ACA MEMBER BLOGS

With most important things in life, there are multiple steps and items to keep in mind before, during and after said event. So networking isn’t going to be any different (and yes networking is important). So let’s jump right into it.

Just a few months ago, none of us imagined having our lives turned upside down. Our classes went remote, counseling sessions virtual, and with social distancing in effect, meeting people was simply out of the question.

Given the loss, fear, and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and the ongoing need for social distancing, counselors and supervisees alike are feeling understandably more anxious.

Balancing self-care with personal and professional lives is always challenging. A traditional work setting often provides breaks throughout the day.

As I approached the end of my doctoral internship in supervision, I was excited for obvious reasons, such as the end of my final semester of courses nearing and minimizing the number of roles and responsibilities I have maintained throughout the course of my program. Here I share three realizations that I used to help guide me through the challenging time of supervising counselors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Systemic sexism has re-emerged into the collective consciousness and global conversation since the #MeToo and #BelieveHer movements came into existence.

During a Pandemic and overwhelming racial injustice, counselors, healthcare workers, and other helping professionals may find themselves experiencing secondary traumatic stress and self-deprivation.

The Civil Rights Era has evolved, not ended. I need my fellow white colleagues to continue caring about George Floyd, those before him and those after him. Will you wait for another name to make headlines, or will you be moved?

I identify as a Black woman who grew up in a lower socio-economic city in the Midwest not far from Chicago that was made up primarily of other people who look just like me. Growing up in a city where YOU are the majority is kind of insulating and not reflective of what the real world looks like, which is so much more diverse.

It's 2020 and our country consists of youth from many diverse backgrounds which includes sexual orientation and gender identity. Our goal as counselors is to help them accept themselves for who they are, discover their strengths, help them succeed in school, help them make healthy choices, give them skills to cope with issues that are hindering their progress, and help them stay strong through the coming out process.