The Sexual Identity Timeline: A Reflection Tool for Developing Competence in Counseling

ABSTRACT

Greater attention to sexual identity development from an inclusive and affirmative perspective must be incorporated into counselor education training. Counselors are well positioned to address issues related to human sexuality; however, without reflection across the spectrum of sexuality-related issues, counselors may rely on personal bias, or they may choose to avoid the topic altogether. In order to adequately train counselors, it is important to identify learning activities that counselor educators can utilize. Given the significance of sexuality across the lifespan, we propose that counselor educators actively guide their students through reflection about their own sexual identity development. This article presents the Sexual Identity Timeline (SIT) as a reflective learning activity to incorporate into the counseling curriculum.

KEYWORDS:

• Awareness
• competency
• counselor education
• creativity in counseling
• reflection
• sexuality

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Angela McDonald

Angela McDonald is the Associate Dean and an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Pembroke, North Carolina.

Kathryn C. Kelly

Kathryn C. Kelly is a Counselor at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Pembroke, North Carolina.

Kylie P. Dotson-Blake

Kylie P. Dotson-Blake is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.