Blog

Explore content produced by Northwestern University’s faculty and staff

Dr. Katherine M. Atkins Dr. Cori Costello Dr. Tonya Davis

Dr. Russell Fulmer Dr. Michele Kerulis Dr. Nate Perron

Dr. Jinah Jimenez Rordam Dr. Lee Teufel-Prida Dr. Stephannee Standefer

The Death of the Date and the Hook-Up Culture: 10 Tips to Resurrect Relationships

February 13, 2016

The death of the date and the hook-up culture have shifted the way heterosexual couples connect, whether it’s for a random or regular hook-up or when two people are looking for a relationship. Whatever the case, the following tips can be applied as a reminder about how to be open about your intentions during, between, and after dates. These tips include gender roles that some people find important in relationships, and they also carry ideas about how to be romantic in an age of impersonal assumptions crafted through dating websites and apps.

Tips for Families from The Family Institute

January 28, 2016

Shot of a happy family holding hands on a morning walk together

Based on best clinical practices and research, these tips offer brief, actionable strategies that are applicable to everyday family challenges. Take a look at the following highlights from some of the “Tip of the Month” columns.

The Four C’s of Parenting With Dr. Nathan Perron

October 28, 2015

Counseling at Northwestern faculty member Nathan Perron has four key categories that are often emphasized in parenting resources and information. These "Four Cs" are here to help parents and counselors to consider.

ACES Recap I: Educating Culturally Competent Counselors with Counseling@Northwestern Faculty

October 20, 2015

An overview of many Northwestern faculty's sessions at the 2015 ACES Conference. Faculty members included: Donna Baptise, Paul Pagones, Nona Wilson, Joel M. Filmore, and Nathan Perron.

Five Counseling Theories and Approaches

June 1, 2015

Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Theory Psychoanalysis or psychodynamic theory, also known as the “historical perspective,” has its roots with Sigmund Freud, who believed there were unconscious forces that drive behavior. The techniques he developed, such as free association (freely talking to the therapist about whatever comes up without censoring), dream analysis (examining dreams for important information about the unconscious), and transference (redirecting feelings about certain people in one’s life onto the therapist) are still used by psychoanalysts today. Counseling@Northwestern uses this theory to train counselors, and it is embedded throughout the counselor training process. In general, psychotherapists and counselors who use this approach […]

Spotlight On: The National Association for Males with Eating Disorders

May 10, 2015

May is Mental Health Month, and, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 43.7 million adults aged 18 or older in the U.S. were diagnosed with a mental illness in 2012. This represented 18.6 percent of all U.S. adults...

What’s Right for Me? Clinical Counseling Versus School Counseling

May 8, 2015

If you are deciding between a school counseling degree and a clinical counseling degree, the difference is in the details. There is a fine line between the career paths, and the following comparisons highlight the differentiators to help you make your final decision easier...

Announcing the #BreakTheStigma Campaign

May 4, 2015

This May, Mental Health America (MHA) is celebrating 65 years of Mental Health Month observances External link by launching a B4Stage4 External link campaign focused on improving public awareness of mental illness—from prevention to diagnosis to recovery. MHA urges the public to address the first signs of mental illness rather than waiting until “Stage 4,” when symptoms are more severe...

Counseling Awareness Month

April 24, 2015

April is Counseling Awareness Month, which was established as an annual event by the American Counseling Association (ACA) in 2002. Both a time of advocacy for the profession and a celebration of the field’s accomplishments, Counseling Awareness Month is an excellent opportunity for professional counselors to reach...

What Can I Do With A Counseling Degree From Northwestern?

March 24, 2015

The Family Institute is a unique facility that combines therapy, academics, and research. It houses two highly selective graduate degree programs, in counseling and marriage and family therapy, conferred by Northwestern University. In addition to its affiliation with Northwestern, The Family Institute offers a range of...