The Meaning of Intimacy
Intimacy is a journey - it is not a tangible thing. It takes place over time, is ever-changing and is not stagnant. In fact, any kind of stagnation in a relationship kills intimacy. »
Welcome to the AIPC Online Article Library. The library includes over 300 articles focusing on counselling, life effectiveness skills and mental health. We invite you to explore our range of articles by clicking the category links above, or using the drop-down menu on your right. To learn more about AIPC, visit www.aipc.net.au
Latest Articles
General Adaptation Syndrome
General adaptation syndrome describes the body’s short-term and long-term reaction to stress. Originally described by Hans De Solye in the 1920s, the general adaptation syndrome describes a three stage reaction to stress covering our initial reaction to the stressor, our resistance and adaptation to coping with the stressor and our eventual exhaustion after dealing with the stress whereby in normal circumstances we will recover from that exhaustion and live to deal with stressors another day. »
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an adaptive reaction that everyone experiences from time to time, including animals. Anxiety alarms us of situations and circumstances that involve some threat of danger, and it enables our body to respond in ways that help keep us safe. This response is a useful survival mechanism, helping us to avoid or even prevent dangerous situations, and is known as the Fight or Flight Response. »
Ineffective Options when Dealing with Workplace Harassment
Defining ineffective options is really difficult because there is not a lot of research evidence to guide people about what are effective and ineffective responses to workplace harassment and bullying in context (Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, 2000: 35). »
Case Studies
A Case Using Brief Psychodynamic Therapy
Wendy is a 54 year old woman who has two adult children and has been married for twenty-nine years. Her husband, Steve, has recently and unexpectedly informed her that he no longer loves her and that he wants a divorce. Wendy was shocked to hear this...
A Case of Lost Direction
Jenny has come to counselling due to strong feelings of dissatisfaction with her life. She is 48 years old, un...
Case Study: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Marian, a psychologist who specialised in anxiety disorders, closed the file and put it into the filing cabine...
Communication
The Fine Art of Compassion
Imagine this scenario: you are keen to get a particular job and an opportunity for it comes up. You prepare meticulously for the interview, but somehow, it doesn’t go well. The interviewers don’t seem to warm to you, and you know in your heart that y...
Strategies for Helping Families to Enhance Resilience
If you are supporting a family in transition, you may perceive huge differences between them and the character...
Counselling Theory & Practice
Men and Emotions: From Repression to Expression
In our previous article (read it here), we asked why men do not seem to express emotion as easily as women do. Was there some pathology, or should we just put the differences down to male-female tendencies? We identified Dr Ron Levant’s notion of “no...
Men, Emotions and Alexithymia
She sends him little “I love you” texts during the day, and wonders why he doesn’t even whisper the three magi...
The Fine Art of Compassion
Imagine this scenario: you are keen to get a particular job and an opportunity for it comes up. You prepare me...
Life Coping Skills
The Fine Art of Compassion
Imagine this scenario: you are keen to get a particular job and an opportunity for it comes up. You prepare meticulously for the interview, but somehow, it doesn’t go well. The interviewers don’t seem to warm to you, and you know in your heart that y...
The Benefits of Intentional Daydreaming
Your fitness tracker reminds you to walk away from your computer every hour to get needed movement – and then ...
Procrastination: What Your Client Needs to Know
95% of us procrastinate (Steel, 2010) – accruing negative consequences – despite having recognised for 500 yea...
