2012

For some aggressive adolescents, conventional counseling methods appear limited in handling the excessive energy and issues individuals in this population have. With traditional talk therapy not effective, a gap exists for practitioners on what to do when counseling this populace. Martial arts, however, have a tradition of discipline and self control for people who practice them. Thus, martial arts may be an alternative for aggressive adolescents if counselors can synthesize martial arts and counseling principles into a movement-based therapeutic intervention. The purpose of this article is to provide counselors with this movement-based intervention. Recommendations for shifting from a conventional approach to working with aggressive adolescents to a movement-based therapeutic approach are described in this article.