Accreditation Of Counseling Research Articles

Doctoral Students Balancing the Roles and Relationships of Counselor Education

Aspiring counselor educators in Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited programs must learn to be counselors, teachers, supervisors, researchers, and leaders. These roles can overlap, creating multiple complex relationships during their programs. To examine these roles, we conducted a constructivist grounded theory investigation of how counselor education doctoral students (n = 9) balanced multiple roles and relationships and boundary crossings. We utilized chain referral sampling and continued until we reached theoretical saturation. We used semi-structured interviews conducted via videoconferencing (Zoom) for data collection and coded the interviews using two main phases: an initial phase and a focused coding phase. We used member checks by sending participants preliminary findings for feedback. The resulting theory describes two distinct stakeholders in the management of the multiple roles and relationships in counselor education: the students and the program. Students were responsible for balancing roles and responsibilities while considering professional growth, ethics, and boundary setting. The program was responsible for providing a growth-fostering environment and mentorship. Ultimately, the process of navigating multiple roles and relationships (MRRs) involves early discussion of MRRs, intentionality of program placement, assistance with boundaries and ethical decisions, and exposure to remediation and gatekeeping.

Supervisory Focus on Strengths: Perceptions of Supervisees and Supervisors

Supervision is an integral part of counselor development and is a requirement for training according to licensing boards, credentialing agencies, professional organizations code of ethics, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). With the expectation of supervision by these entities, universities and counselor training programs must require students to be actively engaged in supervision while learning to become counselors. Instructions for supervision are clearly articulated in policies and procedures of that counselors must follow (ACA, 2014; CACREP, 2016; Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, 2013) including qualifications for supervisors, sexual relationships, frequency of supervision, gatekeeping, and remediation, etc. While the guidelines for supervision are clearly stated, there are no expectations for how supervision is to be presented. The how of supervision is left to the selection of the supervisor including structure, focus, procedures, framework, model, expectations, etc. Keywords: Clinical supervision, professional development, Strengths-based supervision

Exploring Multimodality with Online Peer-Facilitated Experiential Learning in Group Work Training

ABSTRACTWe developed multimodality pedagogy with online peer-facilitated experiential learning that meets the required competency of 2016 standards from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The multimodality attends to various representational and communicational modes to support students’ use of multiple senses to connect cognitive processes in meaning-making. To determine the effectiveness of multimodality, we examined the student counselors’ self-rated group leadership skills competency before and after the group work training. Frequentist and Bayesian paired t-test results demonstrated significant increases with large effect sizes for general and technology-related group skill competency. This pedagogy provided students with an experiential opportunity and allowed for the modeling and observation of leadership skills.

Educating professional counselors about the social determinants of mental health

AbstractThe social determinants of health (access to quality health care; economic stability; high‐impact educational opportunities; community safety and support; and connected social networks) play a central role in individual health and wellness. These determinants and others also impact individual mental health and wellness. A shift is required in the preparation of counselors toward training students and current practitioners to assess, diagnose, and treat mental health issues through a social determinants’ lens. While the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs and counseling ethics require that counseling training focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, there is no mention of the social determinants in any guidelines. We present a rationale for including the social determinants as a core component of counselor preparation and provide examples to facilitate the incorporation of the social determinants into counselor education curriculum and continuing education efforts.

The Assessment of Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Competencies

The Assessment of Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Competencies (ACRCC) is an evaluation tool intended to assess clinical rehabilitation counseling trainees’ developing competencies, specialty-specific skills, and learning outcomes. In response to the 2017 merger between the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and the Council on Rehabilitation Education, we developed the ACRCC to align with the CACREP (2016)Standards. In our manuscript, we review (a) the developmental needs of rehabilitation counseling trainees, (b) the importance of comprehensive and specialty-specific clinical evaluation measures, (c) the development of the ACRCC, and (d) the opportunities for future research and implications for counseling preparation programs.

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Understand Dispositional Gatekeeping Behaviors Among Rehabilitation Counselor Educators

Rehabilitation counselor educators (RCEs) in programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) are mandated to assess student professional dispositions as part of the gatekeeping process. This study utilized the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore the factors that influence RCE dispositional gatekeeping behaviors. The study includes a sample of 52 RCEs across the United States. Results obtained using a multiple linear regression model indicate that participants generally have positive attitudes toward their role as dispositional gatekeepers and their behaviors. As hypothesized by TPB, both beliefs and perceived norms relating to dispositional gatekeeping predicted dispositional gatekeeping behaviors, with the model accounting for approximately 57% of the variance. Lastly, implications and recommendations are included as they relate to gatekeeping in master’s-level rehabilitation counseling programs.

The critical need for professional advocacy: A call to the counseling profession to value professional counselor identity

ABSTRACT Decades of advocacy have established Counseling as a valuable profession through Counseling accreditation, credentialing, licensure, and scholarship that reflect Counseling values, ethics, philosophical orientation, skills, and roles. In 2022, Counselors became recognized Medicare providers and anticipated inter-state practice through the Counseling Compact. We encourage Professional Counselors to foresee unintended consequences of new opportunities, protect Professional Counselor Identity and transprofessional collaborations, and remain vigilant to not lose the hard-earned privilege to uniquely serve as Professional Counselors.

The Assessment of Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling Competencies: A Measure to Support Preparation Programs

The Assessment of Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling Competencies (AMCFCC) is an evaluation tool designed to measure marriage, couples, and family counseling trainees’ (MCF-CIT) learning outcomes in essential counseling and specialized competencies. The AMCFCC was developed to align with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards, as well as the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Marriage and Family Therapy Core Competencies (MFT-CC). In this manuscript, we (a) present the need for the development of an AMCFCC; (b) introduce the AMCFCC; and (c) offer implications for preparation programs using the AMCFCC and areas for future research.

Orienting to Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling: Integrating Adventure-Based Counseling Activities into the Classroom

ABSTRACT Marriage, couple, and family counselor (MCFC) educators are often seeking creative and innovative strategies in the classroom to further the understanding of course topics for counselors-in-training (CITs). Adventure-based counseling (ABC) activities are an example of innovative, action-based experiential learning activities that counselor educators can utilize to facilitate engagement, reflection, and contemplation through systemically oriented therapeutic strategies to better understand course content. This article will explore the use of ABC strategies within MCFC classrooms to promote engagement and learning of CITs as it relates to courses topics and content to meet the 2016 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and other Related Educational Program (CACREP) standards.

Online Teaching Self-efficacy of Group Counseling Instructors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many counseling-related programs switched to online teaching modalities. Group counseling instructors may face various challenges in teaching group counseling courses online. With a mixed-method design, this study explored group counseling instructors’ online teaching self-efficacy by collecting survey responses from 39 group counseling instructors and interviewing eight instructors from the programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The instructors demonstrated a general high teaching self-efficacy with concerns about students’ engagement. Facilitating and hindering factors related to online teaching self-efficacy are identified. Implications and recommendations for instructors, counseling-related programs, and the counseling profession are also discussed.

Meaningfulness and selecting clinical mental health counseling as a career: A cross‐sectional pilot study of master's students and recent graduates

AbstractMaster's students and graduates in two Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) clinical mental health counseling programs participated in the Role of Meaningfulness Survey. The results indicated that a sense of meaningfulness and being true to yourself may particularly be important for those who choose a high “burnout profession,” as it can contribute to their resiliency.

Foreign-born Counselor Educators: Strengths, Challenges, and Areas of Support.

This article features strengths and challenges indicated by foreign-born counselor educators in programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. To gain a deeper understanding of this topic, we utilized a convergent parallel mixed methods design with merged quantitative and qualitative findings. Quantitative results indicated that foreign-born faculty (FBF) experienced more strengths in the personal, spiritual, and health domains while facing more challenges in the social, political, and financial domains. In addition, a thematic analysis identified three overarching themes reflecting FBF’s strengths, challenges, areas of support, and the impact of COVID-19: (a) adjustment as a foreign-born individual in the United States, (b) immigration status and procedures, and (c) working as a foreign-born faculty in counselor education. This article presents implications for FBF and stakeholders seeking to support this population, while also suggesting recommendations for future research.

Predicting Students' Spiritual and Religious Competence Based on Supervisor Practices and Institutional Attendance

Counseling students report a lack of competence in spiritual and religious integration (SRI). As such, counselor educators and supervisors (CES) and students want to understand how to develop SRI competence. Although past research highlights SRI dialogue in training, there exists no clear understanding about the role of faculty supervisor SRI on perceived student competence. The supervision models used to inform the study included (a) the integrated developmental model, (b) the discrimination model, and (c) the spirituality in supervision model (SACRED). The purpose of this study is to determine if master’s-level graduate counseling student perceptions of faculty supervisor SRI practices predicts student perceived spiritual competence when considering attendance in faith-based and non-faith-based institutions accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP). A review of existing literature supports the use of a quantitative, cross-sectional design. An online survey was distributed to students (<em>n</em> = 59) in master’s-level CACREP counseling programs, currently in field experience, to measure perceived SRI in supervision and perceived SRI competence. A multiple linear regression reveals a statistically significant predictive relationship between supervisor SRI and perceived student competence as measured by the Spiritual and Religious Competence Assessment and the Spiritual Issues in Supervision Scale. These results inform CES about the importance of SRI and student ability to work with the spiritual and religious beliefs of clients. On this basis, it is recommended that supervisors focus on SRI in supervision. Future research should focus on additional factors related to SRI competence during counselor training.

Sacred Space: Student Supervisees' Experiences of Spiritual Issues

In this phenomenological study, we explored student supervisees’ experiences of spiritual issues during practicum. Six participants from programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs completed a demographic questionnaire and a semistructured interview. Participants reported experiences of internal tension due to spiritual issues and expressed hesitation in discussing spiritual issues with supervisors, prior to seeking resolution through reflecting on their counselor training, engaging in discussion with their supervisor depending on the comfort level in the relationship, and seeking outside support. Recommendations for counselor educators and supervisors are provided.

Healer or Healing? An Exploratory Analysis of Becoming a Counselor

The process of becoming a professional counselor can be long and arduous. It can be fraught with anxiety, ambiguity, and doubt about one’s motivations to pursue such a profession. However, it can also be characterized by hopefulness to grow, heal, and recover from experiences in the life of the student. The current study investigated the early life experiences of counselors-in-training enrolled in a graduate master’s CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) program. The author examined themes from the lives of twenty-four counseling students and how their past experiences were transformative to better prepare them to help others.

Sex is Not a Four-Letter Word: Sexuality Counseling Training for School Counselors

Although sexuality counseling training is not a requirement for Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited Counselor Education programs or for licensure in most states as a professional counselor, there is increasing dialogue taking place among professional counselors regarding the need for additional training in this area. The current article highlights techniques for incorporating and enhancing sexuality counseling training in Counselor Education programs based on the eight CACREP core competencies. After a review of the relevance of sexuality counseling within each area, with attention given to implications for school counselors.

Vicarious Grief in Supervision: Considerations for Doctoral Students Supervising Counselors-in-Training

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about collective experiences of grief; thus, counselors-in-training (CITs) and their doctoral student supervisors may encounter increases in grief-oriented clinical work. In considering how to support CITs’ work with grieving clients, doctoral supervisors should be prepared to help CITs manage experiences of vicarious grief (VG). Given the ubiquity of loss and the limited amount of grief-specific coursework in counselor training, CITs could benefit from exploring their experiences of VG with their doctoral supervisors in clinical supervision—a core area of training for doctoral students enrolled in counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. In this manuscript, we (a) provide an overview of the literature on VG, (b) discuss the potential impact of VG on CITs, (c) present a case study illustrating attention to VG in supervision, and (d) provide practical strategies doctoral supervisors can employ when addressing VG in supervision, drawing on Bernard and Goodyear’s discrimination model.

Competency-based education model: is it appropriate for counselor education?

ABSTRACT Amid evolving needs of students and institutions comes a logical investigation of innovative ways to provide advanced level students with affordable and flexible education. The introduction of COVID-19 has changed the ways in which we have considered the delivery of graduate education. Graduate students with full-time jobs, families, and other obligations deserve alternative ways of attaining advanced degrees. This review will investigate the appropriateness of Competency-based education (CBE) in counselor education programs, and the strengths and limitations it might hold in relation to accreditation requirements by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).

Outcomes of “Integrated Behavioral Health” Training: A Pilot Study

The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of training in integrated behavioral health in the primary care (IPC) setting and evidence-based practices (EBPs) on graduate level clinical mental health counseling students’ knowledge and skills for working with children and youth. This study utilized a mixed method design by recruiting a sample of 12 students from a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited urban ethnically diverse university in the northeastern region of the United States. Quantitative analysis indicated a positive and increased change in knowledge and skills associated with IPC and EBP training to work with children, adolescents, and transitional youths. Thematic analysis of the reflection journals of training yielded the following three categories: increased awareness and knowledge, increased sense of competency, and personal feelings came up after training. The implications for training counselors, counselors educators, and students are discussed.

Mental Health Epigenetics: A Primer With Implications for Counselors

Epigenetics is the study of modifications to gene expression without an alteration to the DNA sequence. Currently there is limited translation of epigenetics to the counseling profession. The purpose of this article is to inform counseling practitioners and counselor educators about the potential role epigenetics plays in mental health. Current mental health epigenetic research supports that adverse psychosocial experiences are associated with mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and addiction. There are also positive epigenetic associations with counseling interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, diet, and exercise. These mental health epigenetic findings have implications for the counseling profession such as engaging in early life span health prevention and wellness, attending to micro and macro environmental influences during assessment and treatment, collaborating with other health professionals in epigenetic research, and incorporating epigenetic findings into counselor education curricula that meet the standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).