Training Opportunities
Counseling Resources by topic
The following are counseling and mental health resources for your use. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, nor is it an endorsement of the content of the sites.
Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Abuse and Domestic Violence
Mosiac Threat Assessment - individual risk assessment for domestic violence victims. **WARNING: if you are in danger, using your own computer may put you at risk as cookies can be saved/seen later. Please go to a public computer or use a computer at your counselors office
Childhelp USA®
Questions and Answers about Memories of Childhood Abuse
The National Domestic Violence Hotline Website
Addiction and Recovery
Alcoholics Anonymous (Area 18-Idaho) Meetings
Mental Health Net
Co-Da (for families of those with addictions)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Anxiety Disorders
Answers to Your Questions About Panic Disorder
Beyond OCD
International OCD Foundation
Obsessive Compulsive Information Center
Trichotillomania Learning Center
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Amen Clinic
Behavioral Tips for Kids
Behavior Bits by Butterfly Patience
Child Mind - Symptom Checker tool
Depression & Bi-polar
Center for Clinical Interventions (worksheets and Information)
Anxiety & depression association of America, Depression Screening
Developmental Disorders
Aspergers/Autism Network
NeuroWeb
Eating Disorders
Academy of nutrition and diatetics
National Eating Disorders Association
Center for Change (Boise-Partial Day treatment)
Marriage and Couples
Love Languages - short quiz to help you/your spouse determine what ways they like to be shown love
Gottman relationship checkup (small fee)
Medication
DrugWatch.com: up-to-date information about prescription and over-the-counter medications, including details about associated side effects.
Drugalert.org: a comprehensive database with information and news alerts about potentially dangerous drugs currently on the market.
Personality Disorders
Linehan instistute
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) & Trauma
National Center for PTSD
Give an Hour— for veterans and their families
National Center for PTSD Real Warriors — for veterans and their families
The Gift From Within
Sidran Institute
Adverse Childhood Experiences quiz and information
Suicide
National Suicide Hotline (call now for help!): 1-800-273-8255
Text "HOME" to 741741
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
Suicide: Read This First
Parenting
Parenting Toolkit - information on mood, learning and tips to help find the best counselor
"Everyday Magic" - A guide for adults/parents to help kids who've experienced trauma
Love and Logic (also follow on FB for great tips for FREE!)
Other General (information & home study worksheets)
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Counseling Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association
American Psychological Society
Center for Mental Health Services
National Institute of Mental Health
National Mental Health Association
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
World Federation for Mental Health
Choices in Recovery - resources for individuals living with schizophrenia.
CBT Self-help Resources – CBT Worksheets
Psychology Tools – CBT Worksheets for Therapists
Counseling Tools that Work – free worksheet downloads
Wellness Module - modules on varying topics like stress management, mental health, healthy thinking, anger management, etc
Mental Health Worksheets - and workbooks in english and spanish on a variety of topics (finding employment, goal setting, managing your recovery etc)
Belmont Wellness - psycho-educational handouts, quizzes and group activities.
Our recommended Reading List*
*As an Amazon Associate, KCS earns from qualifying purchases from the links below. However, we recommend readings because of their content, not our earnings from their sales. Another option to purchase is to simply use your search engine for the appropriate title. Happy reading!
Taming Your Gremlin by Rick Carson
This is a completely updated edition of the 1983 classic that introduced a powerful method for gaining freedom from self-defeating behaviors and beliefs. Rick Carson, creator of the renowned Gremlin-Taming™ Method, has revised the book to include fresh interactive activities, real-life vignettes we can all identify with, and new loathsome gremlins ripe for taming. Carson blends his laid-back style, Taoist wisdom, the Zen Theory of Change, and sound psychology in an easy-to-understand, unique, and practical system for banishing the nemesis within. Among the things you will learn are:
- Techniques for getting a sliver of light between the natural you and the monster of your mind.
- The extraordinary power of simply noticing and playing with options.
- Six keys to maintaining emotional balance amid upheaval.
Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change by Pema Chodron
The best-selling author and spiritual teacher shares practices for living with wisdom and integrity even in confusing and uncertain situations.
Is it possible to live well when the very ground we stand on is shaky? Yes, says everyone's favorite Buddhist nun, it's even possible to live beautifully, compassionately, and happily on shaky ground—and the secret is: the ground is always shaky. Pema shows how using a traditional Buddhist practice called the Three Vows or Three Commitments, offering us a way to relax into profound sanity in the midst of whatever non-sanity is happening around us. Just making these simple aspirations can change the way we look at the world and can provide us with a lifetime of material for spiritual practice.
The Three Commitments are three methods for embracing the chaotic, uncertain, dynamic, challenging nature of our situation as a path to awakening. The first of the commitments, traditionally called the Pratimoksha Vow, is the foundation for personal liberation. This is a commitment to doing our best to not cause harm with our actions or words or thoughts, a commitment to being good to each other. It provides a structure within which we learn to work with our thoughts and emotions, and to refrain from speaking or acting out of confusion. The next step toward being comfortable with groundlessness is a commitment to helping others, traditionally called the Bodhisattva Vow. It is a commitment to dedicate our lives to keeping our hearts and minds open, and nurturing our compassion with the longing to ease the suffering of the world. The last of the three commitments, traditionally known as the Samaya Vow, is a resolve to embrace the world just as it is, without bias; a resolve to see everything we encounter, good and bad, pleasant and painful, as a manifestation of awakened energy. It is a commitment to see everything and anything as a means by which we can awaken further.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
It's no wonder that The Power of Now has sold over 2 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 30 foreign languages. Much more than simple principles and platitudes, the book takes readers on an inspiring spiritual journey to find their true and deepest self and reach the ultimate in personal growth and spirituality: the discovery of truth and light.
In the first chapter, Tolle introduces readers to enlightenment and its natural enemy, the mind. He awakens readers to their role as a creator of pain and shows them how to have a pain-free identity by living fully in the present. The journey is thrilling, and along the way, the author shows how to connect to the indestructible essence of our Being, "the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death."
Featuring a new preface by the author, this paperback shows that only after regaining awareness of Being, liberated from Mind and intensely in the Now, is there Enlightenment.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Rooted in traditional Toltec wisdom beliefs, four agreements in life are essential steps on the path to personal freedom. As beliefs are transformed through maintaining these agreements, shamanic teacher and healer don Miguel Ruiz asserts lives will "become filled with grace, peace, and unconditional love."
Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro
A totally accessible user's guide from the creator of a scientifically proven form of psychotherapy that has successfully treated millions of people worldwide.
Whether we've experienced small setbacks or major traumas, we are all influenced by memories and experiences we may not remember or don't fully understand. Getting Past Your Past offers practical procedures that demystify the human condition and empower readers looking to achieve real change.
Shapiro, the creator of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), explains how our personalities develop and why we become trapped into feeling, believing and acting in ways that don't serve us. Through detailed examples and exercises readers will learn to understand themselves, and why the people in their lives act the way they do. Most importantly, readers will also learn techniques to improve their relationships, break through emotional barriers, overcome limitations and excel in ways taught to Olympic athletes, successful executives and performers.
An easy conversational style, humor and fascinating real life stories make it simple to understand the brain science, why we get stuck in various ways and what to do about it. Don't let yourself be run by unconscious and automatic reactions. Read the reviews below from award winners, researchers, academics and best selling authors to learn how to take control of your life.
The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner
In this paperback edition of the New York Times best-selling book The Tapping Solution, Nick Ortner, founder of the Tapping World Summit and best-selling filmmaker of The Tapping Solution, is at the forefront of a new healing movement. In this book, he gives readers everything they need to successfully start using the powerful practice of tapping—or Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).
Tapping is one of the fastest and easiest ways to address both the emotional and physical problems that tend to hamper our lives. Using the energy meridians of the body, practitioners tap on specific points while focusing on particular negative emotions or physical sensations. The tapping helps calm the nervous system to restore the balance of energy in the body, and in turn rewire the brain to respond in healthy ways. This kind of conditioning can help rid practitioners of everything from chronic pain to phobias to addictions. Because of tapping’s proven success in healing such a variety of problems, Ortner recommends to try it on any challenging issue.
In The Tapping Solution, Ortner describes not only the history and science of tapping but also the practical applications. In a friendly voice, he lays out easy-to-use practices, diagrams, and worksheets that will teach readers, step-by-step, how to tap on a variety of issues. With chapters covering everything from the alleviation of pain to the encouragement of weight loss to fostering better relationships, Ortner opens readers’ eyes to just how powerful this practice can be. Throughout the book, readers will see real-life stories of healing ranging from easing the pain of fibromyalgia to overcoming a fear of flying. The simple strategies Ortner outlines will help readers release their fears and clear the limiting beliefs that hold them back from creating the life they want.
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life. Still as vital today--or perhaps even more so--than it was when it was first published one decade ago, it is a powerfully provocative and inspiring work. In a new introduction to the book, Julia Cameron reflects upon the impact of The Artist’s Way and describes the work she has done during the last decade and the new insights into the creative process that she has gained. Updated and expanded, this anniversary edition reframesThe Artist’s Way for a new century.
No Self, No Problem by Anem Thubten
"There are many words we can use to describe what our true nature is. The simplest name in Buddhism for that is 'buddha nature.' The definition of buddha nature is that we are already enlightened. We are perfect as we are. When we realize this, we are perfect. When we do not realize this, we are also perfect."—from No Self, No Problem
This book, based on recent talks given in California, reflects Anam Thubten Rinpoche's understanding of and insight into the universal challenges of being human. Deeply trained in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the author distills his knowledge into simple, clear words of wisdom. He avoids jargon, addressing Western thinkers who may not have any knowledge of Buddhism. His instructions cut through confusion and fixed beliefs, getting straight to the heart of our experience. With humor and ruthless honesty, he generously shares his spiritual insights.
In Touch by John Prendergast
Your body has a natural sense of truth. We can feel authenticity in ourselves and in others. However, this innate wisdom is obscured by our conditioning-the core limiting beliefs, reactive feelings, and somatic contractions that fuel our sense of struggle and veil who we really are.
In Touch is a groundbreaking, experiential guide to the felt-sense of our "inner knowing"-the deep intelligence available through our bodies. Each chapter presents moving stories, helpful insights from spirituality, psychology, and science, and simple yet potent experiments for integrating the gifts of inner knowing into every aspect of daily life. Join pioneering psychotherapist and teacher Dr. John J. Prendergast to explore:
- The phenomenon of "attunement"-how we accurately sense and resonate with ourselves and others-including an introduction to attachment theory, mirror neurons, and interoception (the ability to sense into the interior of your body)
- Felt-sensing and the subtle body-our ability to have a whole-body sense of reality and how the seven major energy centers relate to common psychospiritual issues
- "Shadows as portals"-how our dark and painful feelings and sensations can point us toward an essential radiance within
- The art of identifying and undoing our core limiting beliefs
- The four somatic qualities of inner knowing-relaxed groundedness, inner alignment, open-heartedness, and spaciousness-and how these subtle signals, once recognized, can guide our choices and help us to navigate life's challenges
- The fruits of inner knowing-the realization of who we are in our depths and the great intimacy with life we can all enjoy
"As we tune into our deepest nature, our body relaxes, grounds, lines up, opens up, and lights up," writes Prendergast. "So far this extraordinarily useful subtle feedback has been largely overlooked; almost nothing has been written about it. We need to both sense and decode these signals if we are to benefit from them. These bodily markers are here to be seen and used as guides to enable us to more gracefully navigate life and to awaken. They are part of our birthright, available to anyone."
Here is his invitation to start listening in a profound new way, deeply in touch with reality and our shared journey of awakening.
The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb
Depression can feel like a downward spiral, pulling you into a vortex of sadness, fatigue, and apathy. In The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the intricate brain processes that cause depression and offers a practical and effective approach to getting better. Based on the latest research in neuroscience, this book provides dozens of straightforward tips you can do every day to rewire your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life.
Whether you suffer from depression or just want a better understanding of the brain, this book offers an engaging and informative look at the neuroscience behind our emotions, thoughts, and actions. The truth is that there isn’t one big solution to depression, but there are numerous simple steps you can take to alter brain activity and chemistry. Some are as easy as relaxing certain muscles to reduce anxiety, or getting more sunlight to improve your mood. Small steps in the right direction can have profound effects—giving you the power to become your best self as you literally reshape your brain, one small change at a time.
Extraordinary Freedom by Dana Marsh
Extraordinary Freedom is an approachable and straightforward invitation to open to life, to inquire within, and to go beyond confusion and live in the light of awareness. Although the book isn't filled with the esoteric language of the Buddhist tradition, it has the depth of this powerful wisdom tradition. By becoming conscious of our inner world, our habits, beliefs, neurosis, and attachments there is an opportunity to see their empty nature and in doing so transform our lives. The wisdom we need is already within us, it is who we are. By living in awareness and gaining insight we discover this for ourselves. In order to reveal this wisdom in our consciousness we need to try on a new way of seeing and relating to life and all the conditions it presents, then the extraordinariness of who we are can reveal itself and the chains that bind us to old hardened views will break. We can experience extraordinary freedom moment by moment, embracing all that life offers.
"Many people need a book like this which is simple in its language and profound in its meaning" -Anam Thubten
The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
What would it be like to free yourself from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries? What can you do each day to discover inner peace and serenity? The Untethered Soul—now a #1 New York Timesbestseller—offers simple yet profound answers to these questions.
Whether this is your first exploration of inner space, or you’ve devoted your life to the inward journey, this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you. You’ll discover what you can do to put an end to the habitual thoughts and emotions that limit your consciousness. By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.
Co-published with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) The Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of your inner energy. It then delves into what you can do to free yourself from the habitual thoughts, emotions, and energy patterns that limit your consciousness. Finally, with perfect clarity, this book opens the door to a life lived in the freedom of your innermost being.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown, a leading expert on shame, authenticity, and belonging, shares ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living—a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.
Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we'd no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please, and perfect, all the while thinking,"What if I can't keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn't everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if I fail or give up? When can I stop proving myself?"
In her ten guideposts, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, "No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough," and to go to bed at night thinking, "Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. And, yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable, but that doesn't change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging."
The Noonday Demon examines depression in personal, cultural, and scientific terms. Drawing on his own struggles with the illness and interviews with fellow sufferers, doctors and scientists, policy makers and politicians, drug designers, and philosophers, Andrew Solomon reveals the subtle complexities and sheer agony of the disease as well as the reasons for hope. He confronts the challenge of defining the illness and describes the vast range of available medications and treatments, and the impact the malady has on various demographic populations—around the world and throughout history. He also explores the thorny patch of moral and ethical questions posed by biological explanations for mental illness. With uncommon humanity, candor, wit and erudition, award-winning author Solomon takes readers on a journey of incomparable range and resonance into the most pervasive of family secrets. His contribution to our understanding not only of mental illness but also of the human condition is truly stunning.
Braving the Wilderness, Brene Brown, PhD
“True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.” Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives—experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to true belonging.
Brown argues that we’re experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other. She writes, “True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that’s rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it’s easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it’s a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It’s a personal commitment that we carry in our hearts.” Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, “The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it’s the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand.”
Unfu*k Yourself, Gary John Bishop
Are you tired of feeling f*cked up? If you are, Gary John Bishop has the answer. In this straightforward handbook, he gives you the tools and advice you need to demolish the slag weighing you down and become the truly unf*cked version of yourself. "Wake up to the miracle you are," he directs. "Here's what you've forgotten: You're a f*cking miracle of being." It isn't other people that are standing in your way; it isn't even your circumstances that are blocking your ability to thrive. It's yourself and the negative self-talk you keep telling yourself.
In Unf*ck Yourself, Bishop leads you through a series of seven assertions:
I am willing
I am wired to win
I got this
I embrace the uncertainty
I am not my thoughts; I am what I do
I am relentless
I expect nothing and accept everything
Lead the life you were meant to have - Unf*ck Yourself.
Via chapters such as "Your Brain Is Your Bitch", "Fear Is for Suckers", and "My Subconscious Made Me Do It", Sincero takes you on a wild joy ride to your own transformation, helping you create the money, relationships, career, and general all-around awesomeness you so desire. And should you be one of those people who dreads getting busted with a self-help book in your hands, fear not.
Sincero, a former skeptic herself, delivers the goods minus the New Age cheese, giving even the snarkiest of poo-pooers exactly what they need to get out of their ruts and start kicking some ass. By the end of You Are a Badass, you will understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can't change, how to change what you don't love, and how to start living the kind of life you used to be jealous of.
Attached, Amir Levin MD, Rachel Heller
We already rely on science to tell us what to eat, when to exercise, and how long to sleep. Why not use science to help us improve our relationships? In this revolutionary book, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller scientifically explain why why some people seem to navigate relationships effortlessly, while others struggle.
Discover how an understanding of adult attachment—the most advanced relationship science in existence today—can help us find and sustain love. Pioneered by psychologist John Bowlby in the 1950s, the field of attachment posits that each of us behaves in relationships in one of three distinct ways:
• Anxious people are often preoccupied with their relationships and tend to worry about their partner's ability to love them back
• Avoidant people equate intimacy with a loss of independence and constantly try to minimize closeness.
• Secure people feel comfortable with intimacy and are usually warm and loving.
Attached guides readers in determining what attachment style they and their mate (or potential mate) follow, offering a road map for building stronger, more fulfilling connections with the people they love.
In Alignment, Jennifer Cochern shares stories from her own life and those of her clients using her alignment model. The model makes use of the everyday human system and pairs it with the foundational concepts of accountability, boundary setting, and communication for a life of clarity.
The daughter of a scientist who frequently noted her lack of “genius,” Angela Duckworth is now a celebrated researcher and professor. It was her early eye-opening stints in teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience that led to her hypothesis about what really drives success: not genius, but a unique combination of passion and long-term perseverance.
In Grit, she takes us into the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.
“Duckworth’s ideas about the cultivation of tenacity have clearly changed some lives for the better” (The New York Times Book Review). Among Grit’s most valuable insights: any effort you make ultimately counts twice toward your goal; grit can be learned, regardless of IQ or circumstances; when it comes to child-rearing, neither a warm embrace nor high standards will work by themselves; how to trigger lifelong interest; the magic of the Hard Thing Rule; and so much more. Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference. This is “a fascinating tour of the psychological research on success” (The Wall Street Journal).
The Relationship Cure, John Gottman PhD
Gottman provides the tools you need to make your relationships thrive. In The Relationship Cure, Dr. Gottman:
- Reveals the key elements of healthy relationships, emphasizing the importance of what he calls “emotional connection”
- Introduces the powerful new concept of the emotional “bid,” the fundamental unit of emotional connection
- Provides remarkably empowering tools for improving the way you bid for emotional connection and how you respond to others’ bids
- And more!
Packed with fascinating questionnaires and exercises developed in his therapy, The Relationship Cure offers a simple but profound program that will fundamentally transform the quality of all of the relationships in your life.
The Body Keeps the score, Bessel van der Kolk, MD
Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.
Business Management
Insurance Information
Professional Organizations
American Counseling Association
American Psychological Association
National Association of Social Workers
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
National Board for Certified Counselors
Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses
Getting on Insurance Panels
