Exploring how Chinese primary school psychological counsellors understand and use therapeutic stories

Psychological counsellors in western countries have used stories and storytelling for therapeutic purposes for decades. However, the development of the profession of school counselling in China is at an early stage and little research has been done on using therapeutic stories in Chinese primary school settings. This exploratory study presents qualitative data on using therapeutic stories collected from interviews with Chinese psychological counsellors who work with primary school students. Findings from a grounded theory analysis revealed that therapeutic stories were used by the participants in various therapeutic approaches. A spectrum of therapist directiveness was developed to integrate different ways of using therapeutic stories

An holistic approach for counsellors: embracing multiple intelligences

This paper explores a range of therapeutic modalities used by counsellors of children and positions those modalities within Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Research by O’Brien (1999) revealed that by drawing on a combination of preferred intelligences, children were able to enhance the dialogue between the unconscious and conscious, while strengthening the relationship between the counsellor and client. A number of useful counselling approaches are highlighted in working with children, particularly younger children who have not yet developed language sufficient for more formal counselling sessions. Suggestions that assist counsellors to operate across settings are explored

Influence of Activated Charcoal on Desorption Kinetics and Biodegradation of Phenanthrene in Soil

The observed strong sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to black carbon (BC) presents potential implications for PAH bioaccessibility in soils. The effects of BC on the desorption kinetics and mineralization of phenanthrene in four soils was investigated after 1, 25, 50, and 100 d soil PAT contact time, using sequential hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPCD) extractions in soils amended with 0, 0.1, 1, and 5% (dry wt. soil) activated charcoal (AC, a form of BC). The rapidly (%F-rap) and slowly (%F-slow) desorbing phenanthrene fractions and their rate constants were determined using a first-order two-compartment (biphasic) desorption model. A minimum 7.8-fold decrease in %F-rap occurred when AC was increased from 0 to 5%, with a corresponding increase in %F-slow. Desorption rate constants followed the progression k(rap) (% h(-1)) > k(slow) (% h(-1)) and were in the order of 10(-1) to 10(-2) and 10(-3) to 10(-4), respectively. Linear regressions between %F-rap and the fractions degraded by a phenanthrene-degrading inoculum (%F-min) indicated that slopes did not approximate I at concentrations greater than 0% AC; % F-min often exceeded %F-rap, indicating a fraction of sorbed phenanthrene (%F-slow) remained microbially accessible. Therefore, HPCD-desorption kinetics alone may not be an adequate basis for the prediction of the bioaccessibility of PAHs to microorganisms or bioremediation potential in AC-amended soils