A Personal Counseling Experience for Master\u27s Level Counseling Students: Practices and Perceptions of Counselor Education Program Directors

There exists a strong endorsement in the literature of the effectiveness of an individual counseling experience as an influence in the personal and professional development of counseling students, yet few counselor education programs seem to require that students complete such an experience. Thus, the question arises as to why the required individual counseling experience as a client is not being required by a large proportion of counseling programs. The purposes of this descriptive, exploratory study were to determine the prevalence of the required experience as a client in individual counseling, examine the opinions of counselor education program leaders regarding the risks and benefits of experiential training components, determine the modalities used to deliver experiential training components, obtain counselor education program coordinators\u27 views on the various modalities, and explore policies and procedures used in counselor education programs with respect to experiential training components. Finally, this study attempted to determine the level of satisfaction of those program directors who do utilize a required individual counseling experience, as well as their policies and procedures with regard to outcome measurement. Results of the study showed that there were some significant inverse relationships between counselor education program directors\u27 opinions regarding potential benefits for counseling students and their policies regarding a required individual counseling experience. Additionally, although respondents did not strongly endorse the potential risks associated with the exercise, it is still not required by the majority of the counselor education programs surveyed. However, those program directors who do endorse a required individual counseling experience reported on its many benefits, and offered qualitative insights into how the requirement is implemented. The results of this study have implications for the counseling profession by offering empirical evidence regarding the prevalence of a required individual counseling experience for master\u27s-level counseling students. The results of this study contribute to the counseling profession\u27s knowledge base by determining counseling program directors\u27 opinions of the potential benefits and risks of a required individual counseling experience, and by establishing that program directors whose programs require this exercise are overwhelmingly satisfied that the experience accomplishes the purposes for which it is intended

A Personal Counseling Experience for Master\u27s Level Counseling Students: Practices and Perceptions of Counselor Education Program Directors

There exists a strong endorsement in the literature of the effectiveness of an individual counseling experience as an influence in the personal and professional development of counseling students, yet few counselor education programs seem to require that students complete such an experience. Thus, the question arises as to why the required individual counseling experience as a client is not being required by a large proportion of counseling programs. The purposes of this descriptive, exploratory study were to determine the prevalence of the required experience as a client in individual counseling, examine the opinions of counselor education program leaders regarding the risks and benefits of experiential training components, determine the modalities used to deliver experiential training components, obtain counselor education program coordinators\u27 views on the various modalities, and explore policies and procedures used in counselor education programs with respect to experiential training components. Finally, this study attempted to determine the level of satisfaction of those program directors who do utilize a required individual counseling experience, as well as their policies and procedures with regard to outcome measurement. Results of the study showed that there were some significant inverse relationships between counselor education program directors\u27 opinions regarding potential benefits for counseling students and their policies regarding a required individual counseling experience. Additionally, although respondents did not strongly endorse the potential risks associated with the exercise, it is still not required by the majority of the counselor education programs surveyed. However, those program directors who do endorse a required individual counseling experience reported on its many benefits, and offered qualitative insights into how the requirement is implemented. The results of this study have implications for the counseling profession by offering empirical evidence regarding the prevalence of a required individual counseling experience for master\u27s-level counseling students. The results of this study contribute to the counseling profession\u27s knowledge base by determining counseling program directors\u27 opinions of the potential benefits and risks of a required individual counseling experience, and by establishing that program directors whose programs require this exercise are overwhelmingly satisfied that the experience accomplishes the purposes for which it is intended

Water displacement leg volumetry in clinical studies - A discussion of error sources

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Water displacement leg volumetry is a highly reproducible method, allowing the confirmation of efficacy of vasoactive substances. Nevertheless errors of its execution and the selection of unsuitable patients are likely to negatively affect the outcome of clinical studies in chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Placebo controlled double-blind drug studies in CVI were searched (Cochrane Review 2005, MedLine Search until December 2007) and assessed with regard to efficacy (volume reduction of the leg), patient characteristics, and potential methodological error sources. Almost every second study reported only small drug effects (≤ 30 mL volume reduction). As the most relevant error source the conduct of volumetry was identified. Because the practical use of available equipment varies, volume differences of more than 300 mL - which is a multifold of a potential treatment effect - have been reported between consecutive measurements. Other potential error sources were insufficient patient guidance or difficulties with the transition from the Widmer CVI classification to the CEAP (Clinical Etiological Anatomical Pathophysiological) grading.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>Patients should be properly diagnosed with CVI and selected for stable oedema and further clinical symptoms relevant for the specific study. Centres require a thorough training on the use of the volumeter and on patient guidance. Volumetry should be performed under constant conditions. The reproducibility of short term repeat measurements has to be ensured.</p

Book review : the natural gas exports of Turkmenistan. energy and geopolitical interests in the caspian region

After the decline of the Soviet Union and the emergence of independent states, the southern Soviet republics opened their resources to international markets and began to develop their own political ambitions at the same time. Turkmenistan, as the country with the fourth largest reserves of natural gas (2014 estimated with 9.93 % of worldwide natural gas reserves) and as the most important supplier to China of this energy source takes a special place in the political configuration of post-Soviet Central Asia. In his recently published doctoral thesis, Heinrich Schulz analyses the questions why the country hasn’t realized the export of natural gas to Turkey and Europe yet, and how Turkmenistan is influenced by energy political interests and geopolitics in the Caspian Region. The monograph also introduces general political issues regarding natural gas, pipeline infrastructure, and foreign trade of fossil fuels in Central Asia