One of the pillars of the counseling is empowering clients to achieve the goals they have set themselves. But over time, counselors have also placed greater focus on international issues and social justice counseling. Manivong J. Ratts, president of Counselors for Social Justice, a division of the American Counseling Association, calls

The future might be anyone’s guess, but David Pearce Snyder has spent his career making calculated predictions about what looms ahead. Snyder, a Bethesda, Md.-based consulting futurist who says he consults on the long-term future of anyone and anything, has a few ideas about what’s in store for the counseling

Today’s counseling students bring a unique array of characteristics and perspectives not previously seen in our classrooms. For instance, it is not uncommon for students to approach classroom assignments through technological means rather than by engaging in thoughtful dialogue. Counselor educators have a responsibility to learn about these students and

Professional identity has emerged as one of the hot topics in the counseling profession. A quick look at the 2011 ACA Conference schedule and a preview of the sessions for the 2012 conference in San Francisco reveals that, as counselors, we are interested in discussions that investigate the topic and

As counselors, we recognize the importance of ethics, so much so that it is a required component of our training. Particularly in our current social climate, with issues such as personal values versus counselor competencies being debated in U.S. court systems, it is crucial for students to prepare to be ethical

It’s been said that the only constant in life is change. Counselors aren’t exempt from that rule, as anyone who has made the transition from graduate student to new professional, from one job setting to another, or from practicing professional to retiree can attest. Sometimes the change is exhilarating, as

When Willie Nelson crooned “Forgiving You Was Easy” in the mid-1980s, the song briefly reached No. 1 on the country charts. Despite the tune’s appeal, however, even Nelson’s biggest fans would probably be lying if they claimed to agree with the sentiment expressed in the song’s title. People struggle with

One of the largest-ever national surveys of school counselors suggests that these counselors are ready to be more proactive in students’ lives, while also helping them to bridge the gap between college and career readiness. The National Survey of School Counselors, released Nov. 15 at collegeboard.org and civicenterprises.net, was a

Angela Coker has always believed that a more in-depth cultural understanding of the world leads to well-rounded counselors and, thus, a positive counseling experience for clients of all demographic backgrounds. After a life-changing experience in which she conducted research and explored the cities of Brazil through the Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad

Robotic counselors. Virtual solutions. Personality uploading. These are not science fiction fantasies but real possibilities that lie just beyond the horizon for the field of counseling. According to some futurists, a trend of great historical magnitude is unfolding: the exponential growth of technological development leading to an event referred to as