The past three decades can be described as a golden age in the history of the American Counseling Association. Licensure laws for professional counselors have been approved in all 50 states and several territories, helping to define the identity of the counseling profession. ACA publications, research, professional development activities and member
Tag: Multiculturalism & Diversity
Multiculturalism & Diversity
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, and the American Counseling Association is urging its members to use this time to think about the racial and cultural disparities that are still evident in the mental health treatment system in our nation. The U.S. House of Representatives proclaimed July to be
The importance of developing culturally competent counselors has never been greater. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected because of technology, economic and business initiatives, pop culture and professional opportunities, cultures are less and less segregated. The likelihood of daily encounters with individuals from other countries or with different ethnic backgrounds
African Americans are a complex cultural group. Although considered to be one culture, many cultural differences exist within this group. That same statement could be applied to any culture, but it is African Americans who have one of the most historically oppressive pasts and who continue to face numerous microaggressions along
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
Picture the following scenario. You are a counselor with less than one year of experience. Recently, an employment opportunity opened up at a school to work with adolescents who have a variety of behavioral issues, including excessive anger. An interview is scheduled, a job offer extended. You eagerly accept. The
Racism is a difficult, uncomfortable experience for anyone, but researchers have found that perceived racism can impact black Americans in a way similar to experiencing trauma and could perhaps shed light on some of the health problems seen among the race. The researchers examined 66 studies of 18,140 black adults
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
It is a common belief that clients seek counseling to begin or continue change. In the case of recent immigrants, change is a significant, ongoing process. Deciding to leave one’s home country to make a new life somewhere else requires considerable bravery and faith that the future will be as
I spent five days training counselors in Rwanda in 2008. During each break and after each class, two young men asked me many questions about the pragmatics of counseling in the United States. They seemed especially interested in the length of counseling sessions as we practice them in the United