Leadership & Advocacy in Counselor Education

Philosophy of Leadership and Advocacy

Consistent across the history of empirical literature inspecting leadership (what makes a good leader or bad leader, what effects are there on the institution under a good/bad leader, how to promote leadership, etc.) is a common factors association for effective leadership, though there is debate over what exactly those common factors are (Lewis, 2012). Consisting of trait theories (Robbins & Judge, 2010; Zaccaro et al., 1991; Judge et al., 2002), behavioral theories (Robbins & Judge, 2010), contingency theories (Fiedler, 1967), and post-modern theories like leader-member exchange (LMX) theory (Schultz & Schultz, 2007) and charismatic (Conger & Kanungo (1998), transactional, and transformation leadership (Robbins & Judge, 2010), leadership theory has resulted in the proposal of various models. Despite the various models available for guiding leadership and its development, one critique of the discussion has been the identification of a need for a taxonomical approach that also validates the context of an organization and seeks to integrate the dynamic between the leader and their followers into the leadership approach directly (Lewis, 2012). A post-modern taxonomical leadership approach would identify common factors of effective leadership identification and development (consistent with trait and behavioral theories), the necessary interaction between leader and situation (consistent with contingency theories), and use an emphasis of vision dissemination, participative guidance, and emotion, energy and belief (consistent with the post-modern approaches).

While relevant across disciplines, awareness and intentional implementation of a personal philosophy of leadership is integral to the field of professional counseling in its advocacy efforts as well as in the growth of the profession as a whole, both in depth and quality (Lewis, 2012). Additionally, leadership and advocacy represent one of the five doctoral core areas delineated by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP, 2016). In order to demonstrate intentional growth in this core area, the present work seeks to describe the author’s personal leadership approach which will include an identification of key traits, the role of leadership, and the factors that shaped belief in this philosophy. Additionally, a reflection on the etiology of this personal philosophy will be described, foreshadowing an action plan for future leadership endeavors.

Included in this reproduction of various artifacts created and gathered from my doctoral program, as well as reflections on my personal philosophy of leadership and advocacy, and my approach to leadership and advocacy in counselor education and supervision is presented.

V. Leadership and Advocacy

a. Theories and skills of leadership
b. Leadership and leadership development in professional organizations
c. Leadership in counselor education programs
d. Knowledge of accreditation standards and processes
e. Leadership, management, and administration in counseling organizations and other
institutions
f. Leadership roles and strategies for responding to crises and disasters
g. Strategies of leadership in consultation
h. Current topical and political issues in counseling and how those issues affect the daily work
of counselors and the counseling profession
i. Role of counselors and counselor educators advocating on behalf of the profession and
professional identity
j. Models and competencies for advocating for clients at the individual, system, and policy
levels
k. Strategies of leadership in relation to current multicultural and social justice issues
l. Ethical and culturally relevant leadership and advocacy practices 

Artifacts V.a,E - Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Seeking to embody a post-modern taxonomical approach to leadership and advocacy, I resonated with Path-Goal Theory (Lewis, 2012, pp. 26-27), Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory (Lewis, 2012, p. 28), Charismatic, Transactional, and Transformational Leadership (Lewis, 2012, pp. 28-32), and West et al.’s (Lewis, 2012, pp. 33-34) leadership model. Leadership should be based on the mission and vision of the organization as well as the interaction between the leader and those they’re leading. With this focus, the leader can use their own passion, emotion, energy and conviction to both inspire and join those they’re leading towards the goals they mutually discern and manifest. A critique and integration of the above-mentioned theories is presented in the present work to illustrate the key traits and role of leadership I seek to embody personally.

Artifacts V.B,I,K - Spirituality in Professional Counseling

What does spirituality look like in professional counseling? A broad question with a broad answer: it depends. As an essential domain of human experience and our holistic wellness (Ohrt et al., 2019), spirit (or spirituality) and its role in professional counseling is a rapidly burgeoning field of interest to many researchers and counselors in the field of professional counseling. From structured intervention and assessment approaches (Cashwell & Young, 2020) to general guiding philosophy and theoretical orientation (Richards & Bergin, 2005), integrating spirituality into counseling is an ethical obligation for counselors in their professional responsibility (ACA; C.5), as well as in assessment and interpretation (ACA; E.8). With that said, what does it look like? Exploring the personal meaning of this question, Vincent Sears from ASERVIC’s Spirituality in the Field sat down with Selina Ruiz to hear what insight she might offer in her answer to the question of this column.

artifacts V.c,d - Peer Support in a counselor education and supervision (CES) program

Included in this presentation is a rationale for addressing peer mentorship and support with new doctoral students in a CES program, an overview of the benefits of peer mentoring program, how to engage students in peer mentorship, and the development of new peer support resources. Intended to support counselor education students against burnout, isolation, and dropout, the presentation specifically addresses remote and virtual learning, and the how peer support programs can bring inclusion and cohesion to online and distance-based programs.

artifacts V.D,f,g,h,I - Leadership Interview

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) provides various standards for counseling education programs at the masters and doctoral level including guidance related to the educational environment and professional identity development. Specific to doctoral programs, doctoral professional identity development consists of five core areas: 1) Counseling; 2) Supervision; 3) Teaching; 4) Research and Scholarship; and 5) Leadership and Advocacy (CACREP, 2016, 6.B.1-5). In service of addressing these core areas, the doctoral learning environment should foster a greater understanding and appreciation for existing knowledge within the field as well as a respect for the mentoring process between faculty and students in publishing and research interests through leadership and advocacy (6.A.2). Inherent within these core areas and the ways in which the learning environment is structured lies the struggle between emphasizing content versus process and its relevance to professional identity development within counselor training programs (Torres-Rivera et al., 2001).

artifacts V.K,l - Ethics and social justice in leadership and advocacy

Social justice and multiculturalism have been linked in psychotherapy since the early 1970s (Hook et al., 2017; Sue, 1977), and in psychoanalysis since the turn of the twentieth century (Tummala-Narra, 2016). Since then, there have been iterations of competencies and guidelines pointed at the intersection of these two fundamental concepts such as the Multicultural Counseling Competency (MCC), created by request of the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) because of the growing diversity in the normative population, the lack of any standardized guidelines for a competent address of these issues in therapy, and the resounding critique of psychotherapy’s monocultural understanding of where pathology and/or dysfunction come from (Sue, et al., 1992; Sue, 2004; Chung & Bemak, 2012; Hook et al., 2017; Tummala-Narra, 2016). In 2015, social justice and multiculturalism were formally linked in competency expectations by the Multicultural Counseling Competencies Revisions Committee (MCCRC) who revised the original MCC into the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC) that would be adopted by the American Counseling Association (ACA) as a standard of practice and an ethical imperative for counselors (ACA, 2014). It is therefore arbitrary to separate social justice from multiculturalism as the concept of intersectionality was added to the revised framework to highlight the ways in which multiple social identities (multicultural issues) are interconnected and correlated with access to resources and thus power, privilege and oppression (social justice issues; Ratts et al., 2015; Hook et al., 2017).

Assuming the conceptual wedding of social justice and multiculturalism, though preceding and anticipating the empirical formalization, Lee (2007) sought to assist clinicians in the introspection and self-assessment necessary to bring the type of awareness originally described in the MCC that were expanded in the creation of MSJCC (Table 1 illustrates the original core areas of MCC and the revised expansion of the MSJCC) by developing a five step personal action plan that would result in greater awareness and competence in understanding social justice and multiculturalism. Utilizing Lee’s five steps (See Table 2), the present work seeks to illustrate the author’s personal consideration and application of these steps. Intended throughout, the empirically relevant shift away from multicultural competence towards cultural humility (Hook et al., 2017) will be reflected and specific consideration will be given to the implications this shift has for the larger conversation of the present work.

artifacts V.D,I,J - Professional advocacy

Throughout their text, Chang et al. (2012) inseparably link professional advocacy and professional identity, both of which encompass the counselor's commitment to the health and wellness of their clients as well as themselves; to put it simply, in professional counseling there is no identity without advocacy and there is no advocacy without identity. Without a unified identity, professional counselors are left with ambiguous self identifications, making it difficult to find community, distinguish themselves from other helping professions and properly introduce themselves to the public, policy makers and stakeholders. Similarly, without advocacy, our "right" (p. 81) to assist and work with various populations/issues may be jeopardized by other professions and their stakeholders (Chang et al., 2012); professional advocacy goes hand in hand with client advocacy and the right professional counselors have to work in mental health. To understand the implications, significance and importance of professional counselors in the field of mental health work, it's important to have a common understanding of the meaning of both identity and advocacy.

The American Counseling Association (ACA; 2004/2021) defines professional counseling as "the application of mental health, psychological, or human development principles, through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systematic intervention strategies, that address wellness, personal growth, or career development, as well as pathology" (para. 1). Congruently, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP; 2009), defines advocacy as "action taken on behalf of clients or the counseling profession to support appropriate policies and standards for the profession; promote individual human worth, dignity, and potential; and oppose or work to change policies and procedures, systemic barriers, long-standing traditions, and preconceived notions that stifle human development" (p. 65). In these two definitions, professional counselors are emboldened to take seriously their strengths and novel additions to the field of psychotherapy in advocating for the profession as a whole as well as how to understand, treat and graduate clients to greater wellness goals through their resolution of past trauma, intra-/interpersonal conflict and maladaptive coping strategies. Because of our emphasis on promoting and constantly seeking client wellness (as apposed to the remedy of their mental illness), professional counselors stand among few as a profession who's foundational commitment to one another and their clients rests on human flourishing and absolute wellness.

Without identity, professional counselors are less equipped if not entirely incapable of establishing ourselves as this exceedingly strong profession with our novel convictions in the field of psychotherapy; without advocacy, we are unable to share our unified identity with those we seek to treat and partner with. Advocacy and identity do and must go hand in hand - without one, there is no other.

Leadership and advocacy has been central to the identity development process for counselor education students and our profession as whole. In a discussion post during my doctoral program, I reflected on the various leadership organizations in counselor preparation and supervision directly.

Reflections

Throughout my doctoral experience, my engagement with key professional organizations such as the American Counseling Association (ACA; ID No. 6534776) and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) has significantly deepened. This involvement has not only expanded my professional network but also enriched my understanding and application of cutting-edge counseling theories and practices. My active participation and presentation at several ACA conferences and my publications in esteemed journals have been instrumental in shaping my leadership and scholarly contributions to the field.

In parallel, my professional counseling career has been marked by a strong commitment to advocacy, particularly for marginalized communities. This dedication is exemplified in the founding and operation of Beyond Healing Center & Institute, a therapy and counseling clinic and training institute that collaborates with local advocacy organizations. A noteworthy partnership has been with The GLO Center, an LGBTQIA+ community engagement and advocacy organization. Through this collaboration, Beyond Healing has not only provided therapeutic services to individuals served by The GLO Center but also training opportunities for their staff and volunteers, reinforcing our commitment to holistic wellness and community support.

These experiences have profoundly influenced my identity as a counselor educator. They have allowed me to integrate real-world advocacy with academic and clinical education, fostering a learning environment that is both inclusive and pragmatic. This integration ensures that the training and development of new counselors are grounded in actual community needs and holistic approaches, which consider the entire spectrum of human experience—mind, body, emotion, cognition, and spirit.

As a leader in professional counseling and counselor education, I advocate for a holistic wellness approach that does not lose sight of the interconnectedness of the human condition. This perspective is crucial not only in therapeutic settings but also in educational strategies that prepare future counselors. By emphasizing holistic wellness, we provide a framework through which students and professionals can assess and improve their own practices and leadership abilities. It also offers a rich evaluative backdrop to consider our advocacy efforts and their impact, ensuring they are comprehensive and deeply integrated.

Integrating diverse theoretical orientations, including faith-based and non-faith-based perspectives, enhances the accessibility and relevance of our counseling practices. It allows us to create a more welcoming and understanding environment where all individuals—regardless of their background—feel recognized, attuned to, and connected with. This comprehensive approach not only shapes effective practitioners but also leaders who are capable of bridging gaps in care and education, thereby advancing the counseling profession and its contributions to society. Through these endeavors, I continue to evolve my counselor educator identity, striving to embody the values of inclusivity, advocacy, and holistic wellness in all aspects of my professional life.

references

American Counseling Association (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.

Cashwell, C. S., & Young, J. S. (2020). Integrating spirituality and religion into counseling: A guide to competent practice (3rd ed.). American Counseling Association.

Chang, C. Y., Minton, C. A. B., Dixon, A. L., Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2012). Professional counseling excellence through leadership and advocacy. Routledge.

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Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. (2015). The 2016 CACREP standards. http://www.cacrep.org/for-programs/2016-cacrep-standards/

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Lee, C. C. (2007). Social justice: A moral imperative for counselors (ACAPCD-07). American Counseling Association.

Lewis, T. F. (2012). Foundations of leadership: Theory, philosophy, and research. In Chang, C. Y., Barrio Minton, C. A., Dixon, A. L., Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (Ed.), Professional counseling excellence through leadership and advocacy (pp. 21-40). Routledge.

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