The APA dictionary defines a counselor as “an individual professionally trained in counseling, psychology, social work, or nursing who specializes in one or more counseling areas, such as vocational, rehabilitation, educational, substance abuse, marriage, relationship, or family counseling. A counselor provides professional evaluations, information, and suggestions designed to enhance the client’s ability to solve problems, make decisions, and effect desired changes in attitude and behavior.”

Counseling has a critical role in enhancing a person’s mental and emotional health and well-being by providing guidance and support in managing stressors. Counseling offers a safe space for self-exploration, and helps teach emotional and behavioral regulation. The purpose of counseling extends to many areas such as stress management, relationship repair, trauma recovery, and many more avenues.

Counselors must inform clients about elements such as the purpose, goals, techniques, risks/benefits of counseling, the counselor’s credentials and experience, practical information about billing and office policies, what will happen if the counselor is incapacitated, how technology will be used, and any other pieces of pertinent information.

Counselors must communicate in a manner that is developmentally and culturally appropriate, striving to be clear in all communication. Counselors should involved translators when language barriers are known.

Regarding minors or incapacitated clients, the ACA suggests the following: “When counseling minors, incapacitated adults, or other persons unable to give voluntary consent, counselors seek the assent of clients to services and include them in decision making as appropriate. Counselors recognize the need to balance the ethical rights of clients to make choices, their capacity to give consent or assent to receive services, and parental or familial legal rights and responsibilities to protect these clients and make decisions on their behalf.”

The supervisor provides clinical support and mentoring. They review client cases, assist in treatment planning, and offer feedback. The supervisor helps the counselor associate improve therapeutic skills to assure quality care.

Supervisors ensure ethical and professional standards are maintained regarding overall conduct, boundaries, confidentiality, and record keeping.

Supervisors support and model ongoing personal and professional development, and assist associates in setting goals for continuing education.

The supervisor provides quality feedback and evaluation while identifying strengths and challenges.

The supervisor promotes self-awareness and encourages associates to think critically and constructively.

The supervisor is ultimately responsible for making sure that the associate provides ethical and appropriate care.

Supervisors manage supervisor/associate boundaries appropriately.

Supervisors serve as gatekeepers for the profession by continually assessing competence, ensuring ethical decision making, and identifying areas for improvement.

The ACA Code of Ethics also states that "In addition, counselors engage in self-care activities to maintain and promote their own emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being to best meet their professional responsibilities (American Counseling Association, 2014).

A recent article discusses the need for mental health clinicians to take care of themselves, and states it beautifully in the following excerpt- “Self-care is not a luxury but is a clinical and ethical imperative in the mental health professions and so it is important to understand the potential effectiveness of various forms of self-care practice (Posluns & Gall, 2020).

1. Counselor self-awareness

2. Client worldview

3. Counseling relationship

4. Counseling and advocacy interventions

Avoid Harm: Counselors should avoid dual relationships that could impair their objectivity or cause harm to the client.

Informed Consent: Counselors must discuss any potential dual relationships with clients and ensure they are fully informed.

 Professional Boundaries: Counselors need to establish clear boundaries in dual relationships and take steps to manage any conflicts that arise.

 Exploitation Prevention: Counselors must avoid any form of exploitation or personal gain from the counseling relationship.

  Competence:

• Counselors should only provide services only within their area of competence.

  • Competence generally indicates specific training, supervision, and experience in a specialty area

• Ongoing professional development and training are critical.

• Counselors should seek supervision or consultation when needed.

• Referral to another professional may be necessary if the counselor is not competent in a certain area.

  Self-Awareness:

• Counselors must recognize how their personal values, biases, and emotional states affect their professional work.

Self-reflection and ongoing self-awareness practices are crucial to ethical and competent counseling.

Some frequently encountered barriers to mental health services include issues with Medicare/Medicaid, inadequate funding for school counselors, a lack of public knowledge about the counseling professions, a lack of licensure portability, and the rising cost of graduate education.

Entities that are actively involved in advocacy for the counseling profession are the ACA, the NBCC, state organizations and branches, and Chi Sigma Iota (ACA Advocacy Task Force, 2020).