The Voice of Counseling

Esther Scott, LPC joins us to share about wellness practices to help with holiday grief. Tune in to learn techniques you can use to help clients and tips for self-care for counselors. To read the articles referenced in this episode click the two links provided here: Positive actions to prevent the holiday blues and Three steps to rediscover hope during the holidays. To access more from CT Online go to ct.counseling.org  Related articles: Positive actions to prevent the holiday blues; Three steps to rediscover hope during the holidays  Read the transcript here.

Listen in on ACA President Dr. Edil Torres Rivera's conversation with Dr. Patricia Arredondo on Latinx mental health and counseling with immigrants and refugees. Dr. Patricia Arredondo, co-author of the upcoming ACA book Counseling with Immigrants, Refugees, and Their Families from Social Justice Perspectives, shares her perspectives on social justice, advocacy, and culturally responsive practices. They discuss the unique needs of Latinx clients, including the cultural richness and diversity within the population, the youthfulness of the population, and the importance of family-centeredness. They also emphasize the importance of social justice principles in counseling Latinx clients, including understanding the context of inclusion, exclusion, privilege, and oppression.   The upcoming book Counseling with Immigrants, Refugees, and Their Families from Social Justice Perspectives will be released in early 2024. This book will guide counselors in recognizing the additional steps they may need to take to account for culture, language, health status, relationships in place, and priority issues (e.g., child’s illness, school bullying, etc.) to be dealt with. Social justice and multicultural counseling competency frameworks ground this text written for counselors in academic settings, conducting research, and practicing in different contexts, from schools and college counseling centers to mental health centers, hospitals, and governmental agencies. Be the first to know when the book is available for purchase by signing up at this link.   Read the transcript here. 

Part two of the White Ribbon VA episode continues the conversation on the White Ribbon VA Campaign with Dr. Eddy Fagundo and Dr. Kelley Haynes-Mendez.  This episode focuses on the White Ribbon VA campaign, which is a national call to action to eliminate sexual harassment, sexual assault, and domestic violence across the Department of Veterans Affairs by promoting a positive change in culture so that the actions outlined in the pledge become the organizational norm. White Ribbon VA is an anti-harassment and awareness movement where all—regardless of their gender—can participate.   White Ribbon VA partners (White Ribbon USA, American Counseling Association, and American Psychological Association) discuss the significance of the campaign and resources available to veterans and the public. Other White Ribbon VA partners include the American Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social Workers, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and Veterans Service Organizations.  Read the transcript here.    Resources:  The APA's Psychologist Locator makes it easy for you to find practicing psychologists in your local area.  National Coalition Against Domestic Violence  works to educate the public on how to recognize domestic violence and what to do about it; teen dating violence; the impact of family violence on children; and domestic violence against individuals with disabilities, older adults, and other marginalized populations. 

In part one of our two-part podcast, Veronika Mudra, Drs. Eddy Fagundo and Bridget Turner join host Dr. Aprille Woodson to discuss the White Ribbon VA campaign, a national call to action to eliminate sexual harassment, sexual assault, and domestic violence across the Department of Veterans Affairs by promoting a positive change in culture so that the actions outlined in the pledge become the organizational norm. White Ribbon VA is an anti-harassment and awareness movement where All—regardless of their gender—can participate.   White Ribbon VA partners (White Ribbon USA, American Counseling Association, and American Psychological Association) discuss the significance of the campaign and resources available to veterans and the public. Other White Ribbon VA partners include the American Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social Workers, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and Veterans Service Organizations.  Read the transcript here.  Resources:  Please join White Ribbon movement by taking virtual White Ribbon VA pledge against all forms of gender-based violence:    https://www.whiteribbonusa.org/whiteribbon-va-pledge   Information about the annual White Ribbon Day awareness event in Washington D.C.:  https://www.whiteribbonusa.org/whiteribbonday  Counseling Intimate Partner Abuse Survivors: Effective and Ineffective Interventions – this continuing education (CE) from ACA helps counselors understand the experience of intimate partner abuse survivors, recognize the impact the impact of clinician’s attribution errors, and discuss effective and ineffective interventions for counseling intimate partner abuse survivors. 

In this episode, Dr. Aprille Woodson is joined by Counselor Supervisor William Mulkey to discuss an overview of supervision, scope of practice, and ethical decision-making within counseling supervision.  The conversation also focuses on the importance of gatekeeping within the supervisor and the supervisee relationship. Get the transcript here.

Danielle Irving, EdS, LGPC, ACA’s Career Resources Counseling Specialist, joins us to discuss our upcoming virtual career fair, creating a digital footprint in this virtual space, best practices to make your resume stand out, and strategies for building an effective mentoring relationship.  Read the transcript here. 

During this podcast, listeners will gain an understanding of professional identity and the role the counseling compact and the compact executive committee play in strengthening professional identity and the counseling profession. Dr. Lynn Linde, guest speaker, joins host Dr. Aprille Woodson, to explain professional identity and the importance of understanding the scope of practice in the compact states.  Get the episode transcript here.

Davia Roberts, LPC joins us to share her suggestions on starting a consulting business as a licensed counselor. Davia talks about her personal journey to serving as executive director of the CarrierBradley Agency where she offers corporate consulting services. Tune in to hear how your skills as a clinician have prepared you for this type of work, liability considerations, how to decide on your area of focus, priorities to consider before getting started, and much more.   The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Rachel McCrickard, LMFT, joins us to talk about clinical supervision for mental health therapists and counselors. She shares some interesting insights into the purpose, goals, and potential benefits of supervision for pre-licensed clinicians. We also cover the reasons for becoming a clinical supervisor, and how vital supporting the next generation of counselors is for the profession and the clients who need access to their services. Read the transcript here.  Clinical Supervision in the Helping Professions: A Practical Guide, Third Edition by Gerald Corey, Robert Haynes, Patrice Moulton, Michelle Muratori  Gatekeeping in the Mental Health Professions edited by Alicia M. Homrich and Kathryn L. Henderson  CE courses and more: ACA Store   Motivo Health is helping solve the nation’s behavioral health crisis by supporting therapists through the licensure process. Similar to doctors going through residency, therapists must complete two years of supervised experience following graduate school. Historically, these hours had to be completed in person, but the rise of digital health now allows supervision to occur virtually in most states.   Motivo partners with community mental health organizations, treatment centers, digital health companies, and health plans to provide virtual access to quality, vetted clinical supervisors across all 50 states. Learn more at motivohealth.com  Motivo White Paper Link: http://bit.ly/3LotGFm 

Counseling students and new professionals won’t want to miss this episode! ACA’s Career Resources Counseling Specialist, Danielle Irving, EdS, LGPC, is joined by guests Dr. Laura Smestad, LMHC and doctoral candidate Madelyn Duffey MA, MS, NCC, LPCA, who offer valuable suggestions on managing the impact of imposter syndrome.   Resources:  ACA’s Career Center  Graduate Student and New Professional Blogs  The transcript for this episode can be found here. 

School counselor and social justice advocate Steve Sharp joins us to discuss parental mental health, and how school counselors and providers can support students and parents as we approach starting a new school year. Steve shares his first-hand experience in responding to the needs of students and parents experiencing mental health crises and his experience helping to pilot a suicide prevention program in his state. Whether you are a parent, school counselor, or mental health provider, this episode will leave you with nuggets of information on the importance of working in a community with others to strengthen care and the equity of care provided in different settings. The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Get ready for a new school year by listening to our latest episode featuring school counselor Jessica Holt, LPC, Ed.S. She joins us to share her firsthand observations of the youth mental health crisis and how she and her colleagues are supporting students and their community. Dr. Holt offers our listeners helpful information on how any adult who cares about a young person can be on the lookout for signs of a mental health concern and gives some tips on ways to show support. Read the transcript here. 

In celebrating cultural diversity and language inclusivity, ACA is proud to air its very first Spanish-speaking episode. Dr. Edil Torres Rivera, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS, ACA’s 72nd President, has a conversation with particular guest host Dr. Manuel X. Zamarripa, Ph.D. , LPC-S to discuss Dr. Torres’s journey toward becoming the current President of ACA, his hopes for the counseling profession, and his focus on cross-cultural competencies, decolonization, and social justice.  Find the Spanish transcript here. An English transcript is available here.  To learn more about Dr. Torres, check out his introductory Counseling Today article. 

Listen in for an important conversation with guest host Dr. Tamekia Bell, an ACA division president for SAIGE, and guest Dr. Tameeka Hunter. Drs. Bell and Hunter discuss some key things to know about being a true ally of the LGBTQIA+ community and multiply marginalized individuals. They offer our listeners ideas on ways to improve their cultural responsiveness through personal reflection, advocacy, and interactions with clients.  Notes:   Our guests offer the definition of “multiply marginalized individuals” as people who hold membership in two or more historically underrepresented/underserved social/cultural identities.   Dr. Bell used the euphemism "differing abilities" instead of the word, "disability." Dr. Hunter explains that the word, “disability” is not inherently negative, and disability is viewed by many as a diverse identity.  Learn more about the work of SAIGE (The Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities) on their website, saigecounseling.org.  Dr. Tamekia Bell’s email is president@saigecounseling.org.  The transcript link to this podcast episode can be found here. 

Counseling students La’Porsha Timmons, Kwasi Asamoah, and Brianna Tran join us to share what drew them to the counseling profession and their impactful experiences in their program. They offer valuable insights and perspectives to those considering a career in counseling and seasoned professionals alike. The transcript for this episode can be found here. 

Chris Gamble, LPC, MA, NCC, CCMHC joins us to share how he has seen technology impact the delivery of counseling services with those he serves and the wider counseling field. Listen in for a conversation about important considerations related to improving social determinates of health and expanding access to care for marginalized communities.   Read the transcript here.

In this episode we’re joined by Claudia G. Interiano-Shiverdecker, Ph.D., LPC-A, Devon E. Romero, Ph.D., NCC, LPC-A, and Priscilla Rose Prasath, Ph.D., LPC, MBA from the research lab Counselors Against Sex Trafficking. They talk about their work at CAST, and share some key information about sex trafficking, its impact, and what counselors need to know to best serve clients who have experienced this particular form of trauma.    To learn more about their work and the competencies they have developed, you can find the Counselors Against Sex Trafficking at www.castrl.com. Our guests recommend the Polaris Project (www.polarisproject.org) for more information about sex trafficking.  If you or someone you know is experiencing sex trafficking, we recommend contacting the National Human Trafficking Hotline. They can be reached by phone at 1-888-373-7888, or you can text them at 233733. Their website www.humantraffickinghotline.org also offers a live chat feature and additional resources.  Read the transcript here.

Dr. Michael Chaney, and Jay Kaplan join Dr. Aprille Woodson for an important and powerful conversation about anti-transgender legislation, laws and legal cases and the counselor’s role in supporting transgender clients.

Join Gene Dockery from SAIGE, ACA’s Brian Banks and Dr. Aprille Woodson as they discuss advocacy, transgender equality, the counselor’s role, and the support of allies for transgender rights.   For additional SAIGE resources go the SAIGE website at https://saigecounseling.org/public-policy-committee/ and access additional resources at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17mCVWH4WVAiC2gkTc8PiuRcZuaeEL0NB?usp=sharing.

Azizi Marshall, MA, LCPC, RDT-BCT, REAT joins us to share about growing your private practice in creative ways. Azizi speaks about what she wishes she would have known prior to starting her private practice, running a creative therapy- focused practice, and creative solutions to some of the challenges experienced in private practice. The transcript for this episode can be found here.