Promoting Relational Competencies in Counselor Education Through Creativity and Relational-Cultural Theory

Abstract

This article addresses the need to identify requisite relational competencies that professionals providing creative and innovative counseling services must hold when facilitating responsible, growth-fostering connections between service providers and others. This article also includes a discussion on how the relationally responsible use of power must be included in any forum that examines relational dynamics and competencies. Although subsequent writings will discuss creativity-related competencies in greater depth, the focus of this paper rests on some relational challenges that students and professionals in the counseling and related fields face and on the need to identify relational competencies that can facilitate successful resolution of these challenges.

Key Words:

• Creativity
• relational competencies
• counseling
• counselor education
• relational-cultural theory