Title: A Holistic Client Functioning Profile Comparison of People With Serious Mental Illness

Authors: Michael K. Schmit, Marianna L. Oller, Jose L. Tapia-Fuselier, Jr., and Erika L. Schmit, PhD

Description: This article addresses holistic client functioning as measured by the Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment in people with serious mental illness. The authors look at functioning across various serious mental illness diagnoses, after clients have received one year of recovery-oriented, usual-care services. This article includes implications for clinicians, limitations and suggestions for future research.

Title: Check-In/Check-Out Intervention With Peer-Monitoring for a Student With Emotional-Behavioral Difficulties

Authors: Hallie M. Smith, PhD; Tawny N. Evans-McCleon, PhD; Brooke Urbanski; and Cheryl Justice, PhD

Description: Providing intervention services to students with emotional-behavioral difficulties (EBD) in the educational setting can be challenging and typically requires collaboration among a number of individuals. The authors used an A-B single-case research design to examine the effectiveness of a check-in/check-out intervention with peer monitoring on the behavior of an elementary student with EBD when using a high school student as a peer monitor. Findings indicated that both students benefited from the intervention.

Title: Bipolar Disorder: Accurately Diagnosing and Ethical

Presenters: Jason H. King, PhD and Matt R. Buckley, EdD

Description: Part 1: In this video, counselors will learn and explore the assessment and diagnosis of bipolar and related disorders. Topics that are addressed in this webinar include: person-first language, bipolar and related disorders, assessment, DSM-5, labeling, ethical guidelines for diagnosing, culture, treatment plans, stigma, cross-cutting symptoms, diagnosing adolescents and cultural formulation interviews.

Part 2: In this video, counselors will continue to explore the assessment and diagnosis of bipolar related disorders, including learning to differentiate between other common disorders that can look like bipolar-related disorders. Counselors will also explore the ethical benefits of a dimensional approach to diagnosis. Topics addressed include: disorder on a spectrum of severity, ethical benefits and ethical risks of using these assessment measures, key signs and symptoms of mania in contrast to hypomania, substance use/medication-induced bipolar and related disorders.

Part 3: In this video, counselors will learn about Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), why it is in DSM-V and how it compares to bipolar disorder, including new disorders added to DSM-V. Counselors will also review and understand depressive disorders to properly diagnose bipolar related disorders. Topics addressed include: DMDD and its symptoms, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, four-point recommendation for diagnosis, bipolar disorder and circadian-rhythms, hypomania and mania, depressive and bipolar disorder specifiers.

Part 4: In this video, counselors will focus on treatment planning particularly, exploring the Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) developed by Dr. Ellen Frank with focus on three aspects, interpersonal, social rhythm and social interactions. Counselors will also explore an aspect of Family-Focused Therapy in relation to IPSRT. Topics addressed include: ethical considerations when initiating treatment planning, IPSRT and Family-Focused Therapy.

Title: Examining Coping and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Adolescents: A Profile Analysis

Authors: Amanda L. Giordano; Elizabeth A. Prosek; Erika L. Schmit; and Michael K. Schmit

Description: In the U.S., an estimated 72% of adolescents hospitalized in an inpatient unit reported a history of NSSI, and 85.3% of adolescents explicitly hospitalized due to a suicidal attempt or ideation in the past month reported NSSI (Giordano et al., 2022). Given the prevalence of NSSI among adolescent populations, it is important to understand the characteristics of those who engage in NSSI compared to those who do not. For counselors, explained Giordano et al., one important characteristic to consider is coping strategies. This Continuing Professional Development resource provides counselors with a rationale to: (1) know differences in coping strategies between adolescents with a history of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and those without, (2) understand the relationship between coping and NSSI, and (3) recognize implications to inform clinical practice and future studies.

Title: Psychiatric Disabilities

Authors: Sheri Bauman, PhD and Linda R. Shaw, PhD

Description: In this chapter, we focus on persons with serious and chronic mental illness. There are a number of disorders that come under this general umbrella (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, mood disorders, Asperger’s disorder); what they have in common is the presence of persistent psychiat­ric symptoms that are severe enough that the person is unable to function in his or her environment. These symptoms often include distortions of reality, such as hallucinations (auditory, visual, or both) or delusions (False beliefs). The often odd behavior of the person with serious mental illness (SMI) may disturb others as well as themselves. These conditions are typically of long duration, sometimes lifelong, and are usually treated with pharmacotherapy as the primary intervention.

Title: Reflecting As If: An Encouragement-Focused Brief Counseling Process

Presenters: Richard E. Watts, PhD, Danielle Marks, M.Phil.Ed, and Lisa Hand, Med

Description: “Reflecting As If” (RAI) is an encouragement-focused, brief counseling process that integrates elements from Adlerian, solution-focused, narrative, and evidenced-based counseling perspectives. In this skill-focused session, attendees will learn the basic RAI counseling protocol and discuss how to apply it with diverse client populations and in various counseling practice settings.

Title: Social Determinants of Mental Health: Case Conceptualization and Treatment Planning

Authors: A Stephen Lenz, PhD; Stacey Diane A. Litam, Ph.D., LPCC-S, NCC, CCMHC

Description: The integration of social determinants of mental health (SDMH) frameworks into the key counseling activities of case conceptualizations and treatment planning has promising implications for holistic representation development within the prevention- and intervention-focused models of client care (Lenz & Litam, 2023). It is prudent that counselors understand the opportunities associated with integrating the SDMH into their practice to support culturally responsive and evidence-based practices that account for the influences of nonbiological influences on well-being. However, Lenz and Litam stated that examples of the meaningful integration of SDMH into the case conceptualization and treatment plans that guide counselor training and clinical practice are scant. This Professional Development meets that need. Lenz and Litam put forth a proposed conceptual structure, assumptions for integrating SDMH, and meaningful examples of such integration.