The Value of Therapeutic Presence and Mindfulness in Counseling

The ability to be fully present with the client is a skill that all counselors must develop. We will discuss the role of mindfulness and therapeutic presence in counselor education and development and present data on dispositional mindfulness as a predictor of counseling student interview skills. Understanding the process for developing therapeutic presence may highlight gaps in the curriculum and the regulatory requirements and standards within counselor education.

David Engstrom, PhD, is a board-certified Clinical Health Psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is a Core Counseling Faculty member at the University of Phoenix where he is also Lead Faculty Advisor. He did his doctoral work at the University of Southern California and his special interests include integrative healthcare, chronic pain, sleep disorders and mind-body approaches to physical disorders.

Dr. Jean Miller is the Associate Dean of Social Sciences in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Phoenix. She is also actively involved in mental health advocacy and education; as the Board Vice President of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Arapahoe Douglas Affiliate; Mental Health Taskforce Chair and Board Member of SMHA, South Metro Health Alliance, and facilitator of Healing Our Youth: Get Educated, a mental health education organization.  She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS).

This program offers 1 NBCC hour.

Arizona Counseling Association has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2003. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Arizona Counseling Association is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.