Suicidal thoughts in a patient after administration of infliximab

Infliximab (IFX) is a chimeric monoclonal antibody biologic drug that works against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and is used to treat autoimmune diseases. This is case of a 45year old female patient who had suicidal thoughts after receiving infusions with IFX. She did not report any family psychiatric history. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. She had many relapses and she was treated with azathioprine and prednisolone. After many incidents of diarrhea, she started therapy with infliximab infusions. She had totally 13 infusions during a period of 13 months. The last year and in particular during the time of Infliximab intake, she reported suicidal ideation. Due to lack of improvement in her physical symptoms, she voluntarily discontinued medication and resorted to a nutritionist and a mental health counselor, where she followed cognitive and behavioral interventions. Treatment of autoimmune disorders with infliximab raise an awareness among medical and paramedical staff involved in the care of these patients about the psychiatric side effects of the drug.

Integrating Interprofessional Education and Collaboration Competencies (IPEC) into Mental Health Counselor Education

In 2009 six health disciplines identified interprofessional education and collaboration competencies (IPEC) to guide cross-discipline clinical and educational practices. This article gives an example of an attempt to integrate IPEC into mental health counselor education through an interprofessional course taught to 111 students of health sciences and counseling. Implications for mental health counselor educators and final conclusions are discussed.

Mindfulness and Mastery in Counseling: Introduction to the Special Issue

This introduction to the special issue on mindfulness integrates concepts of mindfulness with the counselor development literature. Discussing the elements of mindfulness, especially the choice to attend to the experience of the present moment with nonjudgmental acceptance, it outlines how mindfulness skills can be applied to the practice of counseling and how the mental health counselor develops from novice to expert.

Self-injurious behaviors, diagnoses, and treatment methods: What mental health professionals are reporting

Self-injurious behaviors are gaining increased attention in both the media and the professional literature. Despite increased interest, little is actually known about prevalence, diagnoses, and treatment considerations, specifically with outpatient mental health populations. This article presents the results from a national survey of American Mental Health Counselor Association (AMCHA) members regarding the rate at which they see clients who self-injure and their clinical opinions of related diagnoses. Finally, the treatment methods used by counselors with clients who self-injure are also reported.