Summary and Reflections

Summary and Reflections

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ACA Advocacy Competencies:
Social Justice Advocacy at the
Client/Student Level
Manivong J. Ratts and A. Michael Hutchins
There is a rise in calls for counselors to be advocates for social justice. Counselors can meet the growing need to expand their roles
to include advocacy by using the ACA (American Counseling Association) Advocacy Competencies (J. A. Lewis, M. S. Arnold, R.
House, & R. L. Toporek, 2002). This article operationalizes the client/student level of the competencies and explores implications for
the profession.
There is a growing movement calling on counselors to implement social justice advocacy strategies and interventions
into counseling practices (Kiselica & Robinson, 2001; Ratts,
D’Andrea, & Arredondo, 2004; Toporek, Gerstein, Fouad,
Roysircar, & Israel, 2006). Calls for counseling professionals to be change agents and advocates for social justice are
reflected in the school counseling (Bemak & Chung, 2005;
House, 2004; Stone & Dahir, 2006), critical psychology (Fox &
Prilleltensky, 1997; Prilleltensky& Nelson, 1997;Prilleltensky
& Prilleltensky, 2003), and feminist and multicultural counseling literature (Goodman et al., 2004). The need to make social
justice advocacy a clearer presence in the field, and reconnect
the profession with its roots, is primarily fueled by a desire to
more adequately address systems of oppression that negatively
afl^ect client/student development (Lee, 2007). The belief is that
helping professionals can no longer operate solely fi-om the
comfort of their offices if they wish to better serve their constituencies. This perspective is echoed by Goodman et al. (2004),
who added that “unless fundamental change occurs within our
neighborhoods, schools, media, culture, and religious, political,
and social institutions, our work with individuals is destined to
be, at best, only partially successful” (p. 797). For this reason,
counselors need to expand their roles to include social justice
advocacy (Lee & Walz, 1998). This may be accomplished by
using the ACA (American Counseling Association) Advocacy
Competencies (Lewis, Arnold, House, & Toporek, 2002) as
a framework for executing social justice advocacy strategies
(Ratts, DeKruyf, & Chen-Hayes, 2007).
As part of this special section, this article provides a conceptual fi-amework for how the client/student level of the Advocacy
Competencies can meet the growing demand for counselors to
be change agents and advocates for “a just and humane world”
(Seattle University, n.d., para. 1). Specifically, this article illustrates the importance of the Advocacy Competencies, provides
an overview of the three levels inherent within the Advocacy
Competencies, and demonstrates how to operationalize the client/student level of the Advocacy Competencies. Implications
for the profession are also discussed.
•Rationale
Several reasons exist regarding the need to infuse the Advocacy
Competencies into counseling practice. One reason is related to
the prevalence of oppression in society and the negative impact
it has on human development. To illustrate, Jacobs (1994) asserted that environmental factors such as generational poverty
can often lead to increased depression, low self-esteem, and a
lack of educational and career opportunities. Similarly, House
and Martin (1998) have attributed oppressive social, political,
and economic conditions to poor academic achievement for
students of color and students fi^om low-income families in
K—12 schools. These kinds of inequities signify the need for
counseling professionals to make a more concerted effort at
addressing environmental factors that serve as barriers to academic, career, and personal/social development.
Second, use of the Advocacy Competencies seems critical given Prilleltensky’s (1994) argument that the counseling
profession has a tendency to “attribute excessive weight to
individual factors, such as genetic or psychological constitution, in explaining individual and/or social behavior” (p. 39).
Relying solely on direct counseling to address client/student
problems, while minimizing the influence of the social milieu,
may be limiting at best. The rationale is that sometimes it is the
system that needs to change and not the individual (Goodman
et al., 2004). The need for counseling professionals to include
advocacy in their work is especially important in light of Hardiman and Jackson’s (1982) assertion that oppression manifests
itself at the individual (e.g., stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination), social/cultural (e.g., societal norms and values),
and institutional levels (e.g., rules and policies). The Advocacy
Competencies speak to this concern because they encourage
counselors to use counseling interventions and strategies that
take place on multiple levels (Rubel & Ratts, 2007).
Third, despite the need for counselors to operate from a
social justice advocacy paradigm, the counseling profession
has failed to bring clarity on how to put social justice into
practice (Field & Baker, 2004; Nilsson & Schmidt, 2005).
Manivong J. Ratts, Department of Counseling and School Psychology, Seattle University; A. Michael Hutchins, private
practice, Tucson, Arizona. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Manivong J. Ratts, Department of
Counseling and School Psychology, College of Education, Seattle University, Loyola 217, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
(e-mail: vong@seattleu.edu).
© 2009 by the American Counseling Association. All rights reserved.
Journal ofCounseling& Development • Summer 2009 • Volume 87 269
Ratts & Hutchins
Up to this point, social justice has been a rather abstract,
philosophical, and theoretical concept in the counseling literature. The Advocacy Competencies have been instrumental
in moving the social justice advocacy movement forward
(Ratts, 2006), Development of the Advocacy Competencies
is timely because they offer counselors a tangible fi-amework
to implement social justice advocacy strategies. Moreover,
the Advocacy Competencies offer counselors a means for
determining when certain situations call for direct interventions, advocacy with or on behalf of an individual, and when
interventions call for microlevel and macrolevel approaches.
Interventions that focus on both direct and indirect care are
important because they acknowledge the complex interplay
between individuals and their environment,
•Th e Advocacy Competencies
The Advocacy Competencies include three levels of advocacy:
client/student, school/community, and public arena (Lewis
et al., 2002). Each level of advocacy contains two domains
that emphasize advocacy with and advocacy on behalf of an
individual. The client/student level of advocacy involves using
direct counseling to empower individuals and providing advocacy at the individual level. The school/community level of
advocacy emphasizes community collaboration and systems
advocacy. The public arena level of advocacy is concerned
with informing the public about systemic barriers that affect
human development and how helping professionals can shape
public policy. It is also important to mention that working
within one level of the Advocacy Competencies will often
require counselors to engage in other levels of advocacy,
•Client/Student Level of Advocacy
The client/student advocacy level occurs on an individual
scale. This level of advocacy includes the client/student
empowerment and client/student advocacy domains. At this
level, counselors recognize when sociopolitical forces negatively affect human development and act accordingly. Within
direct counseling, counselors use empowerment strategies to
help people understand their lives in context. Counselors also
serve as advocates who help remove barriers that contribute to
psychological stress and disorders. Advocacy can occur with
the individual and/or on behalf of the individual,
Client/Student Empowerment: Advocacy With
The client/student empowerment domain involves advocacy with
the individual. Within this domain, advocacy efforts are focused
on empowering those who are marginalized in society. Empowerment may include the following: identifying client/student
strengths, recognizing the impact sociopolitical forces have
on human development, assessing for internalized oppression,
helping individuals understand their lives in context, facilitating
the development of self-advocacy skills, and collaborating with
individuals to develop and implement a self-advocacy plan of
action (Lewis et al., 2002), These empowerment strategies allow
individuals to find their voice, which, in turn, creates a new sense
of awareness (Worell & Remer, 2003), Friere (1993) referred to
this process as conscientizacao, or critical consciousness. Individuals from marginalized communities who recognize their lives
in context begin to understand how their plight is largely rooted
in social, political, and economic conditions. Problems, which
may have initially been internalized, are now viewed as being a
result of living in an oppressive society. This realization forms
the foundation for self-advocacy (Adams, Bell, & Griflfin, 2007;
Goodman et al,, 2004; Ivey & Collins, 2003),
The process of empowering individuals can also move them
to a place of action (Vera & Speight, 2003). For this reason,
it is important to assess whether clients/students possess the
self-advocacy skills necessary to successfully navigate their
environment. For instance, school counselors can empower
students by providing guidance lessons on conñict management skills. Similarly, mental health practitioners can help
victims of domestic violence develop skills that will empower
them to break the cycle of abuse,
Client/Student Advocacy: Advocacy on Behalf
Advocating on behalf of individuals is also part of advocacy at the
client/student level. Counselors are in ideal positions to advocate
on behalf of those they serve because of their training. Specifically, counselors are trained to understand life span development
issues, to demonstrate multicultural and social justice competence, and to be systems change agents; they also possess the
technology and research skills required to eñect change (House
& Sears, 2002; Kiselica & Robinson, 2001 ; Sue, Arredondo, &
McDavis, 1992), These advocacy skills are necessary to promote
the social, psychological, and physical well-being of individuals,
families, communities, and organizations.
Counselors who advocate on behalf of those they serve are
often in the role of a consultant (Dinkmeyer & Carlson, 2006).
As consultants, counselors are called on to move beyond officebound interventions to advocate for such resources as education,
health care, and employment opportunities. The need to advocate
on behalf of others seems especially important for individuals
who lack access to needed services or resources. Advocacy
on behalf of individuals may take the shape of negotiating for
relevant services, helping individuals gain access to resources,
identifying barriers, initiating a plan to confi-ont these barriers,
recognizing potential allies, and carrying out the plan of action
(Lewis et al,, 2002), For school counselors, such advocacy could
involve consulting with a teacher on how to address homophobic
comments made by students in a class. Having a school counselor
as an ally in this situation creates a safe learning environment,
prevents mental health problems, and contributes to the academic
success of all students (Kosciw & Diaz, 2006),
•Operationalizing the Client/Student
Level of Advocacy
This section provides a case study demonstrating how counselors might operationalize the client/student level of the
270 Journalof Counseling & Development a Summer 2009 • Volume 87
ACA Advocacy Competencies: Social Justice Advocacy at the Client/Student Level
Advocacy Competencies. The interventions and strategies
offered are drawn from our experiences as well as those of
other counselors and counseling interns.
The Guerreros are a fictional family of five who live in
Tucson, Arizona. Anna and Javier, the parents, immigrated
illegally to the United States from Mexico. They do not speak
English. They have three children who were bom in the United
States and are fiuent in both Spanish and English. Cisco, their
eldest child, is a 16-year-old male sophomore at an underfiinded
public high school. Their other two children, Maria and Lisette,
are young girls in the first and third grades, respectively. Since
arriving in the United States, both parents have been working
for minimum wage. Their employers, however, do not provide
health insurance or retirement benefits. The income they earn
is barely enough to support the family as well as other family
members in Mexico. They had been a relatively happy family
until Javier was laid off from work. To make ends meet, the
family moved in with Anna’s cousins. It has been difficult for
Javier to find employment because he is not a U.S. citizen. Nor
does he possess a green card or work visa. As a result, he has
begun to develop symptoms of depression because he cannot
financially support his family. In turn, this situation has led
Javier to begin drinking heavily and become abusive toward
his wife and children. As the primary breadwinner, Anna has
struggled to balance work and family obligations. She works
two jobs and is also responsible for the household chores. Anna
finds herself constantly tired, lacking sleep, developing ulcerlike symptoms, and experiencing feelings of guilt for not being
able to spend more time with her children. The gender role
reversal has caused tension in the relationship between Anna
and Javier. As the husband, Javier feels inadequate because he
has been unable to provide for the family. In addition, Cisco,
their eldest child, has taken a job working full time at the local
mall after school. As a consequence, his grades have slipped.
He has missed assignments, is often absent from school, and
has become easily agitated at home and school. Cisco is in
danger of failing his sophomore year. To further complicate
matters, Cisco has failed his first attempt at a statewide test that
is required for high school graduation. Previously, he had been
a B-average student. He even played on the school’s baseball
team. Nonetheless, Cisco’s baseball coach kicked him off the
team because he missed too many practices. Cisco had originally hoped that baseball would be his “ticket” to college and
out of poverty. His teachers have tried to be supportive by giving
him extensions. Cisco has been unable, however, to complete
his assignments because of a lack of time and motivation. His
English teacher also reports that Cisco has begun to become
withdrawn in classes when he is in attendance. As a result, she
refers him to the high school counselor. Cisco’s younger sisters
are holding their own academically but are having difficulty
in social situations and have been referred for counseling. To
further complicate matters, Arizona has a state law making it
difficult for counselors to provide services for individuals who
do not speak English and/or who are considered undocumented
immigrants by the federal government.
The aforementioned case study illustrates the complexity
of the immigrant experience for Mexican Americans in the
United States. In particular, it demonstrates how sociopolitical factors such as poverty, racism, sexism, and oppressive
immigration policies can be barriers to academic, career, and
personal/social development. Moreover, this case illustration
speaks to the need for counselors to focus their interventions
on empowerment and individual advocacy. What follows are
examples of how the 13 competency areas inherent within
the client/student level of the Advocacy Competencies can be
used as a guide to empower the Guerrero family.
Client/Student Empowerment
Identify strengths and resources of clients and students. According to Goodman et al. (2004), one of the primary goals
of social justice counseling is to “identify client’s strengths,
skills, and talents and to help them recognize themselves as
competent, powerful individuals with the capacity to enact
solutions to problems” (pp. 805-806). Acknowledging
people’s strengths and capacity to deal with adversity is a
central tenet of feminist therapy and multicultural counseling
(Goodman et al., 2004). With this in mind, it is important to
call attention to the Guerrero family’s resilience, courage,
and ability to survive in a country that tends to marginalize
Mexican immigrants. Recognizing the children’s ability to
successfully acculturate to the United States also acknowledges their strengths and speaks to their ability to learn a new
culture. Collaborating with teachers, extended family, and
Latino/a-based agencies and community leaders can also offer additional sources of support for the Guerrero family.
Identify the social, political, economic, and cultural factors that affect the client/student. Helping people understand
their lives in the context of living in an oppressive society is
an important advocacy skill. The belief is that mental health
problems are sometimes rooted in the environment (Lewis,
Lewis, Daniels, & D’Andrea, 2003). This possibility is particularly true for those from marginalized communities who
are apt to internalize their oppression and blame themselves
for their plight (Hardiman, Jackson, & Griffin, 2007; Ivey &
Collins, 2003). For this reason, it is important to demonstrate
how discriminatory immigration laws reinforce bias and create barriers for the Guerrero family in employment, housing,
education, and health care services. Helping the Guerrero
family understand their lives in context also allows them to
externalize their problems.
Recognize the signs indicating that an individual’s behaviors and concerns reflect responses to systemic or internalized
oppression. Oppression is an external phenomenon that has
negative internal effects on the human psyche (Fanon, 1968;
Miller, 1976). Individuals from marginalized communities
can sometimes internalize the oppression they experience
to the point where they begin to believe that they are the
problem (Adams et al., 2007). Internalized oppression can
lead to low self-esteem, drug and alcohol abuse, relationship
problems, and unemployment (Harro, 2000). For example.
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Ratts & Hutchins
Javier’s changing moods and behavior may be a result of the
inequities in employment conditions often experienced by
individuals from working-class backgrounds. Not being the
primary breadwirmer may also contribute to Javier’s depression and abusive behaviors. Likewise, Arma’s role as head
of household may present additional stress and contribute to
medical problems. The children also seem to display symptoms of internalized oppression. Cisco is failing academically
and does not seem to be motivated in school. His sisters have
developed symptoms of low self-esteem. All these problems
can be attributed to systemic and internalized oppression. In
this situation, using narrative therapy may be helpful. Narrative therapy can be empowering in that it allows individual
family members to reconstruct their stories and reshape their
lives (Morgan, 2000; Winslade & Monk, 1998).
At an appropriate development level, help the individual
identify the external barriers that affect his or her development. According to Lundy (2004), “there is a direct connection between people’s economic and social position in society
and their emotional and physical health” (p. 131). In other
words, academic, career, and personal/social problems cannot
always be understood by examining the inner world of the
individual. External variables such as oppression can create
barriers in people’s lives (Adams et al., 2000). It is essential
that counselors help clients/students connect the personal
with the structural. This connection allows clients/students
to better understand their situation, and it also prevents them
from blaming themselves for their predicament (Friere, 1993).
To demonstrate, using cognitive restructuring techniques can
help members of the Guerrero family reframe their problems
and recognize how their problems may be rooted in the
environment. For Javier, connecting the personal with the
structural means helping him understand how discriminatory
immigration policies affect his mental health. With Anna, it
could mean helping her understand the dynamics of racism,
sexism, and classism and their impact on her psychological
state of mind.
Train students and clients in self-advocacy skills. Simply
helping individuals understand their lives in context may not
be enough. A critical aspect of counseling involves assessing
whether individuals possess the skills necessary to advocate
for themselves (Goodman et al., 2004). Helping individuals develop self-advocacy skills is accomplished through
a mutually collaborative process that is informed by the
Multicultural Counseling Competencies developed by Sue
et al. (1992). For instance, Javier and Anna can be taught
culturally congruent conflict resolution and decision-making
skills. Encouraging them to learn English through the local
community college or other community-based programs,
suggesting that they participate in church and community
organizations that work for the rights of undocumented immigrants, and helping them become U.S. citizens will also
lead to opportunities in the future. Developing psychoeducational programs and enrolling the children in age-appropriate
support groups, which focus on building self-esteem and
understanding differences, would also be relevant.
Help students and clients develop self-advocacy action
plans. Counselors also need to be involved in the facilitation
and design of a plan of action. These plans need to be realistic,
culturally appropriate, and meaningful for the client/student.
Counselors can collaborate with the Guerrero family in
developing priorities and action plans for resolving conflict.
Such a plan may include helping the family move out of generational poverty. For example, counselors can assist Javier
in developing a realistic action plan to ñnd employment. In
addition, using the Gestalt empty chair technique with Cisco
might also be a good way for him to practice how he might
communicate with his teachers. Practicing ways to talk with
his teachers can lead to the development of a plan of action.
Exploring ways Maria and Lisette can develop friends at
school and laying out how this action plan can come to fruition are also important.
Assist students and clients in carrying out action plans.
Individual advocacy also entails providing clients/students
with guidance and support as they carry out a plan of action.
Such advocacy involves providing encouragement and hope
and helping clients/students develop realistic, attainable, and
measurable goals. It is important to also check in with clients/
students on a regular basis to explore their progress toward
mutually identifled objectives. As an example, Javier may need
help in identifying an appropriate substance abuse program.
Assisting Anna with balancing work and family constraints
and connecting the children with community-based activities
that bolster their sense of identity are also crucial.
Client/Student Advocacy
Negotiate relevant services and education systems on behalf
of clients and students. Advocacy at the individual level also
involves using one’s position to negotiate for relevant services
on behalf of clients/students. The need to advocate on behalf of
clients/students is especially important when individuals lack
access to needed resources or when they are not in a position
where they can advocate for themselves (Lee, 1998). In this
role, the counselor serves as a consultant who helps to facilitate change. Effectively advocating on behalf of client/students
requires patience, an understanding of established systems and
resources, and the ability to use relationship-building skills
when consulting with community members (Ponzo, 1974).
As consultants, counselors can connect the Guerrero family
with community groups that provide support for immigrant
families. If there are no such groups available, counselors,
with the assistance of community decision makers, should
initiate such groups. An example could be working with the
12-step community to ensure that Spanish-speaking groups
exist within the area. Advocating for the children can also be
accomplished by collaborating with their teachers, coaches,
and employers to ensure that appropriate services and support
are being met.
272 Journal ofCounseling& Development • Summer 2009 • Volume 87
ACA Advocacy Competencies: Social Justice Advocacy at the Ciient/Student Levei
Help clients and students gain access to needed resources.
Often, counselors work in interdisciplinary teams and with
other human service professionals. The networking and relationships developed through these partnerships put counselors
in the know about vital community resources. This knowledge allows counselors to help individuals gain access to
appropriate services when needed. Counselors can use their
connections with other human service professionals to assist
members of the Guerrero family with gaining access to vital
resources. These include career placement specialists, English
as a second language (ESL) programs, health care professionals, teachers, and other pertinent school personnel.
Identify barriers to the well-being of individuals and vulnerable groups. When individuals begin to understand their
lives in context and develop a plan to address their oppression,
they are likely to experience ridicule, resistance, and systemic
barriers (Harro, 2000), This resistance can discourage people
from making the type of necessary changes that need to ensue.
Helping professionals can lessen the harm by identifying
potential obstacles that may arise and by exploring ways to
address these barriers. For the Guerrero family, a helping
professional may choose to discuss how institutions can intentionally and unintentionally obstruct one’s progress. For
example, Anna and Javier may experience barriers if they try
to enroll in an ESL course because they are not U,S, citizens.
In addition, it may be difficult to apply for US, citizenship
post-9/11, Discussing these potential barriers can help in the
development of a holistic plan that addresses these concerns
and potential pitfalls.
Develop an initial plan of action for confronting these
barriers. Collaborating with individuals to develop a plan to
deal with obstacles is also important because it allows one
to assess for potential roadblocks, thereby minimizing risks
(Kiseiica & Robinson, 2001), For instance, as undocumented
immigrants, the Guerrero family may not be eligible to access
many social services. This barrier, coupled with the family’s
fear of being deported, can make for a complex situation. As
change agents, counselors can address this concern by collaborating with the Guerrero family to identify Latino/a-based
agencies and community leaders who can help eliminate this
barrier. In addition, this plan may involve exploring ways to
work with the children’s classroom teachers, laying out the
process involved for the parents to become legal US, citizens,
developing better time management strategies for Cisco, and
discussing with Javier the idea of enrolling in a vocational
training program at the local community college.
Identify potential allies for confronting the barriers. It is
difficult to carry out social justice advocacy efforts alone
(Adams et al,, 2000), Challenging dominant systems of oppression can be tiring work; causes burnout; and leads to
feelings of isolation from family, friends, and colleagues
(Kiseiica & Robinson, 2001), Identifying allies and finding
community resources that share similar visions, goals, and
beliefs can alleviate some of these hardships. Counselors who
have a belief in the possibility of an enlightened world need to
have a grasp of which church groups, volunteer organizations,
teachers, and community leaders they consider as possible
allies. Developing partnerships with other organizations is
important to form alliances, coalitions, rallies, and protests.
To illustrate, professional school counselors can form alliances with other school personnel in Cisco’s school by helping
him to identify teachers who are culturally competent and
understand the unique educational challenges experienced by
children of immigrant parents. These alliances would allow
Cisco to build confidence in the education system. Likewise,
Anna and Javier can benefit by having an ally in the immigration office who can help with filling out the paperwork to
receive US, citizenship.
Carry out the plan of action. Implementing the agreedon plan is an important aspect of advocacy at the individual
level. It requires a commitment to change and being open to
reevaluating the plan of action. Carrying out an action plan
also ensures that individuals are headed in a creative path. For
instance, counselors can help the Guerrero family execute a
plan that will allow them to move from a place of helplessness to a place of security and independence. This plan may
involve helping Javier fill out an application for vocational
skills training, providing psychoeducational materials on
interpersonal communication and parenting skills, discussing
the need for the parents to enroll in ESL courses, applying for
health care services, and filling out the required paperwork to
become US, citizens.
Summary of Case Study
Although the focus of this article is on advocacy at the individual level, it is important to mention that advocacy efforts
at one level can often lead counselors to intervene at other
levels of the Advocacy Competencies, For example, hearing
a teacher referring to Cisco as a “lazy student” could lead to
responses at all levels. At the client/student level, it may entail
helping Cisco realize that his poor academic performance may
not necessarily be due to a lack of motivation. Rather, it may
be a function of working full time and the Stressors that come
with living in poverty. Working with Cisco’s teachers to notice
and speak out on exceptions to the “lazy student” comment
is a way of advocating on behalf of the student. Coordinating
in-service training on the immigrant experience is an advocacy
intervention at the school/community level. Including families,
school board members, and community leaders in this inservice training can also broaden its impact. Equipping board
members with a better understanding of what is involved in
combating oppressive barriers can positively affect their budget decisions. Recruiting school board and other community
members to mentor economically disadvantaged students is
yet another way of advocating at the school/community level.
Electing school board members as well as city, county, state,
and national officials who understand, care, and are willing to
take action against oppressive immigration policies is advocatJournal ofCounseling & Development • Summer 2009 • Volume 87 273
Ratts & Hutchins
ing at the public arena level. Furthermore, joining, supporting,
and working with state and national counseling associations is
another way to broaden and strengthen this public arena level
of advocacy.
•implications
The use of the client/student level of the Advocacy Competencies has implications for counselors and counselor
educators alike. For counselors, it means moving beyond a
paradigm in which counselors are helpers/responders who
fix clients/students to a paradigm that is proactive in scope,
that is preventive in design, and that addresses sociopolitical
forces that impede human development (House, Martin, &
Ward, 2002). This framework puts counselors in a position in
which they need to become social-advocacy-oriented critical
thinkers. Social-advocacy-minded counselors are leaders
and systems change agents who understand the importance
of speaking out. Operating from a social justice counseling
paradigm is necessary to truly empower individuals, families,
and their community.
For counselor educators, the Advocacy Competencies can
influence one’s teaching and scholarship. Regarding teaching,
the Advocacy Competencies can be infused in various courses
offered in a program. Infusing the Advocacy Competencies
into counselor training allows students an opportunity to practice implementing both microlevel and macrolevei advocacy
strategies. For instance, students in beginning theories of
counseling courses can learn how to incorporate the Advocacy
Competencies with different counseling theories. Students
can then put the Advocacy Competencies to practice in their
practicum and internship classes by learning how to intervene
at the client/student, school/community, and public arena
levels. Introducing the Advocacy Competencies in counselor
education helps to ensure that students graduate with the
understanding that counseling involves both microlevel and
macrolevei interventions.
Scholarly research also needs to be conducted on the Advocacy Competencies. To date, there are no empirical studies
on the Advocacy Competencies. Conducting research on the
Advocacy Competencies can help to increase their validity
and reliability and bring advocacy to the forefront of the
profession. Specifically, research on the Advocacy Competencies would help to inform best practice because interventions would be supported by relevant data. Evidence-based
and data-driven counseling services are critical in the era of
accountability (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, 2007). Counselor
educators can aid in this effort by using research to determine
how the Advocacy Competencies can best be used.
•Conciusion
The development and recent endorsement of the Advocacy
Competencies by ACA comes at an important juncture in the
counseling profession. Calls for counseling professionals to
address issues of oppression, to move beyond the comfort of
their offices, and to return to their social justice roots are rising. These calls have been a result of the profession’s inability
to adequately address the harmful impact oppression has on
people’s lives. These concerns can effectively be addressed
by incorporating the Advocacy Competencies into counselor
training programs and the work that counselors do. The belief
is that through the Advocacy Competencies, the counseling
profession will be transformed, which will be liberating not
only for clients/students but also for the profession itself
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