April is Counseling Awareness Month

Each April, the American Counseling Association sponsors Counseling Awareness Month. There are over 41,000 members of the American Counseling Association and they use this awareness campaign to educate the nation on the importance of counselors. The American Counseling Association is the largest organizations of professional counselors worldwide and they have been around since 1952.

Counseling Awareness Month was also created to show recognition and advocacy for those in the counseling profession. Counseling helps contribute to the growth and development of individuals and helping them to achieve their full potential in life.

According to the American Counseling Association, there are more than 600,000 counselors nationwide who work in many human service settings. These include agencies, schools, private practices, organizations, personal and health care delivery systems and other related settings. The counselors in these settings work with people of all age groups, from young children to senior citizens. Counselors not only work with individuals, they also work with groups, families and companies or systems who are experiencing long-term problems.

Counselors work alongside psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, and other helping professionals. Professional counselors are licensed or certified within the state where they work. They also must be certified by either the National Board for Certified Counselors, the National Academy for Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselors, or the Commission on Rehabilitation Counseling Certification. The ACA defines counseling as "the development and the prevention of serious mental health problems through education and short-term treatment." The emphasis of counseling is on growth and remediation.

The American Counseling Association promotes Counseling Awareness Month in different ways. One way they educate the public on the importance of counseling is through school settings. The ACA recommends a "Meet the Counselor" event that is similar to a parent-teacher conference where parents can meet and discuss the roles of a counselor in their child's life. The counselor is to focus on some major points in this event by explaining to the parents who they are, what their role is, how their children can access the counselor and the needs a counselor can serve.

For counselors in other arenas, such as public health and social service settings, presentations can be made at the meetings where the public is invited to attend. The ACA recommends delivering a short message or a small presentation on the importance of the counselor's role within the facility.

Counseling Awareness Month is also promoted throughout several media outlets, on the Internet, in newspapers and throughout local communities. If you would like to become actively involved with promoting Counseling Awareness Month, visit the ACA website for participating instructions.