Search

This article is written to help counselors as they work with grieving mothers in their efforts to guide their children through the grief process while grieving themselves. It begins with a self-evaluation for counselors followed by an overview of the variances in grief between children, adolescents, and adults. Particular attention is paid to a newer aspect of grief study, which is thanatechnology. Following this overview, the article narrows in on the experiences of grieving mothers, leading to a discussion on specific counseling interventions as well as examples. Finally, a brief case study is provided for application purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature does little to explore the perceptions of Black adolescents with depression or their perspective of treatment effectiveness. Studies are usually from urban areas and there is a dearth of research with Black adolescents from rural areas. This study explored the unique personal experiences of Black adolescents located in the rural southeastern United States, with the purpose of gaining a clearer understanding when working with this population. An interpretative qualitative method was used to explore 10 participants' interpretation of their experiences to gain insight in how they make meaning of those experiences. Five significant categories were found to capture participant themes: (a) definition of depression, (b) seeking treatment, (c) coping and problem solving strategies, (d) types of emotional support, and (e) contributing factors to depression. Specific recommendations and interventions are suggested for mental health clinicians to become more educated and aware when working with Black adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clients reach an impasse in therapy sessions when they experience difficulty expressing their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Counselors using narrative therapy assist clients in finding an alternate solution by externalizing oppressive experiences. This facilitates a revised narration of their maladaptive perspective, which they have internalized. Using narrative therapy, a counselor works with clients to externalize their oppressive experiences and help them rewrite their life story removed from their problem-saturated perspective. Clients’ exploration of their life story in individual and group therapy can be enhanced using narrative therapy techniques in conjunction with creative art and writing techniques. Several techniques described in this article give examples of how to use narrative therapy in conjunction with creative techniques to increase clients’ exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]