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Keep Loving Life
A blog about the activities, professional
experiences, and perspectives on
social/psychological issues
of counselors and self-help professionals in and
around
greater Chattanooga, Tennessee.
No, “Marriage on
the Rocks” is not a new drink
that you can order from your
local night spot. If it were a
drink, however, it just may be
an unforgettable one. This book
is one you definitely want to
add to your collection.
An easy read, this 30 page soft
book with a personal study guide
can be read in an hour and
includes powerful principles to
apply. It stimulates like an
energizing elixir designed to
put the “wow” factor back in
your marriage. If you're reading
to prepare yourself for
marriage, Dr. Rivers claims that
this will help prevent current
singles from getting “blind
sided” by the realities of
future marriage, learn the
danger signals and minimize
mistakes.
Author Gregory Rivers, PhD has
23 years of experience of
counseling families in
Chattanooga, TN, not only with
Hamilton County Juvenile Court
and also couples and families
through Beacon Ministries,
Lighthouse Counseling Services,
and the Partnership. He had
trouble in his own marriage and
the counseling he received
helped him save it.
Dr. Rivers believes we are
suffering from a “divorce
plague” today. Rivers himself
was divorced before marrying his
current "God sent wife" Sheila
of 23 years. He notes that this
book responds to how divorce
destroys families and the
wreckage it leaves in its
aftermath. There are seven basic
faith-based principles in the
book that Dr. Rivers believes
can apply to anyone.
What do you do
when clients make sessions unproductive by
complaining and controlling the session without
doing any productive work?
by Sheri Van Dijk, MSW
Sometimes a few minutes of venting can be helpful,
providing emotional release and catharsis. But
mostly, venting only increases emotions about the
situation and isn't productive. So, what do you do
when that's all the client wants to do in session?
Some education about psychotherapy may be helpful.
Some people believe that's what therapy is about--
just talking about your problems. They don't realize
that they need to develop insight and learn skills
to help them deal with the issues they're facing.
For some clients, simply asking them to pay
attention to their emotions as they vent can be
helpful-- they will soon see that their emotions
tend to go up, rather than down, as they continue in
this way.
For other clients, a more structured session might
be necessary. Typically, a structured therapy
session begins with discussing last week's homework
if there was any. Next, list any issues that the
client would like to discuss in today's session,
from most important to least important. Don't allow
the client to start talking about the issues yet
(interrupt him if necessary), just list them.
Finally, introduce new skills to help with what the
client is currently dealing with. Usually, clients
get used to this routine and it becomes the natural
flow for future sessions.
Our "helping" instinct is usually to let the client
do what feels right. But we need to remember that
often clients come to us because they don't know
what's right for them-- we can help them figure this
out, but we can't do it if we can't get a word in
edgewise!
Self
Help Tests
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MIND MATTERS
Tabi Upton, MA, LPC
Tabi Upton is founder of
Chattanooga Counselor.com
and
contributes to the
Chattanooga
Times Free Press
Treat
your high-school senior with
respect, love
Thursday, August 18, 2011
By: Tabi Upton, MA, LPC
Mind Matters - Times Free Press
It's finally here. The years have flown by, and you can't believe the child you reluctantly took to kindergarten is starting his or her senior year in high school.
I know. They just don't seem ready to be adults. You wish they had at least one more year in your care. You hope they attend the school you're most comfortable with -- it just happens to be across the street -- and choose the major you feel is best for them. After all, you've known what they'd be good at since they played their first make-believe games, right?
If you're not careful, though, this year will be gone in a flash, filled with sports events, school trips and exciting social experiences.
Time is precious at this point. Here are some focus points for the next few months:
Stephen Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life
Ministries - the nation's largest faith-based broadcast,
counseling and treatment ministry - and is the host of the
nationally syndicated "New Life Live!" daily radio program heard
on over 180 radio stations nationwide, on two satellite
stations, and around the world online.
