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We explored 12 doctoral students' experiences with research and publication, including the editorial feedback process. Findings highlight the university's research climate/culture, the training strategies employed, critical learning experiences, support and resources, and doctoral students' meaning-making of their experience. Implications for mentoring, training conditions, and professional writing orientation strategies are provided.

This study examined how demographic variables and the school counselor-principal alliance influenced school counselors' advocacy for LGBTQ students as measured by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Active Advocacy Scale--Revised (LGBAAS-R). We surveyed 169 practicing school counselors with at least one year of experience in their current building and working with their current principal. Results indicate that the participant's sexual orientation, engagement with professional development, presence of a Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), the state in which they work, perception of a welcoming environment, years worked with the principal, and perception of a collaborative relationship with the principal were significant predictors of advocacy activity. Through advocacy, school counselors can build social capital in LGBTQ students, yet school counselors' own identity and relationships with principals can influence their ability to engage in advocacy. Note: LGBTQ is intended to represent the diverse range of identities of gender and sexual orientation of individuals.

The American ethos that you can be whatever you want to be has not always been a helpful adage for gifted students. Gifted students require career counseling to understand the world of work, and to identify their interests and values in addition to their already-identified talents. Academic planning and career development for gifted students is an important and complex process that requires thoughtful consideration. School psychologists have the skills and abilities to provide valuable career development services to gifted students. The authors explore the unique challenges and career development needs of gifted students and provide suggestions for interventions.

Gifted adolescents may identify as "gamers" who create avatars to navigate video games and cell phone apps. Avatars provide a unique venue through which gifted teens can explore the issues of self and identity in a critical time of their development. The purpose of this article is to (a) provide an overview of what avatars are, (b) explain how avatars can be a venue to explore concepts of identity for gifted students, and (c) suggest how educators can utilize the concept of avatars in their classroom activities. We provide questions that educators can use to facilitate dialogue with their gifted adolescents about avatars and identity.

The tenets and techniques of solution-focused (SF) theory have potential for application to school counseling site supervision; however, research on the use of these practices in site supervision is needed. This study examined the extent to which school counseling site supervisors integrated SF tenets and techniques into their supervisory practices. Researchers surveyed 74 school counselors across the United States to identify which SF techniques were used by school counselors in supervision, and to determine if the tenets of SF were evident in their supervision work. Results indicate that school counselors do agree with basic SF tenets and are already using SF techniques in site supervision of interns. Implications for research, training and practice are discussed.

The solution-focused counseling theory provides a useful framework that can be applied to supervision of counselors-in-training. Solution-focused supervision is especially useful for school counseling site supervisors who may not have much time for supervision, who may not have had much training in clinical supervision, or who may have had different training experiences than their interns. This article delineates the tenets of the solution-focused theory and describes its application to school counseling site supervision and the American School Counselor Association National Model (ASCA, 2005) through a thorough discussion and a case example.

There has been a noticeable lack of research concerning how gifted adolescents work with school counselors. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to investigate K-12 school counselors' knowledge of and experience with gifted students. An emergent, inductive data analysis of interviews and written artifacts of school counselors revealed the following 8 major themes: the counseling relationship, experience with gifted traits, challenge and rigor, beliefs and philosophy, identification and services, collaborative relationships, concerns and constraints, and training and knowledge. Implications for school counselor training regarding service delivery to gifted students and areas for future research are included. (Contains 1 table.)

Understanding counseling trainees' social justice advocacy development is important because it is one of the primary competencies that need to be developed through professional training, which contributes to the wellness of socioeconomically and culturally diverse clients. This study investigated the influence of professional identity and social justice training experience on counseling trainees' social justice advocacy. Implications to promote counseling trainees' social justice advocacy competencies through counselor education training and research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the lack of information in either the school counseling or the gifted education fields on how school counselors and educators of the gifted work together, research into how individuals from both professions collaborate to serve gifted students and their families becomes important. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine gifted teachers' and coordinators' experiences working with school counselors. Fourteen participants, serving in a variety of K-12 settings, engaged in interviews regarding their different experiences working with their school counselors. Five primary themes resulted from these participants' reported experiences, including educators'/counselors' training and preparation, meeting gifted students' needs through service delivery, school counselors' perceptions and beliefs, systemic barriers and facilitators of collaboration, and teacher and counselor collaborative efforts. These findings are discussed with regard to current literature on gifted education, school counseling, and professional collaboration. (Contains 1 table.)

Self-injurious behaviors (SIBs) are increasing in the general adolescent population, giving rise to concerns about the impact these behaviors have on gifted and talented youth. Educators of the gifted may not have adequate understanding of these behaviors, limiting their effectiveness in supporting gifted students engaging in SIB. This article provides an overview of definitions, demographics, and influencing factors, which may enlighten teachers of gifted students about how best to work with those who are struggling with this behavior. The article concludes with a set of suggested best practices for educators of the gifted that can be implemented in schools and classrooms to support students who are self-injuring and to potentially prevent other gifted students from engaging in SIB.

The authors define "broaching" as the counselor's ability to consider how sociopolitical factors such as race influence the client's counseling concerns. The counselor must learn to recognize the cultural meaning clients attach to phenomena and to subsequently translate that cultural knowledge into meaningful practice that facilitates client empowerment, strengthens the therapeutic alliance, and enhances counseling outcomes. A continuum of broaching behavior is described, and parallels are drawn between the progression of broaching behavior and the counselor's level of racial identity functioning.

Gifted adolescents may identify as "gamers" who create avatars to navigate video games and cell phone apps. Avatars provide a unique venue through which gifted teens can explore the issues of self and identity in a critical time of their development. The purpose of this article is to (a) provide an overview of what avatars are, (b) explain how avatars can be a venue to explore concepts of identity for gifted students, and (c) suggest how educators can utilize the concept of avatars in their classroom activities. We provide questions that educators can use to facilitate dialogue with their gifted adolescents about avatars and identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study explores the practicum and/or internship experiences of international students in counseling. Based on the foundation of phenomenological research, this study uses a consensual qualitative research method. Semi-structured interview questionnaires asked ten participants regarding their experiences of practica and/or internships (including their fears, challenges, and support from training programs). Results revealed that the fears and challenges that international students face during the practicum and/or internship training primarily stemmed from their language barrier and/or a lack of understanding of the American counseling system. Our findings indicated that providing practical information, such as sites, the American counseling system, insurance, and cultures, in addition to ensuring that supervisors and faculty members increase in multicultural competency and sensitivity about international students, would improve international students' preparation for their practica and/or internships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]