The Thoughtful Counselor

Have you ever wondered why youth view sexually explicit material? Curious about how to respond, provide sex education, and address topics related to distress, out of control sexual behaviors, and sexually explicit material within therapeutic counseling settings? Join Braxton Dutson (LCSW) and Dr. Stacey Diane Arañez Litam to learn more about why youth view pornography and how counselors – and parents- can respond with empathy, curiosity, and compassion. For more on Braxton, links from the conversation, and APA citation for this episode visit concept.paloaltou.edu The Thoughtful Counselor is created in partnership with Palo Alto University's Division of Continuing & Professional Studies. Learn more at concept.paloaltou.edu

Infant mental health involves promoting emotional and social wellbeing in young children from the prenatal period to 5 years of age through culturally responsive and relationship-based care. In this episode Dr. Humes will discuss why this important specialty area of counseling does not receive the amount of attention it deserves. For more on Camille, links from the conversation, and APA citation for this episode visit concept.paloaltou.edu The Thoughtful Counselor is created in partnership with Palo Alto University's Division of Continuing & Professional Studies. Learn more at concept.paloaltou.edu

Today on The Thoughtful Counselor, Dr. Megan Speciale talks with Drs. Theodore Burnes and Michelle Vaughan about their new book, The Handbook of CNM-Affirming Mental Health Practice. The conversation explores the counseling considerations for working with diverse clients involved in consensually non-monogamous relationships, as well as some of the common misconceptions and biases impacting this community. For more on Theodore & Michelle, links from the conversation, and APA citation for this episode visit concept.paloaltou.edu The Thoughtful Counselor is created in partnership with Palo Alto University's Division of Continuing & Professional Studies. Learn more at concept.paloaltou.edu

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Tyler talks with Sara Ellison, an associate licensed counselor, nationally certified counselor, and doctoral student on perfectionism and overcontrol. They discuss how perfectionism impacts individuals' wellness, along with the parallel process of being a counselor or counselor-in-training who struggles with perfectionistic and overcontrolled tendencies. This episode is for anyone who identifies with the fear of failure, impression management, masking emotions, and overcontrol. Recommendations for infusing openness and flexibility into practice through RO-DBT and other techniques is also discussed.

Dr. Anne Saw shares insights on community-engaged research in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Topics include the Covid-19 Needs Assessment Project, building trust through participatory research, empowering communities with data, navigating biases in clinical practice, and finding your path after graduation.

In this episode Dr. Jones and Dr. Townsend discuss the positive effects that mentorship has on Black men. They talk about the lived experiences of Black men and the protective factors needed to support Black men in their career/family life. For more on Christopher, links from the conversation, and APA citation for this episode visit concept.paloaltou.edu The Thoughtful Counselor is created in partnership with Palo Alto University's Division of Continuing & Professional Studies. Learn more at concept.paloaltou.edu

Dr. Kathryn Ford discusses the importance of openness in relationships using relational neuroscience. She shares practical strategies for fostering openness and provides examples from her clinical practice. The podcast delves into the concept of 'aperture awareness' for effective communication and enhancing connections in counseling settings.

Dr. Margaret Lamar interviews Drs. Kelly Coker, Kristi Cannon, Savitri Dixon-Saxon, and Karen Roller about their new project taking a new look at lifespan development. They share the importance of understanding lifespan development within the context and culture the clients experience and grow. The conversation includes how we can better conceptualize our clients using a contextual and cultural lens of lifespan development For more on Drs. Kelly Coker, Kristi Cannon, Savitri Dixon-Saxon, and Karen Roller, links from the conversation, and APA citation for this episode visit concept.paloaltou.edu The Thoughtful Counselor is created in partnership with Palo Alto University's Division of Continuing & Professional Studies. Learn more at concept.paloaltou.edu

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Tyler talks with Dr. Julia Whisenhunt, Associate Professor at the University of West Georgia, about how counselors can make ethically wise decisions when in crisis intervention. As part of her co-authored book, "Crisis Intervention Ethics Casebook," she discusses the SAFETY framework (Nobbman et al., 2014), Triage Assessment Form (Myer et al., 1992), and LASER protocol (Myer et al., 2021) that can help counselors to make ethical decisions in the heat of the moment that promotes compliance with aspirational ethics and multicultural practice. For more on Julia, links from the conversation, and APA citation for this episode visit concept.paloaltou.edu The Thoughtful Counselor is created in partnership with Palo Alto University's Division of Continuing & Professional Studies. Learn more at concept.paloaltou.edu

Dr. Amanda Waters discusses responsive vs reactive intentionality in creating community for holistic student wellness. She emphasizes cultural identity work and lifelong learning to address mental health disparities on college campuses. The podcast explores the importance of balancing on-campus and off-campus mental health services, the role of lifelong learning in higher education, and the significance of cultural identity and trauma in counseling.