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Self-injury is an increasing phenomenon among young adult women. This qualitative study explored the counseling experiences of 10 young adult women with a history of self-injurious behavior. It examined the nature of the client-counselor relationship and how self-injury was treated. It also accessed the participants' thoughts and feelings about their experiences in counseling. Implications for training and treatment are set out, as are recommendations for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the results of a national survey of 1000 randomly selected professional counselors regarding the frequency and impact of client suicide. Respondents who had and who had not encountered client suicide were consistently divided among a variety' of specialties and settings reported. Of the 376 respondents, 23% had experienced the suicide of a client who was under their care. Within that group, 21 (24%)were student counselors at the time of the suicide and 11 of the 19 items on the survey yielded mean responses indicating a moderate to moderately high impact of the client suicide, with symptoms comparable to those of clinical groups during the weeks .following the event. Counselors reported having intrusive and avoidant thoughts about the crisis that were higher than those of either psychologists or psychiatrists. Counselors' ages were negatively related to the intensity of their reactions to clients' suicides. The severity and persistence of stress symptoms was greater for the counselors who were students at the time of the client suicide than for those who were already in professional practice. The study indicates that the effects of client suicide have potentially negative and serious consequences for student and professional counselors alike. Specific training pt client suicide should be a routine component of the counselor educational process to effectively prepare students for this and similar clinical crises' and to encourage similar responses in professional practice settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]