COUNSELING AWARENESS MONTH
Sponsored by the American Counseling Association (ACA) and celebrated in April of every year, the purpose of Counseling Awareness Month is to educate the public about the role of the counselor in helping individuals to live healthier, happier, and more productive lives. The ACA is the largest organization of professional counselors in the world. There are over 50,000 members of the ACA, which sets the professional and ethical standards guiding the practice of counseling. Counselors address a variety of human growth and development issues and problems of people at all life stages, from childhood through the senior years. Counselors are a vital member of the framework of professional human services providers working alongside psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other helping professionals (including teachers and physicians).
The ACA defines the professional counselor’s role as to “help clients identify goals and potential solutions to problems which cause emotional turmoil; seek to improve communication and coping skills; strengthen self-esteem; and promote behavior change and optimal mental health.”
What are a licensed professional counselor’s qualifications?
- master’s degree in counseling from an accredited institution
- 3000 hours of post-graduate supervised clinical experience within 2 years of graduation
- passage of the National Counselor Examination
- adherence to a strict Code of Ethics and recognized standards of practice