Counseling and the Military: Culture, Clinical Issues, and Best Practices

Counseling and the Military: Culture, Clinical Issues, and Best Practices
with W. David Lane, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, LMFT, AAMFT, CPCS and Keith J. Myers, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS

Drs. Keith Myers & David Lane will examine the unique aspects of military culture in this AMHCA webinar. They will also explore the common clinical issues and discuss best practices and practical strategies when working with the military population.

Objectives:
- Participants will increase knowledge of military culture in order to improve cultural competence when working with military clients.
- Participants will examine branch values, minority demographics, and other cultural issues with the military population.
- Participants will understand the impact of service upon the family and the individual service member while also exploring a few of the unique issues faced by female military members.
- Participants will discuss best practices and evidence-based treatment when working with and advocating for military clients.


About the Presenters:

W. David Lane, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, LMFT, AAMFT, CPCS
Dr. Lane is Professor, Department of Counseling, Penfield College of Mercer University, and is the founding faculty member of the Counseling Program at Mercer University in Atlanta. He earned the Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Troy University in 1976, the Master of Education degree in Counseling from Georgia State University in 1981, and the Ph.D. in Counseling from Georgia State University in 1992 and has over 40 years experience as a counselor, counselor educator, and supervisor. He is in his twenty sixth year at Mercer University. Prior to coming to Mercer, he was the founder and Coordinator of the Community Counseling and Marriage and Family Counseling Programs at Columbus College (now Columbus State University). While at Columbus he worked with Ft. Benning and the Department of the Army to create a program to train Army Chaplains in Marriage and Family Counseling. The program was highly successful, and the Army sends these Chaplains all over the world to work with soldiers and their families. After the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, David worked extensively in Haiti for over a year leading teams of professionals to train pastors, teachers, and mental health providers in trauma assessment and care. In the wake of the Newtown, CT, Sandy Hook School shootings in 2012, he led teams to train pastors and community workers to assist with the trauma. Counseling Veterans: A Practical Guide, co-authored with Dr. Keith Myers of Richmont Graduate University and published by Cognella Academic Publishing, is his most recent book. He is the author or co-author of fourteen books on counseling, faith, and works for children, and is a frequent presenter at local, national, and international conferences. Dr. Lane has extensive experience counseling veterans, active duty service members, and their families.

Keith J. Myers, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS
Dr. Myers is Associate Professor and the Dean of Clinical Affairs at Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta. He earned his Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision from Mercer University. He has 19 years of experience in the mental health counseling profession working in a variety of clinical settings and levels of care. He advocates for and works weekly with military members and their families in his private practice just north of Atlanta. He served as the Co-Chair of the ACA Ethics Committee in 2015 and as a former Board of Director with the Military & Government Counseling Association (MGCA), a division of the American Counseling Association, from 2017-2019. He has authored 20 publications and dozens of presentations about research interests that include combat PTSD, counseling ethics, secondary traumatic stress, and using Motivational Interviewing in supervision. He is most proud of his first book—Counseling Veterans: A Practical Guide—co-authored with Dr. W. David Lane of Mercer University and published by Cognella Academic Publishing. This recent book is intended for the counseling student or licensed clinician that wants an introductory text into working with the veteran population.

Current AMHCA Members in All Categories: $10
Non-Members: $20

AMHCA will provide 1.0 CE for this webinar to all attendees who are registered and attend for 45 minutes or longer. Attendees must view the presentation using the Zoom application on their computer, tablet, or smartphone. Attendance will not be counted for those dialing in by telephone only. American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) has been approved to provide continuing education by the National Board for Certified Counselors and the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board. More provider information can be found here. All sales are final - webinar registrations are non-refundable.