A technique is described which encourages clients to employ mental imagery in increasing self-awareness and emotional expression. The methods and significance of counselor participation are explored. Although the technique is modified after systematized psychoanalytic approaches, it is applied here in the context of client-centered therapy with teenagers and young adults. Guidelines for application of the technique in specific situations within the counseling relationship are provided, and prerequisite client characteristics are outlined. Practical attention is given to the methods employed by the counselor in facilitating use and interpretation of the technique.
Although research evidence exists concerning the efficacy of meditation in psychotherapeutic settings, therapists and counselors are often unfamiliar with meditative techniques and their usefulness. Those in professional fields frequently lack ways of bridging the gap between what may represent the spiritual domain of life and the more pragmatic concerns typically presented by clients. This article presents a model that employs meditative approaches to enhance the therapy process for practitioners as well as their clients. The model is designed to provide a sequential approach to dealing with relaxation, self-awareness, inner control mechanisms, emotional felt senses, and intuition, within a nonreligious context. It is applicable to holistic and experiential perspectives on the process of psychotherapy.
In view of the present state of affairs in the field, it is time for reassessment and professional debate about what sexuality education can and should be. There have been significant cultural shifts brought about by recent technological development, global awareness of sexual issues, and the characteristics of the current younger generation. Sexuality educators must adapt to these changes in order to remain relevant, and several key issues are listed for consideration. National debate must proceed concerning the place of scientific facts, political beliefs, religious faith, and the plurality of values regarding sexual orientations, behaviors, and interests in sexuality education contexts. Presently there is no set of agreed-upon standards or philosophies to guide our decisions that all sexuality educators seem able to embrace. We must decide if we can find common ground for differing perspectives on sexuality educa-Gary F. Kelly, MEd, Executive Director of Student Development, Clarkson University, where he also teaches the Human Sexuality course in the Psychology Department, has been a sexuality educator for 35 years. He is the author of a popular college text, Sexuality Today: The Human Perspective, currently in its eighth edition, and several other books about human sexuality.
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