We just returned from presenting at the Louisiana Counseling Association annual conference in New Orleans. The conference theme was, “The Counseling Family” which was evident from the minute we got off the plane to the final workshop. We have never felt more welcomed and appreciated by a state counseling association than by our counseling “brothers [...]

I’ve been singing so long about so many things, I don’t even realize it anymore. I can sing about the everyday mundane tasks like brushing my teeth, going grocery shopping, being stuck in traffic, or feeding my cats, to the bigger stuff like relationships, challenges, and mental illness. Inspiration strikes anywhere and everywhere. But I [...]

A few years ago, I was at the Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands about to return home after an exciting and relaxing summer vacation with family and friends. While saying my good-byes, I saw a couple that looked to be in their fifties, pull up to the airport entrance. After the [...]

To All Readers, In my haste to post my blog on Stigma, Silence, NAMI, and You, I incorrectly listed NAMI as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, when in fact NAMI has changed that to “National Alliance on Mental Illness”.  I apologize for this error. Kathy Stigma, Silence, NAMI and You I feel I [...]

Since this is my first blog, let me briefly introduce myself. After working as a co-occurring disorder therapist for 15 years, I began my career as a counselor educator. I also completed certification as a clinical supervisor while operating a coaching practice wherein I help program managers, clinical supervisors, and business owners manage their stress [...]

I was recently catching up on my free-reading outside of coursework. Currently Daniel Goleman’s classic “Emotional Intelligence” is taking up that free-reading title. Emotional intelligence fascinates me. The things people are capable of with a modest IQ inspire awe. Can anyone be a successful counselor? I don’t believe so. Are there certain emotional and personal [...]

Everyday, in my line of work, I wake up and judge myself by a number. When that number is elevated, I get this feeling of safety, control, and permanence. It washes over me like a warm bath. But then a new day comes, and who knows what it brings. On the surface these moments happen [...]

A common issue we as counselors are likely to see among military clients is their inability to sleep well. First of all, trouble sleeping is not exactly specific to military members, as we all know. Many people in the general population have this problem as well. But I think it’s important not to jump to [...]