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Increasing numbers of young children are experiencing mild to moderate mental health issues that require support in addition to that typically provided by family members and teachers. The services of professional counselors can be particularly useful when children need help adjusting to and coping with various stressors and situations. Many school counselors and other mental health professionals have found that carefully planned interactions between young children and animals (e.g., guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, horses) represent an effective alternative/complementary therapeutic modality. Animals may provide an accepting, nonjudgmental presence that focuses young children's attention, motivates them to learn, and encourages participation in planned intervention activities. This article begins by describing the general purposes for counseling with young children and the role that early childhood educators can play in increasing families' awareness of and access to these services in their communities. Next, it defines animal-assisted counseling and reviews the relevant research to build a rationale for including carefully selected animals in mental health support services for children. The third section discusses caveats about involving animals in individual and small group counseling sessions, in classrooms, and in other facilities/programs that work with young children. The article then summarizes best practices in animal-assisted counseling and how they are influenced by variables within the child, animal welfare considerations, different contexts, availability of resources, and interagency collaborations. The conclusion is a statement on the future of animal-assisted counseling for young children and how it supports the goals of humane education.

Racism and its effects adversely affect the experiences of Black males within higher education. Despite efforts to address racial and gender gaps, Black males remain grossly underrepresented within counselor training programs. They report feeling isolated and experience relational challenges. In this phenomenological study of 10 African American male counseling students' interactions with counseling faculty, several themes related to their racial identity surfaced from the data. Implications for counselor educators and counselor education programs are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the counseling profession continues to build an international community, the need to examine cultural competence training also increases. This quantitative study examined the impact of the Diversity and Counseling Institute in Ireland (DCII) on participants' multicultural counseling competencies. Two instruments were utilized to examine participants' cross-cultural competence before and after the study abroad institute. Results indicated that after the institute experience, participants perceived themselves to be more culturally competent, knowledgeable about the Irish culture, skilled in working with clients from Ireland, and aware of cultural similarities and differences. Implications for counselor education and supervision, and future research also are outlined.

The Association for Specialists in Group Work's (ASGW) Special Initiatives Committee created a document offering 10 strategies for intentionally using group work to transform hate, facilitate courageous conversations, and enhance community building. Group workers can utilize these methods and resources to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion among group members in all types of groups and in various settings. These strategies provide a road map for group workers to use in navigating the complex process of unifying diverse individuals in a way that celebrates their commonalities and differences, while fostering difficult conversations in various group settings.

This article offers 10 guidelines for conducting international group work research. These guidelines include the importance of establishing relationships, conducting a needs assessment, co-constructing the research questions/design, determining the approach, choosing culturally relevant instruments, choosing culturally responsive group interventions, following required/ethical research procedures, determining data analysis/dissemination plan, engaging in effective communication, and practicing cultural humility throughout the process. Using a group stage conceptualization, a case study focusing on an international group work research effort being conducted in 2 primary schools in Malawi is given to highlight the guidelines.

This article highlights the development and implementation of an international counseling outreach program in Bhutan using a group stage conceptualization that includes the initial, transition, working, and final stages. The initial stage included a counseling initiative started by one of the queens as well as meetings with key leaders from the National Board for Certified Counselors International and Bhutan. The transition stage involved developing plans for an international counseling outreach effort in Bhutan that involved formal collaborations between the two countries. The working stage included selecting counselors/educators from the United States who provided counseling/training in Bhutan. Future work is discussed, and also implications for the counseling profession.

This article presents a developmental model for designing and utilizing class activities to meet specific Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) core training competencies for group workers. A review of the relevant literature about teaching group work and meeting core training standards is provided. The authors suggest a process by which educators may review and assess the degree to which their programs and individual courses are meeting the core training competencies. This framework also serves to guide instructors in selecting a repertoire of class activities and assignments that maximize learning and address multiple knowledge and skill objectives. Carefully selected didactic, observation, and experiential components work together across the beginning, middle, and ending stages of class (group) development to address and reinforce the competencies. Additional recommendations and suggestions are provided for instructors seeking to evaluate and enhance their group courses.

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss the reports within the issue on topics including the practical considerations for working with youth populations, the use of virtual platforms for working with diverse populations and the training of counseling students in neuroscience-informed competencies.

The literature is unclear regarding the appropriate medical and psychological treatment of intersexuality: people who have genital, gonadal, or chromosomal characteristics that are neither all female nor all male. Medical and psychosocial management of such individuals is being reevaluated. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), the most common cause of intersexual development among genetic females, is an inherited disorder that leads to varying degrees of masculinization of the external genitalia while internal genitals (ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and uterus) are typically female. The purpose of this study was to explore self-perceptions of adult women who have CAH and the impact of the condition on their relationships, sexuality, gender identity, gender roles, and self-concept. In addition, their perceptions of medical treatment were examined. Five women with CAH chose to participate. Participants reported: (a) a sense of isolation and embarrassment about sharing information concerning their condition with others; (b) discomfort and embarrassment about certain aspects of their medical treatment; and (c) varying experiences and perceptions of their gender identity and gender roles. Recommendations are provided to assist psychotherapists in their work with people who have intersex conditions and their families. KEYWORDS. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, sexuality, gender, gender role, gender identity, genetics, intersexuality, medical treatment, psychoeducation, psychotherapy, self-concept, sex assignment, sexuality, sexual orientation, stigma, virilization

Based on Epstein's (1994a) cognitive-experiential self-theory, two new training interventions were designed to teach students about gay, lesbian and bisexual issues. The efficacy of these theoretically based interventions was assessed in a short-term (7-week, three occasion) longitudinal study. Fifty undergraduate psychology students were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: Rational Training, Experiential Training. or Control Group. A residualized change score procedure was used to analyze change in levels of sexual prejudice and affect across the three types of measurement (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up). A 3 (Rational Training, Experiential Training, Control Group) x 2 (Low Sexual Prejudice, High Sexual Prejudice) MANOVA revealed that after the training, participants in the Experiential Group (affective training) had more accepting attitudes toward homosexuality compared to the Control Group. In addition, participants in the Experiential Group experienced more positive affect compared to the Rational and Control Groups and experienced more negative affect compared to the Rational Group. Findings are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided. KEYWORDS. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual issues, homosexuality, training, cognitive-experiential self-theory, positive and negative affect, attitudes, sexual prejudice

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked new challenges that disrupt both individual daily routines and the collective ability for people to collaborate through group work. As the necessity of technological integration expands throughout all occupational fields, group workers and helping professional must also adapt to new virtual landscapes. The ten tips included in this article were created by the ASGW Special Initiatives Committee to provide useful considerations and practical strategies that will aid in the facilitation of ethical, effective virtual groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including evidence-based building community group curriculum that can be used by group workers to facilitate multiculturalism, social justice advocacy and civic engagement, how counselors can utilize a neuroscience-informed framework to facilitate groups for children and adolescents and the impact of groups that were offered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Association for Specialists in Group Work's (ASGW) Special Initiatives Committee created a document offering 10 strategies for intentionally using group work to transform hate, facilitate courageous conversations, and enhance community building. Group workers can utilize these methods and resources to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion among group members in all types of groups and in various settings. These strategies provide a road map for group workers to use in navigating the complex process of unifying diverse individuals in a way that celebrates their commonalities and differences, while fostering difficult conversations in various group settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers 10 guidelines for conducting international group work research. These guidelines include the importance of establishing relationships, conducting a needs assessment, co-constructing the research questions/design, determining the approach, choosing culturally relevant instruments, choosing culturally responsive group interventions, following required/ethical research procedures, determining data analysis/dissemination plan, engaging in effective communication, and practicing cultural humility throughout the process. Using a group stage conceptualization, a case study focusing on an international group work research effort being conducted in 2 primary schools in Malawi is given to highlight the guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One country in the process of professionalizing counseling in the schools is Malawi, in southern Africa. This article discusses the history of education and school counseling in the country as well as an international collaboration effort designed to enhance counseling services in several schools in Malawi. Specifically, an overview is given of key historical information, the evolution of school counseling in Malawi, collaborations taking place to further develop school counseling in Malawi, and example international collaboration activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights the development and implementation of an international counseling outreach program in Bhutan using a group stage conceptualization that includes the initial, transition, working, and final stages. The initial stage included a counseling initiative started by one of the queens as well as meetings with key leaders from the National Board for Certified Counselors International and Bhutan. The transition stage involved developing plans for an international counseling outreach effort in Bhutan that involved formal collaborations between the two countries. The working stage included selecting counselors/educators from the United States who provided counseling/training in Bhutan. Future work is discussed, and also implications for the counseling profession. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As the counseling profession continues to build an international community, the need to examine cultural competence training also increases. This quantitative study examined the impact of the Diversity and Counseling Institute in Ireland (DCII) on participants' multicultural counseling competencies. Two instruments were utilized to examine participants' cross-cultural competence before and after the study abroad institute. Results indicated that after the institute experience, participants perceived themselves to be more culturally competent, knowledgeable about the Irish culture, skilled in working with clients from Ireland, and aware of cultural similarities and differences. Implications for counselor education and supervision, and future research also are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the influence of training modality on attitudes toward lesbian and gay issues. In a short-term longitudinal design (pre-test, post-test, follow-up), 87 undergraduate and graduate students were randomly assigned to one of three workshop modalities (In-Person, Internet, Control) following pre-test. Participants completed a post-test immediately after the training and a follow-up assessment three weeks later. Analyses revealed that both modalities (In-Person Training and Internet Training), when compared to the Control group, resulted in substantial reductions in levels of homophobia following training. Furthermore, these reductions in homophobia remained stable from the post-test to the follow-up testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors present a framework for using media to create experiential learning in multicultural and diversity issues based on cognitive-experiential self-theory. They offer several lessons and a media resource list that are helpful in training counseling students in multicultural and diversity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing numbers of young children are experiencing mild to moderate mental health issues that require support in addition to that typically provided by family members and teachers. The services of professional counselors can be particularly useful when children need help adjusting to and coping with various stressors and situations. Many school counselors and other mental health professionals have found that carefully planned interactions between young children and animals (e.g., guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, horses) represent an effective alternative/complementary therapeutic modality. Animals may provide an accepting, nonjudgmental presence that focuses young children's attention, motivates them to learn, and encourages participation in planned intervention activities. This article begins by describing the general purposes for counseling with young children and the role that early childhood educators can play in increasing families' awareness of and access to these services in their communities. Next, it defines animal-assisted counseling and reviews the relevant research to build a rationale for including carefully selected animals in mental health support services for children. The third section discusses caveats about involving animals in individual and small group counseling sessions, in classrooms, and in other facilities/programs that work with young children. The article then summarizes best practices in animal-assisted counseling and how they are influenced by variables within the child, animal welfare considerations, different contexts, availability of resources, and interagency collaborations. The conclusion is a statement on the future of animal-assisted counseling for young children and how it supports the goals of humane education., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2022.)