A Fresh Cup Of Counseling

Today’s counseling clients want more than traditional therapy. They want something new, bold, and effective, and A Fresh Cup of Counseling serves just that. While the power of clinical applications in spiritual counseling has long been discussed by field experts, little has been written about the subject—until now. Packed with theoretical and practical knowledge about this power, the book offers a breakthrough guide to spiritual counseling with ideas, training, and real-life case studies for students and professionals alike. Written by Rev. Dr. Tom Norris—a spiritual counselor and Universalist minister with fifty years of experience in social work, psychotherapy, group therapy, marriage and family therapy, and hypnotherapy—this book is a treasure trove of contemporary clinical and scientific knowledge, starting from a purely psychosocial and psychological perspective and diving into the evolution of the spiritual therapeutic discipline. In the process, it pulls from Buddhist, Judeo-Christian, Native American, Islamic, Yin Yang, Neopagan, Shamanic, Hindu, and other religions, using their practices and ideals (from past lives and chakra balancing to meditation and Ultraterrestrials) to demonstrate the power of spirituality in the holistic healing process. The result? A dynamic psycho-spiritual expedition that helps counselors and their clients unleash positive, lasting transformation.

Today's counseling clients want more than traditional therapy. They want something new, bold, and effective, and A Fresh Cup of Counseling serves just that. While the power of clinical applications in spiritual counseling has long been discussed by field experts, little has been written about the subject--until now. Packed with theoretical and practical knowledge about this power, the book offers a breakthrough guide to spiritual counseling with ideas, training, and real-life case studies for students and professionals alike. Written by Rev. Dr. Tom Norris--a spiritual counselor and Universalist minister with fifty years of experience in social work, psychotherapy, group therapy, marriage and family therapy, and hypnotherapy--this book is a treasure trove of contemporary clinical and scientific knowledge, starting from a purely psychosocial and psychological perspective and diving into the evolution of the spiritual therapeutic discipline. In the process, it pulls from Buddhist, Judeo-Christian, Native American, Islamic, Yin Yang, Neopagan, Shamanic, Hindu, and other religions, using their practices and ideals (from past lives and chakra balancing to meditation and Ultraterrestrials) to demonstrate the power of spirituality in the holistic healing process. The result? A dynamic psycho-spiritual expedition that helps counselors and their clients unleash positive, lasting transformation.

A Fresh Cup of Tolerance pioneers a coherent, practical theology of the burgeoning universalism movement. It builds on broad spiritual foundations from Native American, Asian, Neopagan, Judeo-Christian, and Islamic traditions. Pragmatic and straightforward, it addresses the most pressing global dilemmas of our time: environment, globalization, feminism and gender issues, religious strife, oppression, poverty, war, and prejudice. Theologically, it systematically explores our many views of God; good, evil, sin, and suffering; revelation; spirituality in the digital age; the spirit of love and community; and so on. However, it is not a pleasant treatise on love. It is a living, faith-in-action, theology free of rigid words (Scriptures), beliefs (dogma), or practices (rituals). With seven billion people on the planet, many more to come, cooperating and living (loving) together is a survival essential. In a crisis, our best nature surfaces—but we seem unable to sustain a sense of true community and compassion for more than a few CNN weeks at a time. It is a spiritual priority to seek a means to sustain a loving community for longer periods—whether within the family, the community, the larger society, or the world. A theology of universalism offers a pathway of hope.

Despite astute critiques and available resources for alternative modes of thinking and practicing, individualism continues to be a dominating and constraining ideology in the field of pastoral psychotherapy and counseling. Philip Rieff was one of the first to highlight the negative implications of individualism in psychotherapeutic theories and practices. As heirs and often enthusiasts of the Freudian tradition of which Rieff and others are critical, pastoral theologians have felt the sting of his charge, and yet the empirical research that McClure presents shows that pastoral-counseling practitioners resist change. Their attempts to overcome an individualistic perspective have been limited and ineffective because individualism is embeddedin the field's dominant theological and theoretical resources, practices, and organizational arrangements. Only a radical reappraisal of these will make possible pastoral counseling practices in a post-individualistic mode. McClure proposes several critical transformations: broadening and deepening the operative theologies used to guide the healing practice, expanding the role of the pastoral counselor, reimagining the operative anthropology, reclaiming sin and judgment, nuancing the particularagainst the individual, rethinking the ideal outcome of the practices, and reimagining the organizational structures that support the practices. Only this level of revisioning will enable this ministry of the church to move beyond its individualistic limitations and offer healing in more complex, effective, and socially adequate ways.

Includes highly effective creative and expressive interventions This state-of-the-art collection of 30 real-life cases on counseling children and adolescents emphasizes the developmental, relational, and cultural contexts of working with this population, and incorporates innovative techniques across a wide range of approaches. Intended as a companion to child and adolescent counseling texts, it offers counselors-in-training examples of hands-on, concrete, and workable applications that provide opportunities for skill and theory development. These case studies are distinguished by their emphasis on the critical impact of such systematic contexts as family, peers, and school, along with developmental and cultural contexts. The inclusion of creative and expressive interventions—often the most effective strategies in working with this population—make this an outstanding educational resource. The case studies—representing an esteemed variety of contributing authors-- address such ubiquitous themes as abuse, anxiety, giftedness, disability, body image, substance abuse, social media, grief, bullying, changing families, military families, incarcerated family members, race and ethnicity, and sexual identity and orientation. Each case follows a consistent format, comprised of a description of the young person’s presenting issues, a conceptualization of these issues, a description of the counseling process, an outline of desired outcomes, and a detailed discussion that includes systemic contexts, developmental and relational considerations, multicultural perspectives, and options for use of creative interventions. Key Features: Delivers a wide variety of cases covering contemporary issues prevalent among children and adolescents Emphasizes developmental, systematic, and contextual impacts including family, school, peer, and cultural influences Includes such treatment approaches as brief, solution-focused, CBT, reality/choice, narrative, and relational/cultural Includes options for creative interventions with each case and time efficient methods when applicable.

The Durabone Prophecies is a novel about human nature and human destiny. It is a multiplot story of romance, relationships, human emotions, and pleasure vs. purpose. Also, it is a mystery novel with predictions for the future of the Earth and the human race. Four riveting romance stories are intertwined and involve major characters who unexpectedly find love. The major plot and all subplots are related in some way to the main character and counseling psychologist, Dr. Franklin Durabone, who, after a near-death experience, commits to his destined purpose to write The Durabone Prophecies. This prophetic book by Dr. Durabone is based on the prophetic revelations of his mother, Mama Durabone, who sees alternative destinies for Earth and its human race through her visions and dreams. The story takes the reader to Paris (France), Washington, DC, Chicago, Virginia, and Florida. For the reader of The Durabone Prophecies, author Frederick Douglas Harper evokes intense emotional feelings, laughter, sensual arousal, nostalgic memories, intellectual debate, philosophical questions, and spiritual exploration. The Durabone Prophecies is a self-help novel, because psychological principles and messages are embedded in the story. Also, characters are subliminal teachers and role models of human imperfection and vulnerability as well as human possibility and hope.