Sirens to Stillness
Today's reflection is about Matt's transition from EMS to mental health counseling, showing how both fields can share similar missions of helping people in crisis. He outlines lessons each can borrow from the other and shares his vision of building a bridge between first response and long-term healing. Read More…
Ethical Pitfalls in Mental Health Practice: What Every Counselor (and Client) Should Know
Friday, 09/26/2025 Filed in: Ethics | Counseling | Professional Development | Cultural Awareness | Personal
Matt's blog highlights ethical pitfalls in mental health counseling, from confidentiality breaches to organizational climate. Drawing on ACA guidelines, models from Cottone and Tarvydas, and even the Aggie Code of Honor, Matt underscores how values, virtues, and cultural accordance shape ethical decision-making across both client care and professional workplaces. Read More…
The Economics of Mental Health: Insurance and Therapy
Money steers mental health care more than most clients realize. Here Matt explains how insurance incentives shape clinical decisions and shows how time-limited, skills-based therapy plans can deliver effective care without open-ended treatment. Tactical Counseling clarifies its private-pay model and new superbill option while emphasizing planned, collaborative endings. Read More…
Together We Stand For Unity
Today, Matt reflects on recent tragedies, political hate speech, and polarization. Drawing from research, Tactical Counseling calls for compassion, dialogue, and unity. Read More…
Counselors in Disaster Response and Emergency Management
Friday, 09/05/2025 Filed in: Counseling | Emergency Management | First Responder Support | Disaster Response | Trauma-Informed Care
Today, Matt explores the growing need of counselors in disaster response and emergency management. From trauma-informed care after Columbine and 9/11 to integration in FEMA’s ICS, NIMS, and NRF frameworks. Matt discusses how counselors not only support survivors and first responders but also can play a critical role in planning, communication, and recovery, helping to stabilize communities when disaster strikes. Read More…