Mary B. Ballard

Bullying and School Violence: A Proposed Prevention Program

Research indicates that bullies and victims are more prone to violent behavior, especially as they get older, than are their peers who are not exposed to such behavior. Implementing school-based programs that address the dangers and long-term effects of bullying episodes is a major step in preventing school violence.

Defending a Vital Program: School Counselors Define Their Roles

In response to a troubled society, the scope and function of school counseling programs have changed, leaving many, including administrators, confused as to their primary purpose. This confusion has caused the elimination of counselors in some districts as an answer to budgetary constraints. Administrators play a crucial role in shaping these programs. Understanding and marketing the vitality of school counselors may be critical to ensuring their survival.

The Family Life Cycle and Critical Transitions: Utilizing Cinematherapy to Facilitate Understanding and Increase Communication

Transitioning successfully from one stage of development to the next in the family life cycle requires the accomplishment of certain developmental tasks. Couples and families who fail to accomplish these tasks often become “stuck” and unable to move forward. This impasse frequently leads to heightened stress reactions and crippled channels of communication. Counselors working with these couples and families are challenged to help them begin to engage in meaningful conversations about the obstacles faced in achieving developmental tasks and transitioning to the next stage of family development. This article discusses the benefits of utilizing cinematherapy, or the use of motion picture films, when counseling these families. A case example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of cinematherapy.

Transgenerational Family Therapy: A Case Study of a Couple in Crisis

Transgenerational family therapy invites counselors to examine the interactions of clients across generations as a mechanism for understanding and explaining current problems within the family, as well as predicting future difficulties. Understanding how the family has responded to crises in the past can provide insight into the struggles currently being experienced by the family. Likewise, future dysfunction can be anticipated by understanding generational reactions to stressful situations. This article provides an overview of the basic tenets of transgenerational family therapy, along with a case study of a couple in crisis. The goal of the case study is to demonstrate the transgenerational nature of the relational issues that families bring to the counseling process and provide a transgenerational lens with which to view or conceptualize the presenting problem. In an effort to strengthen the relationship between the couple, the counselor utilizes the concepts of transgenerational family therapy to help frame the problem and explore its historical evolution within the families of origin.

Transformational Learning Theory and Transformative Teaching: A Creative Strategy for Understanding the Helping Relationship

ABSTRACT This article presents a creative teaching strategy to assist counselor educators with meeting the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs’ (CACREP) core standard titled Helping Relationships. Based on transformative learning theory (TLT), the six core methods of transformational teaching are presented in a case illustration. The case illustration uses an introductory helping relationships course to present one experiential TT activity that addresses each of the six core standards.