Essays on Counseling
© 2003 - 2007 by Robert J. Chapman, Ph.D. 

A collection of professional essays on counseling related topics.

  Harm Reduction Tips These are simple suggestions to assist individuals in making changes in their drinking and smoking behaviors.
  Student Blogs: Virtual Communities of Menus for Predators? Student blogs like the Facebook.com may present the potential to significantly affect the personal lives of today’s collegians, just not necessarily in the ways they intend or may be expecting.
  Choosing Our Language Carefully A look at the importance of language as we communicate about alcohol and other drug related issues with contemporary college students.
Medical Amnesty A look at Medical Amnesty or "good Samaritan" policies...are they professional enabling or indicated prevention?
Groundhog Day Stubborn high-risk drinking rates: The "Groundhog Day" explanation
On-Campus Taverns A look at the pros and cons of opening an on-campus tavern.
Addressing Campus Substance Use Problems: Does One Size Fit All? A look at the importance of an integrated approach to addressing substance use problems on campus, employing both the ecological and environmental models for changing the campus drinking culture.
Faith or Why Bad Things Happen to Good People A perspective from which counselors can approach clients that are having a difficult time accepting difficult times.
What Makes Counseling Different From Other Human Services? A look at professional counseling in order to explore how its benefits differ from the those proffered by practitioners of other human services.
The Significance of the Clinical Relationship in Client Growth A look at the importance of the clinical relationship in delivering effective counseling. Particular attention is given to Motivational Interviewing and the client's sense of self-efficacy.
Information Processing and Attribution Errors:Potential Problems For the Counselor Treating Addictive Disorders A look at the role counselors may play in orchestrating client resistance to treatment.
Hardening of the Attitudes A review of the common denominators used by student affairs professionals to avoid burnout and personal frustrations work in higher education
The Dilemma-Resolution Continuum A proposed paradigm shift from the traditional problem-solution continuum in counseling to a dilemma-resolution continuum: A Post-Modern consideration of counseling objectives.
Spirituality in the Treatment of Alcoholism A consideration of spirituality as "worldview" and therefore an important aspect of effective alcoholism counseling
Message in a Bottle A letter found in a bottle on the beach in Nags Head, NC from a suffering recovering addict and my response published in "Recovery Times."
Preventing Burnout When Working With Substance Abusers A consideration of why burnout may occur and how to prevent it.
Alcohol and Collegiate Life A literature review and introduction to my dissertation, "When They Drink: Student Perspectives on Alcohol, Drinking, and Collegiate Life."
Parental notification A look at parental notification as a tool in addressing high-risk collegiate drinking.
Letter to the editor of "About Campus A review of the controversy regarding the term "binge drinking."
A Tripartite Model of Counseling A brief review of an "integrative" or eclectic model of counseling.
The significance of the clinical relationship in client growth: Which came first, the Chicken or the egg? An argument for the primacy of the relationship in effective counseling and therapy.
Cultural Bias in Alcoholism Counseling A consideration of how cultural issues may well explain much of what is viewed as "denial" by alcoholism counselors who work with the culturally different.
A Belly Full of Beer: Another Look at Drinking, Hazing, and Collegiate Life A look at the phenomena of "just world hypothesis" and "groupthink" as possible explanations for hazining and alcohol poisoning.
Billy Joel: Professional Counselor? A review of Billy Joel's "River of Dreams" album and consideration of its lyrics as tools for the professional counselor.
Language as a Counseling Tool A look at how the language counselors employ plays an important role in teaching clients about alcohol and other drugs.
Bram Stoker's Dracula A consideration of Stoker's book and Coppola's film as a metaphor for alcoholism/addiction, including a link to a virtual copy of Stoker's original text.
Home for the Hellidays A look at collegiate students who return to a dysfunctional family at Thanksgiving/Christmas break.
Beer, Booze, and Behavior A review of the literature regarding the correlation between alcohol consumption and behavior.
The Myth of Amethyst A tongue-in-cheek look at the Roman myth of Amethyst and its implications for solving the problem of collegiate alcohol abuse.
Travelogue My thoughts and comments regarding alcohol and other drug use following a brief trip to the Netherlands in December of 1996
Writing as a counseling skill A consideration of the importance of writing as a counseling skill and argument for its inclusing in the training of counselors.
ACoA's An argument that the ACoA acronym should stand for adult children of "alcoholism."
A Different Christmas Carol - 1997 A look at Christmas, specifically, and living in general, and what these mean to the author.
A Counselor's Holiday Wish - 1998 The author's annual holiday message.
A Counselor's Holiday Greeting - 1999 The author's annual holiday message.
A Counselor's Holiday Greeting - 2000 The author's annual holiday message.
A Counselor's Holiday Wish - 2001 The author's annual holiday message.
 A Counselor's Holiday Wish - 2002 The author's annual holiday message.
A Counselor's Holiday Wish - 2003 The author's annual holiday message.
 A Counselor's Holiday Wish - 2004 The author's annual holiday message.
 A Counselor's Holiday Greeting - 2008 The author's annual holiday message.

Page last updated 21 November 2008 
 Movies: Movies available on video with a Mental Health theme, many AOD related.

To return to Robert Chapman's homepage 

Should you choose to drink...