Professional Information

The American Counseling Association (ACA) is the professional organization most related to program activities. The Divisions of ACA that most typify the professional identity of Counselor Education graduates include: Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), National Career Development Association (NCDA), American School Counselor Association (ASCA), Association for Assessment in Counseling and Development (AACD), National Employment Counselors Association (NECA), Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW), and American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). In addition, a number of faculty and students are members of American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and the American Psychological Association (APA).

American Counseling Association (ACA)

LITERATURE: Journal of  Counseling and Development, Counseling Today, and discounted publications

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  State licensure/certification information, convention, state chapters, continuing ed.

OTHER BENEFITS:  Liability insurance, on-line resources, career site

ACA Membership:

• Professional
• New/Student/Retired
• On-line membership form available at: http://www.counseling.org

American School Counseling Association (ASCA)

LITERATURE:  Professional School Counseling Journal, ASCA School Counselor Magazine, and discounted publications

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Leadership training, advocacy, public policy, convention, state chapters

OTHER BENEFITS:  Liability insurance, targeted listservs, on-line directory

ASCA Membership:

• Professional
• Students/Retired
• On-line membership form available at: http://www.schoolcounselor.org

Association for Counselor Education and Supervision

LITERATURE:  Counselor Education and Supervision; Newsletter

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Yearly conventions, regional organizations

ACES Membership:

• Regular
• New/Student/Retired
• On-line membership form available at: http://www.acesonline.net

American College Counseling Association (ACCA)

LITERATURE:  Journal of College Counseling; Visions (ACCA Newsletter)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Leadership opportunities, listserv, continuing education, convention

ACCA Membership:

• Professional
• Student
• On-line membership form available at: http://www.collegecounseling.org  

American Specialists in Group Work (ASGW)

LITERATURE:  The Journal for Specialists in Group Work; Newsletter, Resource Lists

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Convention, continuing education, regional divisions

ASGW Membership:

• Professional
• New Professional/Student/Retired
• On-line membership form available at: www.asgw.org  

American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)

LITERATURE:  The Journal of Mental Health Counseling, The Advocate, and discounted publications

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  National directory, convention, state chapters, continuing education

OTHER BENEFITS:  Medicaire and managed care consultants, insurance

AMHCA Membership:

• Clinical/Regular
• Student/Associate
• Retired
• On-line membership available at: http://www.amhca.org

Association for Assessment in Counseling (AAC)

LITERATURE:  Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, Newsnotes, on-line assessment journals and libraries, ERIC and ERIC/CASS resources

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Leadership opportunities

OTHER BENEFITS:  Liability insurance

AAC Membership:

• Professional
• New Profess/Student/Ret
• Check on-line membership link at: http://aac.ncat.edu

American Educational Research Association (AERA)

LITERATURE:  Educational Researcher, Review of Research in Education, on-line articles and other publications

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Annual meeting, separate divisions, research training sessions

AERA Membership:

• Active/Assoc/International
• Student
• On-line membership form available at:  http://www.aera.net

National Career Development Association (NCDA)

LITERATURE:  Career Development Quarterly; Career Developments, and other discounted publications

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Annual conference, professional development, institutes, networking opportunities

OTHER BENEFITS:  Liability insurance, professional recognition

NCDA Membership: 

• Regular
• Retired
• Student
• On-line membership form available at: http://ncda.org