FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Associate professor of counselor education Dr. Catherine Roland recently led a workshop at the Southwest Network of Youth Services Conference on September 15 at the Hilton hotel in Fayetteville. The conference, sponsored by the State of Arkansas Youth Service Providers Association and the United States Department of Health and Human Resources, is an annual event used to continue the training of area counselors and health care administrators.

Roland’s workshop, titled "Families in Conflict: Reaching a Balance," focused on three instances that may potentially cause an imbalance in the family system. Roland discussed the role of a mental health professional in dealing with teenagers who experience sexual abuse, teens who experience sexual identity conflicts, and teens who act out sexually. Ideas for intervention, as well as ethical considerations and the importance of the role of the counselor, were also discussed. More than 65 counselors from around the state and across the region attended her workshop.

"Family openness and acceptance is extremely important to the emotional and psychological health of teenagers," said Dr. Roland. "But openness alone does not guarantee familial harmony. Families in crisis often need the assistance of a professional therapist."

"The instance of suicide or suicide attempts is particularly high in the teenage population," Roland continued. "Non acceptance of a teen’s sexual orientation is a primary dynamic in low self-esteem and self-hate, which can contribute to the hopelessness leading to self-harm."

Roland has presented more than 100 workshops at national, regional, state and community functions and meetings. Roland, a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, is currently the president of the Association for Adult Development and Aging, a division of the American Counseling Association and maintains a part time private practice in Fayetteville. Roland has been a mental health counselor for 25 years and specializes in counseling survivors of sexual abuse, people with eating disorders, and people having sexual identity issues.

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