Visual experience scales down excitatory synapses in the superficial layers of visual cortex in a process that provides an in vivo paradigm of homeostatic synaptic scaling. Experience-induced increases in neural activity rapidly upregulates mRNAs of immediate early genes involved in synaptic plasticity, one of which is Arc (activity-regulated cytoskeleton protein or Arg3.1). Cell biological studies indicate that Arc/Arg3.1 protein functions to recruit endocytic machinery for AMPA receptor internalization, and this action, together with its activitydependent expression, rationalizes a role for Arc/Arg3.1 in homeostatic synaptic scaling. Here, we investigated the role of Arc/Arg3.1 in homeostatic scaling in vivo by examining experience-dependent development of layer 2/3 neurons in the visual cortex of Arc/Arg3.1 knock-out (KO) mice. Arc/Arg3.1 KOs show minimal changes in basal and developmental regulation of excitatory synaptic strengths but display a profound deficit in homeostatic regulation of excitatory synapses by visual experience. As additional evidence of specificity, we found that the visual experience-induced regulation of inhibitory synapses is normal, although the basal inhibitory synaptic strength is increased in the Arc/Arg3.1 KOs. Our results demonstrate that Arc/Arg3.1 plays a selective role in regulating visual experience-dependent homeostatic plasticity of excitatory synaptic transmission in vivo.

This article presents some of the author's reflections and observations of the challenges and opportunities that arise when including matters of spirituality in the therapeutic process. Research indicates that many individuals want to incorporate their spiritual or religious ideas with therapy (Hull, Suarez, & Hartman, 2016), yet doing so can often raise discomfort in the client, therapist and the therapeutic process, and so frequently the topic is avoided. This article considers the presence and importance of spirituality for many clients in understanding the dilemmas they bring to the therapy room, and reflects on some of the personal and institutional challenges of integrating spirituality into the therapeutic process. It concludes with some thoughts about the modest contribution systemic therapy might make in this regard, including the usefulness of opening dialogue about a client's spiritual history with early enquiry (Payman, 2016) and considering the relational context of a person's spirituality using Bowen Family Systems Theory (Kerr & Bowen, 1988).1 Many individuals seeking counselling services want to include their spiritual beliefs or religious worldview with their mental health treatment. 2 Spirituality does not fit easily with a culture of evidence-based treatments, but can be an important part of how clients attribute meaning and understanding to their presenting dilemmas. 3 There are significant challenges to integrating spirituality with the therapeutic process, including the discomfort that arises for therapists. 4 Enquiring early on about a client's spiritual and religious history and how a client wants to include spirituality in therapy can be an important part of the therapeutic contract. 5 Exploring the relational context of a client's spirituality using Bowen Family Systems Theory as a framework can help clients think through how their beliefs, values, and opinions have been influenced and are maintained.As a kid from a devout religious family I was always acutely aware of how skittish people could be about anything to do with the sacred. My neighbours and schoolmates did not exactly welcome expressions of spiritual devotionthat sort of thing made them very uncomfortable, even angryand in this regard, despite generations of multiculturalism, Australians haven't changed much. We're pretty good at maintaining a secular public space, and that's worth celebrating, but we're a bit tin-eared about matters of religion and anxious about using terms like 'sacred.' This strikes me as a bit ironic, for we live on the most spiritually potent continent imaginable. (Winton, 2015, p. 220) Partway through writing this article I came to the realisation that there was an uncomfortable parallel process playing out. I consider spirituality to be a core aspect

In the exchange between living persons in the therapy room there is a dialogical space, which, when attended to, may create therapy enhancing possibilities. This article explores three aspects of the dialogical space -context, the therapeutic relationship and the therapist's use of self -to consider how this space promotes trust, acceptance and dialogue when engaging and working with adolescents in family therapy. It proposes that the focus of the dialogical approach on the human experience of therapy offers an authenticity, which is refreshing when working with adolescents and their families.