health needs should be monitored closely. Several new studies on children and disaster were 24 Spotlight on Journals published as part of a special section in the July/August issue of the Child Development journal. Among the findings: 26 ACA Blog Sampler Children of the 9/11 attacks n Children whose mothers reported symptoms of post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression were three times more likely to be emotionally reactive and seven times Need to Know more likely to display aggressive behavior three years later. From the President n Children directly exposed to the attacks were only slightly 5 more likely to experience PTSD but significantly more likely to be depressed than children who were not directly exposed. 7 Executive Director’s Message Children of Hurricane Katrina 8 Letters to the Editor n Young children were found to be more deeply af- fected than adolescents; three years 52 NBCC Perspective after Katrina, children ages 9 to 11 were four times more likely than those ages 54 Division, Region & Branch News 15 to 18 to exhibit symptoms of PTSD. Bulletin Board 56 n Although one of the studies found behavioral problems to decrease 57 News & Notes over time, it also found that more than 25 percent of the 60 Classifieds younger children were still showing signs of PTSD and depression three years after the hurricane. n Girls of any age were found to be twice as likely to struggle in adapting after the disaster. 4 | Counseling Today | September 2010 From The President CounselingToday Volume 53/Number 3 Counseling Today Staff Publisher Beauty, sadness, Richard Yep Associate Publisher laughter, learn- Carol Neiman Editor-in-Chief Marcheta Evans ing Jonathan Rollins 800.347.6647 ext. 339 [email protected] Senior Writer ave you ever had an opened my mouth, it removed all doubt Lynne Shallcross experience that was that I might be from their country. As 800.347.6647 ext. 320 [email protected] Hoverwhelmingly beautiful and represents the true spirit of the Malawian sad at the same time? I just returned from people, I was immediately invited to Advertising Representative such an experience. I had the wonderful return to the village to spend at least five Kathy Maguire opportunity to spend three weeks on years so they could teach me the language. 607.662.4451 the continent of Africa in the country of I laughed, thinking to myself that they [email protected] Malawi. must consider me a really slow learner! Graphic Designer Malawi is one of the poorest nations in But in that exchange, they also asked me Carlos J. Soto II Africa, and life expectancy is only about not to forget about them. As I looked into 800.347.6647 ext. 377 [email protected] 50 years (less than a decade ago, it was their eyes, I was moved to tears. There is barely over 40). The country’s slogan is no way I will forget this experience as long CT Column Editors “the warm heart of Africa,” and I couldn’t as I have breath in my body. Washington Update agree more with this description. As a To see the resiliency of people and Scott Barstow counselor, I have worked in some of the to witness how children learned, even 800.347.6647 ext. 234 poorest areas in the deep South, but I in classes of 200 or more, was truly [email protected] have never in my life encountered such amazing. The students were sitting Counselor Career Stories poverty as I saw on my visit to Malawi. bunched together on concrete floors, Rebecca Daniel-Burke At the same time, I have never witnessed with little or no learning supplies. How 800.347.6647 ext. 230 such caring and such giving of the little could learning possibly occur in such [email protected] they do have. I experienced this firsthand conditions? Yet, somehow, it did. The Resource Reviews by the way they gave to me, a complete purpose of my visit was to work with the Ruth Harper stranger from the United States. native educators to develop textbooks [email protected] It is natural for people to be curious and guided supplementary materials for when they meet someone different from literacy development through a USAID Private Practice in Counseling Robert J. Walsh and Norman C. Dasenbrook themselves. In this case, I think it was grant, but I walked away forever changed [email protected] more of a shock for them to see me than in regard to how I view learning and to see the “white” people from the United material wealth. Spotlight on Journals States. Upon seeing me, they expected This month’s Counseling Today cover Sheri Bauman [email protected] me to be Malawian and to speak the story focuses on group work. When I native language of Chichewa. When I first heard the topic, it reminded me of a New Perspectives opened my mouth to speak, they were book I read many years ago called “Why Donjanea L. Fletcher taken aback, and for a second, they were Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in [email protected] confused about who I was and what the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Tatum. Just the The Digital Psyway language I was speaking. title alone reminds me of how we can Marty Jencius I’ll share a funny story that happened gravitate toward the familiar and have a [email protected] when I visited one of the orphan care tendency to separate ourselves from one centers in a very rural village about 15 another. How often do we take the time kilometers from any road. The village to explore outside of our comfort areas? chiefs who were there to greet us wanted As counselors, we ask our clients and a private audience with me to verify that students to expand beyond their comfort I was not Malawian and that I could not speak the language. Once again, when I Continued on page 58 September 2010 | Counseling Today | 5 !S<?L<OFFSCHA5B;N!IOHM?FILM 1IFONCIH$I=OM?>!IOHM?FCHA ,??>NI)HIQ CH1=BIIFM 1?=IH>#>CNCIH Sheri Bauman John J. Murphy This informative book offers complete, Dr. Murphy offers a refreshingly positive up-to-date coverage of the growing and practical approach to resolving a problem of cyberbullying. Written for diverse range of problems from preschool counselors, teachers, school leaders, through high school. Drawing on the and others who work with children most recent research and on his extensive and teens, Cyberbullying addresses the experience as a school practitioner and real-life dangers students face on the trainer, he presents a step-by-step guide Internet. Includes a discussion of the to solution-focused counseling in today’s different types of cyberbullying and schools. This strength-based approach is cyberbullying environments; an overview illustrated through real-world examples of prominent theories of aggressive behavior; practical tips and dialogues from actual counseling sessions. User-friendly to identify and follow cyberfootprints; proactive responses to forms, questionnaires, and handouts are provided for cyberbullying; effective, nonpunitive strategies for responding immediate application with students, teachers, and parents. to cyberbullying; useful information on current technology 2008 | 280 pgs | Order #72873 | ISBN 978-1-55620-247-6 and popular websites; and much more. List Price: $47.95 | ACA Member Price: $35.95 2011 | 215 pgs | Order #72900 | ISBN 978-1-55620-294-0 List Price: $29.95 | ACA Member Price: $24.95 =NCP?'HN?LP?HNCIHM $IL)C>M;H>2??HM 1OC=C>?.L?P?HNCIHCHNB?1=BIIFM Jeffrey S. Ashby, Terry Kottman, and Don DeGraaf %OC>?FCH?M@IL+C>>F?;H>&CAB1=BIIF This engaging guide contains 50 action- 1?NNCHAM 1?=IH>#>CNCIH oriented activities that can be used David Capuzzi in groups with children, adolescents, In this book, David Capuzzi encourages and adults.