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.

KEYWORDS:

• Counseling compact
• counselor licensure
• professional counselor advocacy
• professional counselor identity

Disclosure Statement

We have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

Notes

1. In order to emphasize the distinctiveness and unique value of Professional Counselor Identity, the profession of Counseling and Professional Counselor are capitalized and distinguish from the general activity of counseling, which is not capitalized.