Wellness & Self-Care

The Season of Surviving the System

How can counselors provide care in a world that sometimes feels like it’s no longer working?

The Politics of Counseling

Political stress is reshaping the counselor-client relationship. Political stress, which refers to the anxiety and emotional strain caused by government policies and political conflict, has become a regular theme in many sessions.

Fighting Compassion Fatigue

Proactive strategies can help counselors and supervisors tackle burnout together.

Counseling Among Friends

When friendships crack, some people seek support through friendship counseling, an emerging practice area.

The Road to Tomorrow

There are not enough mental health providers to meet the current demand for care. 121 million people in the U.S. lived in federally designated mental health professional shortage areas and estimates that 6,000 additional mental health workers are needed.

How I Found Purpose after Burnout

After tucking in my young kids for the night, I collapsed into bed. My husband was away on his second overnight shift in two days. I lay there alone, thinking of work the next day, and felt a drop in my stomach.

Growing a Rewarding Career

Counselors share how they have built fulfilling careers despite challenges.

Happy Days

Counselors are using happiness interventions to help clients redefine happiness and live a more fulfilling life.

Treating depression by focusing on solutions and acceptance

Depression is a common mental health disorder and affects people from every walk of life, regardless of their age, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic background. According to

Addressing the loneliness epidemic

Loneliness is a growing public health concern, but counselors can help clients examine the underlying cause of this feeling and learn to rebuild their connections to others.

Behind the Book: Counselor Self-Care (2nd edition)

Since the first edition of Counselor Self-Care came out in 2018, we have experienced many new stressors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, social injustice and political polarization.

Recognizing burnout and compassion fatigue among counselors

Counselors have a responsibility to take care of their own mental health before they can help others with their well-being.

4 steps to refresh, recharge and reconnect

Self-care is always easier said than done, but with these four steps, counselors can ensure they are taking time to care for and invest in themselves.

Past, present or future: Where do you usually live?

When you are in the present moment, you are not waiting for the next moment to be fulfilling or happy.

Getting triggered as a counselor

Counselors will inevitably be confronted by countertransference, but by learning to recognize and manage it, an experience that has sometimes been stigmatized can become a tool for professional and personal growth.

Counselor burnout during COVID-19

Three research studies suggest that counselors did not burn out at a higher-than-normal rate during the first year of COVID-19, but the experience of pandemic fatigue remains an ongoing challenge.

Why your own therapy is so important as a counselor

When clinicians shy away from engaging in therapy themselves, they are limiting their ability to be effective counselors.

Stumbling blocks to counselor self-care

As a counselor, which of the following elements are absolutely essential for you to do your job well?