Member Spotlight: NBFE's First CFMHE

Gilbert Robbins III, LPC, MAC, SAP

On November 24, 2004, Gilbert Robbins III made history as the first mental health professional to ever be certified by NBFE. That's right--his certification number is 000001! Gilbert graduated from University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Master of Arts in Counseling in 1997 and is currently a doctoral candidate at the International Institute of Clinical Sexology. He has numerous professionalcertifications in the counseling profession, was appointed by the Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama in 1996 as Program Coordinator for the Birmingham Police Department's Domestic Violence Unit, and has worked in his private practice at The Counseling Center in Birmingham since 1998, where he provides psychotherapy, forensic consultation, forensic evaluation, psychological testing, and critical incident response. He has been deemed an expert witness in several Alabama Family Courts, State District Courts, and the Federal Court in Georgia, and he previously served as a contracted Independent Program Evaluator for the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Click here for information on how to refer to him.

What a rough political season! Are you exhausted? Or maybe feeling self- righteous?  What's it like to work with a client whose political ideology leaks into therapy room, especially when the client's political ideology is different than your own?  How can clinicians help their clients to be reasonable with themselves, their loved ones, and others?  What can help clinicians when they're frustrated during and after elections?  Read more by clicking here. Also, watch a video recording of the author offering his perspective at AMHCA's Managing Values Conflicts Post-Election broadcast.

This award is intended to honor and recognize outstanding service contributing to the professional concerns of the American Mental Health Counselors Association and its members.

Watch a video recording of AMHCA's Award Ceremony by clicking here.

The death of George Floyd in May 2020, as well as numerous other violent and tragic encounters with police caught on camera, have sparked increased awareness and interest in police violence, racial injustice, and the need for police reform.  In addition to implicit racial bias and systemic racism, police burnout has been cited as one contributor to police violence, and police burnout may be rising currently in relation to increased demands on police officers during periods of civil unrest, especially in larger metropolitan areas.  Three of NBFE's Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluators co-authored an article published in the Spring 2020 issue of the American Mental Health Counselors Association's The Advocate Magazine on how clinical mental health counselors can play a role in addressing this issue.  Click here to read it!

In the newly released Spring-Summer issue of The Advocate Magazine, the official magazine of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), NBFE Southern Regional Director Ekom Essien and Executive Director Aaron Norton published articles providing mental health professionals with guidance, resources, and important practices related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Click here to access the COVID-19 section of the magazine.  

for clinical mental health counselors. An online version of the decision matrix can be accessed by clicking here.  In addition to this resource, NBFE has  for clinical mental health counselors. In addition to this resource, NBFE has provided an "on demand" webinar with additional information on this topic, which you can access here.

NBFE's Executive Director, Aaron Norton, recently published an article in The Advocate Magazine, the official magazine of the American Mental Health Counselors Association, detailing three reasons why clinical mental health counselors should consider specializing in forensic mental health evaluation.  This article is a great resource to share with colleagues who are interested in this area of specialization.  Click here to read it.  

Joseph Considine, an attorney in Florida, recently shared an article with NBFE that he believes will be helpful for clinicians and evaluators in Florida in clarifying the Marchman Act, a law that is used to order mandated treatment for Floridians whose substance abuse poses a serious risk to self or others.  Read the article by clicking here.  

The Advocate Magazine, the official magazine of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), has published an article penned by NBFE Executive Director Aaron Norton on how to address client requests for emotional support animal letters.  To read the full article, click here.

Dr. Norman Hoffman, the Founder of NBFE, is truly a talented and remarkable clinician.  In addition to his forensic expertise, he is a skilled jazz musician.  In the 60s, he conducted breakthrough therapeutic work children with developmental and mental disorders. 

Click here to read his article published in 1966 in Forum (Devereaux) on several music therapy case study.