Fall 2006
Preface |
The Fall 2006 issue of Professional Issues in Counseling presents a broad range of topics for a reading audience composed of counselors and other mental health professionals who work in schools, agencies, hospitals, colleges, universities, and private practice. The four articles appearing in this issue have been carefully reviewed by members of our prestigious editorial review board and have been recommended for publication based on scholarly research and writing, relevance of the topic to current professional counselors, and overall contribution to the field of mental health. PIIC is proud to feature the ethical issues power point presentations of Sam Houston State University counselor educator doctoral students. The power point presentations can be found at the Ethics Corner link. PIIC encourages mental health professionals, counselor educators, and graduate students interested in publishing in PIIC to submit manuscripts for review and consideration for publication in future issues of the journal. Manuscript guidelines are available on PIIC website. If you have question, please contact the editor of PIIC, Dr.Mary Nichter at edu_@shsu.edu. |
| JOURNAL ARTICLES |
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Closing the Achievement Gap: Service-Learning as a Counselor Intervention Judith A. Nelson |
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The author describes how school-wide service-learning projects can be integrated into the total developmental guidance and counseling program for the purpose of meeting the needs of all students, providing assistance to minority and economically disadvantaged students, and collecting data that will support the continued growth and success of the guidance program. The article describes current research which suggests that service-learning has the potential to reduce the achievement gap between students from low-socio economic backgrounds and students from high income families and how professional school counselors can use this information to include service-learning in their guidance programs. |
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Melanie M. Bullock and Steve W. Johnson |
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A counselor's self-efficacy appears to be an important component in the transition from student to practicing professional. The goal of this study was to examine changes in the self-efficacy of counseling interns after one semester of a field-based learning experience. Results are based on 41 participants enrolled in a masters level counseling program. Students completed the Self-Assessment of Basic Helping Skills and Procedural Skills at the beginning and conclusion of their first semester of a field-based counseling internship. Students' self-efficacy increased after one semester of field experience. |
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The Therapeutic Value of the Mythopoetic Men's Movement: A Phenomenological Study Scott Baker |
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This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews to investigate the personal meaning of the mythopoetic men's movement. Participants included three organizers of a national mythopoetic men's gathering. All participants lived in the same town, attended the New Church , were married with children, and were white males between the ages of 44 and 54 with household incomes over $50,000 per year. Analysis revealed three themes, including the mission, the self, and the struggle. The men described their activities within the men's movement as part of a mission. They discussed personal changes that they had made after becoming involved in the movement. And they alluded to a struggle between membership in the movement and membership in the larger community of men. Potential lessons for counseling men are discussed.
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