In addition to agreeing to the seven principles embodied in thePrinciples for Unifying and Strengthening the Counseling Profession, the delegates of 20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling generated a list of future strategies for achieving the goals reflected by the principles; the following strategies are intended to operationalize specific ways in which future initiatives within the counseling profession might engage in these principles.
- The counseling profession shall present a clear definition of counseling to the public.
- The counseling profession shall promote optimum health and wellness for those served as the ultimate goal for counseling interventions.
- The counseling profession shall focus on a body of core knowledge and skills shared by all counselors.
- The counseling profession shall speak with a united voice at the state and federal levels.
- The counseling profession shall have the highest respect for all counseling specialties.
- Counselor education programs shall reflect a philosophy that counseling is a single profession with specialized areas of training.
- Counseling accrediting bodies shall reflect a philosophy that counseling is a single profession with specialized areas of training.
- The counseling profession shall develop a fluid process allowing new specialties to emerge and existing specialties to evolve naturally and merge as developmentally appropriate.
- The counseling profession shall develop an outreach/marketing process that reflects a shared identity.
- The counseling profession shall conduct ongoing outreach to ensure that the public understands who professional counselors are, the credentials and skills we possess, and how our services are uniquely different.
- Professional counseling organizations shall involve front-line practitioners at all policy and decision-making levels.
- The counseling profession shall speak with a united voice when educating the health care insurance industry and advocating for counseling, counselors, or clients.
- The counseling profession shall offer ongoing education and training for counselors to encourage client and student advocacy.
- Professional counseling organizations shall collaborate to identify an advocacy project that would be completed annually within a selected community.
- The counseling profession shall investigate and delineate the best organizational structure for the future of counseling.
- The counseling profession shall establish common preparation standards and a single training model to be used by all counselor preparation programs.
- The counseling profession shall establish uniform licensing standards with LPC as an entry-level title for counselor licensure.
- The counseling profession shall create interest in research by practitioners and students.
- The counseling profession shall emphasize both qualitative and quantitative outcome research.
- Outcome research shall focus on delineating the counseling modalities that work best in different counseling settings and with particular counseling clients.
- Outcome research shall delineate best practices in counselor preparation.
- The counseling profession shall encourage evidenced-based, ethical practices as the foundation for counselors-in-training, and for professional counselor interventions across settings and populations served.
- The counseling profession shall work with undergraduate programs to educate students about graduate work in counseling.
- The counseling profession shall promote mentoring relationships for graduate students and new professionals.
- The counseling profession shall provide incentives, rewards, and recognition for practicum and internship supervisors.
- Counselor education programs shall endorse student involvement in professional counseling associations.