Counselors across the country are heeding the call to conduct research, working not only to increase the knowledge base of the profession but also to improve society as a whole. Following their passions, they search for information that may hold the key to effectively confronting some of society’s most vexing

After being admittedly unfocused during her undergraduate years, a stint as a temporary employee at an outpatient drug treatment center in Sacramento, Calif., nudged Kate Farrelly toward a career in the counseling profession. She recently graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with a master’s in marriage, family and child counseling,