Annual Conference Meets in Mobile. ALCA Announces Election Results. Annual Conference Registration By the Numbers

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1 Award Winning Newsletter The Official Newsletter of the Alabama Counseling Assocoation Winter-Spring Inside This Issue Page Awards Winners...3 ABEC Nominations...4 Content Session Proposals...5 AUM - CACREP...5 Member Publishes Books...8 Get Up and Move...9 Chapter and Division News Executive Council...19 ALCA Announces Election Results By Judy Childress, Past-President Congratulations to the recently-elected officers for : Dr. Necoal Driver Montgomery President-Elect Carolyn Liggins Birmingham Secretary Treasurer Margaret Fox, Brantley, will complete the second year of her two-year term. The ALCA year begins May 1; new President Dr. Melanie Wallace will preside over her first board meeting at the annual officer spring retreat at the 4-H Conference Center, Lay Lake, May 5-6. Nancy Wolfe Huntsville Historian Annual Conference Meets in Mobile More than 900 counselors from throughout Alabama journeyed to the home of Mardi Gras for the 44th Annual Conference of ALCA. Using President Nancy Fox s theme Welcome to the Future, the three-day event featured an Awards Breakfast, three exciting keynote speakers, 106 content sessions, several luncheons and receptions plus the annual AU-UA breakfast and Graduate Student Poster Session. Dr. Irene McIntosh was the chair for the conference and, with her little army of volunteers, provided an atmosphere conducive to learning and socializing. ALCA expresses appreciation to its many sponsors, advertisers, and exhibitors. Without these continuing contributions, conference registration fees would be above the reach of most counselors in Alabama! Keynote Speakers Charles Marshall began the conference with his humorous presentation which also challenged counselors to choose carefully. Using his Seven Powers (choice, vision, mind, action, failure, character and belief), he reminded counselors that attitude choice leads to perspective which leads to direction which leads to destination. Character is the basis on which success is built; character is determined by what you do when you make mistakes. Continued on Page 3 Annual Conference Registration By the Numbers Active Members...65 Retired Members...25 Student Members...89 Exhibitors Non-Members...33 Total...912

2 President s Message Hello Everyone!!! A giant, heart-felt thank you to all the ALCA members who were able to join us in Mobile for the Annual ALCA Conference, which exceeded expectations! Outstanding keynote speakers and presenters led the conference and some amazing networking experiences happened during this extraordinary time. We missed those friends that were unable to join us and hope that you will plan ahead to join us in Birmingham November 16, 17, & 18, 2011 for the next ALCA conference! As I near the end of the year as ALCA president, I find myself constantly seeing the faces of all the members who have worked so hard throughout my term. The ALCA Executive Council has been an amazing group of contributors to the success of this year. I can never adequately thank each of these leaders for the tiring, yet rewarding work. In addition to the conference in Mobile, there were many wonderful events held throughout the year by local chapters and divisions. Each required much time planning prior to the events, setting up for events, By Dr. Nancy Fox manning the stations, answering numerous questions and providing directions, begging for sponsors and volunteers (yes, our members are very resourceful). And let s not forget the ever-popular cleaning up as the event comes to a close. Many members benefit annually from the services provided by local chapters and divisions. Volunteers from across the state take time from their busy schedules to provide these services. I want to encourage members that attend these outstanding events to thank the folks that pull together and make the events possible. It s really important to thank everyone, but sometimes we see the same volunteers working year after year and it is of utmost importance to thank our familiar faces. What about you? Couldn t you become a familiar face a volunteer? Think about it. Thank you for the incredible experience of serving as the ALCA president! It is a year I will always treasure! Editor s Note: Combined Issue of The Quarterly In a continuing effort to save ALCA money, we decided to make this issue of The Quarterly a combined Winter- Spring issue. Printing and mailing costs have gone up, but our dues have not. If you have comments or opinions about this, please direct them to me, your editor. My contact information is on this page. I welcome your comments; they tell me that you are actually reading this newsletter!! The Journal Available on ALCA Website The ALCA Journal is available now at Publications. Dr. Chip Wood, ALCA Executive Director, notifies Listserv members each time a new issue is published. Earlier issues are also there. Printed copies are no longer mailed to members. Sympathy To Jerri Lynn Morrow, a Past-President of ALCA, in the death of her father, Gerald Newton Tuggle on September 4, The Quarterly is published four times a year by The Alabama Counseling Association, a state branch of The American Counseling Association. Subscriptions are included in membership dues. For more information or change of address, contact Dr. Chip Wood, Executive Director, at the ALCA office. Send timely articles to Judy Childress, Editor, 1525 Astre Circle, Hoover, AL or to childressj@charter.net. ALCA Contact Information: Phone: Toll Free: Address: alca@alabamacounseling.org Mailing Address: ALCA, 217 Daryle Street, Livingston, AL Fax: Legalese: or Alabama Licensure Board (ABEC) or American Counseling Association or Page 2

3 ALCA Congratulates 2010 Awards Winners Dr. Necoal Driver & Dr. Eddie Clark, ALCA Awards Co-Chairs Chapter/Division Outstanding Members Merry Albro, Jacques Austin, Joy Jones, Crissa Letson, Katie McKeen, Lisa Patterson, Dr. Jamie Satcher, Melissa Scott, Brenda Stevens, Dr. Chippewa Thomas, Patty Watkins, Dr. Bradley Willis, and Nancy Wolfe Individual Publication Award Dr. LaWanda Edwards Dr. Necoal Driver (with Dr. Nancy Fox, President) Dr. Parichart Thornton (not pictured) Research Award Distinguished Professional Service Award The Fannie R. Cooley Award Dr. Chippewa Thomas (with Dr. Nancy Fox, President and Dr. Eddie Clark, Awards Co-Chair) Dr. Joy Burnham The Jean H. Cecil Award Dr. Monica Motley Outstanding Practitioner The Wilbur A. Tincher Award Vincent Hinton Dr. Necoal Driver (with Dr. Nancy Fox, President) Katie Mckeen Annual Conference Meets in Mobile - continued from page 1 Dr. Russ Sabella s emphasized current issues with technology, particularly cyberbullying. He stated that cyberbullying is not a technology issue alone; it is a people issue primarily. Goals for today s specialists include awareness increase and risk reduction. He invited everyone to visit his website GuardingKids.com for more information and downloadable presentations. On the final day of the conference ALCA s own Dr. Marcheta Evans returned to her native Mobile from her home in Texas. As the current president of ACA, she spoke about the counseling profession and the efforts of ACA to bring counselors from all settings together. She is realistically optimistic that this will happen. Visit ACA s website for more information regarding the 20/20 Committee and its unified definition of counseling. Next year s conference is in Birmingham November Plans are already underway for another exciting and worthwhile three-day event. See this newsletter and the ALCA website for more information. Page 3

4 ALCA Seeks Nominees for ABEC By Dr. Tommy E. Turner, Professional Standards Co-Chair The Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling will soon have two vacancies to be filled by gubernatorial appointment: a Counselor Educator and a Counseling Practitioner. The Executive Council of the Alabama Counseling Association has the charge of submitting two nominees for each position to the Governor s office. The Professional Standards Committee of the Alabama Counseling Association has the responsibility to solicit candidates for nomination, and recommend those to the Executive Council. On the Alabama Counseling Association website you will find: (1) A Call For Nominations (2) An Application for Appointment Copy and paste the following link into your browser, and click on Licensure Board Nominations : There are significant numbers of ALCA members who are qualified to serve on the Board of Examiners. Please lend your assistance in generating a pool of applicants! Further inquires may be addressed to: Tommy E. Turner, Co-Chair, Professional Standards tturner@jsu.edu or NOMINATION PROCESS TIMELINE August 19, Deadline for Nominations August 19, Deadline for ALCA Divisions appointments of Professional Standards Committee members August 22, Distribution of nominations and ballots to Professional Standards Committee (via US Mail) September 8, Deadline for return of ballots via or ground delivery September 9-11, Tabulation of ballots, confirmation of nominees ability to serve, & electronic motion to Executive Council on September 12. September 12, Report and motion to ALCA Executive Council September 23, Deadline for ALCA Executive Council Vote on Nominees October 1, Submission (by ALCA President) of Nominees to Governor s Office Important ALCA Dates are Set through 2014 The following are dates for ALCA events in the future. Chapters and Divisions are asked to plan their schedules around these important times: May 4-5, Spring Retreat ALCA EC... Columbiana November 15-18, Annual Conference... Birmingham March 21-25, ACA Conference... San Francisco November 14-16, Annual Conference...Montgomery March 20-24, ACA Conference... Cincinnati November 20-22, Annual Conference... Birmingham March 26-30, ACA Conference...Honolulu See the ALCA website Activities Calendar for up-to-date information and additions. Page 4

5 Content Session Proposals Needed Dr. Necoal Driver, President-Elect and Program Chair, is seeking content sessions proposals for the Annual Conference set for November in Birmingham. Evaluations from last year s conference indicated these ideas for sessions: Vicarious Trauma Awareness Trauma Counseling Best Practices in School Counseling 504 Liability Issues for School Counselors Technology use in Counseling Sessions Issues of Aging Working with Parents/Getting Parents involved At Risk Suicide High School Scholarships Working with clients with disabilities/disability etiquette Counseling special needs students/at-risk students Working with Students in ISS or alternative school settings Helping adolescents see/develop their own value ALCA is looking for programs for counselors in all settings and from all divisions. The deadline for submission of proposals is June 15, The Program Committee will meet in July to choose content sessions and will notify submitters in August. Interested members can find more information and forms in this issue of The Quarterly and on the ALCA web site: HELP!! With 2011 Annual Conference Needed We need sponsors for breaks, the dance, etc. We need advertisers for our program book. We need exhibitors. We need volunteers to meet, greet and direct traffic. If you or anyone you know can help with these needs, please contact Dr. Chip Wood, ALCA Executive Director at AUM s Counselor Education Program Receives CACREP Accreditation By Dr. Paul F. Hard Auburn University at Montgomery s School of Education has earned national accreditation for master s degree programs in school counseling and community counseling. The accreditation, which most school systems prefer when hiring counselors, was awarded by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The news is a major step forward for AUM, setting its Counselor Education program apart as one of only a handful of programs in the state to receive this designation. Our faculty worked tirelessly to attain this nationally recognized level of academic excellence, said Dr. Rhonda Morton, head of the Department of Counselor, Leadership and Special Education. This is merely the latest step in a program that has upheld a long tradition of outstanding instruction, scholarship and service to the community. CACREP accreditation is required by most regulation boards credentialing Licensed Professional Counselors and school counselors. The organization sent a team to AUM in January for a site inspection and its Board of Directors approved the accreditation this month. The university received its certificate of accreditation on July 26, including a note from CACREP President Dr. Carol L. Bobby congratulating AUM on receiving the maximum accreditation possible-eight years. Please note that programs receiving accreditation for an eight-year period deserve to be commended for the work they completed throughout the accreditation process, Bobby wrote. This is indeed a worthy achievement. Congratulations! The school counseling program prepares students for work in school-related counseling, while the community counseling program trains students for careers in agency, higher education or private practice and other mental health settings. The counseling programs have a long tradition of excellence at AUM and were among the original graduate degrees offered by the university. Morton credits the counselor education faculty for the program s success. Its nationally recognized scholars include Dr. M. Carolyn Thomas, a leader in the American Counseling Association and a fellow of both the National Career Development Association and the Association for Specialists in Group Work; Dr. Glenda Reynolds, a leader in the Alabama Counseling Association; and Dr. Paul F. Hard, Past-Chair of the American Counseling Association Southern Region, a member of the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling and a past president of the Alabama Counseling Association. The faculty of counselor education would like to thank all individuals and departments in the AUM community who were instrumental in assisting with this accreditation process, Morton said. In addition to this community effort, we would like to acknowledge the contributions of current and former AUM counseling students, Dean Jennifer Brown and Chancellor John Veres. Page 5

6 ALCA Quarterly Winter-Spring Alabama Counseling Association Assisting the Professionals of Alabama since 1966 Page 6

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8 Member Publishes Children s Books Shawna McGriff, ALCA member and former teacher with Birmingham City Schools, has published three selfhelp books for girls that focus on friendship, grief and divorce. She plans to write soon about childhood obesity and bullying; she also has plans to write books for boys, too. In addition to being a former teacher at William H.Councill Elementary, she served as After School Art Club teacher and a Girl Scout Troop leader plus being an active mother and aunt. Miss McGriff says I was inspired by my students who would come to me for help and advice. I would always find books for them but they were only filled with definitions and terms. However, I felt it was important for children to have self-help children books with storylines so they could have a better understanding on a child s level. She goes on to say Princess Pink is a true friend to every girl who needs the help of a friend at any given time.a girl who incorporates respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness and citizenship which are called the rings of honor that are braided in her hair. My stories are filled with fairy-tale settings, but include several issues that in reality girls face in their lives. Through colorful illustrations and a light-hearted approach, children can learn about serious issues that they are facing. Miss McGriff also has activity books and audio as supplements. In addition, Miss McGriff has done over 20 presentations this year at Birmingham and Shelby County Schools. More information may be found at ALSGW President Offers Encouragement By Jacques L. Austin, LPC Happy New Year, and Welcome to the Future! We hope your holiday season brought lots of laughter, joy, and cheer. Now, we move into 2011 with expectations of continued success for our division and ALCA. Our journey into the New Year is fueled with anticipation of what lies ahead. Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith. With this in mind, ALASGW moves forward into the future. We invite you to join in our enthusiasm and excitement, and join our division. WELCOME TO THE FUTURE! Page 8 ALAAOC Reflects and Plans By Jay H. Byham, Secretary-Treasurer Greetings, ALAAOC division members! What better time of year than spring is there to reflect on growth and development for our professional endeavors? As many other divisions and chapters did, ALAAOC kicked off the year in February with a division meeting. At that session we reviewed last year s work and began preparing for Newly elected officers are these: President: Connie Couch, LPC from Beacon Addiction Treatment Center (UAB) - ccouch@beapsy1.his.uab.edu Past President: Don Phillips of Alabama Psychological Services in Huntsville Secretary-treasurer: Jay H. Byham of the Alabama Recovery Center in Huntsville A president-elect will be named soon. Please contact Connie if you are interested or have any ideas for nominations! We are very grateful to Joan Leary for her past service as Secretary-Treasurer and to Don Phillips for his wonderful work as President. Upcoming events are as follows: In April: We are co-sponsoring a Spring Workshop with ALASGW, SCATTC and the D.A.Y. Program on April 8 Group Work: Using Action Centered Therapy to Warm- Up Adults and Adolescents to Change and Recovery, presented by Craig Canes, LCSW, PIP, CET II. Location: Clanton Conference Center, Alabama Power Building, Clanton, AL. Time: 8:45am-3:30pm breakfast provided. Cost: Free.5 CEUs available through SCATTC We hope you will plan to attend. The topic is very interesting and applicable in many settings. Judging from last year s experience it should be a great workshop! Please watch the listserv or contact Joan Leary at jleary@ uab.edu for more information or to register. Later this summer: We are planning to join with another division or chapter for another workshop. Details to come! In November: We are planning to meet you at the ALCA Annual Conference in Birmingham on November Look out for our division table and come sign in for a chance to enter an ALAAOC members-only drawing! We are looking forward to this opportunity to get to know one another. Also, stay tuned for ALAAOC meeting information we d like everyone to get together for lunch, dinner, or just coffee one day at the conference.

9 Get Up and Move: Exploring the Body in the Mind-Body Connection By Melissa K. Scott Counselors spend a lot of time sitting down, and so do our clients. The vast majority of sessions take place seated, either on chairs or couches, with the focus being on the verbal interaction and small nonverbal cues, such as eye contact or body position. As counselors, we re all aware of the existence and importance of the mind-body connection, yet most of our sessions continue to be almost exclusively mental. We will talk with clients about how mental state affects bodily health and vice versa, yet rarely do clients get to experience this in session. Much like a client stuck in old patterns of behavior, it s possible that we ve become too attached to the sit-and-talk methodology. The benefits of incorporating physical movement into the counseling session are many. It can help clients understand the connection of mind and body. It can encourage relaxation during the session, leading to greater openness and ease of communication. It can help the client get out of their head and step out of rationalization and other ego defenses. Mind-body therapies are gaining in popularity. Certifications in psychomotor therapy, which integrates movements with traditional counseling processes, are becoming more common. Other counselors are using techniques based in yoga and martial arts. Still others use breathwork or Reiki. While some of these therapies require special training or certifications, there are many ways that counselors can ethically and effectively incorporate mind-body practices without seeking specialized training. Here are some examples. * The Weak-Strong exercise: Have the client extend her arm at shoulder height. Have her repeat the phrase--either out loud or silently-- I m strong at least three times. Then press her arm firmly down, instructing her to resist your pressure. Repeat the exercise, this time instructing her to say the phrase I m weak. For most people, it is much harder to resist the downward pressure when the message is negative. This is a very effective exercise to introduce the idea of the mind-body connection to a client. * Take a walk together: Few things connect mind and body like being outdoors. When the weather is nice, take a walk around the block or arrange to meet in a nearby park rather than the office. Exercise like walking relaxes and energizes the body, which can stimulate new and creative ways of thinking. * Simple stretching: From standing, have the client bend over and reach for the toes. Make sure that they continue to breathe deeply, don t push too far, and don t bounce (which can cause injury). Or while sitting, instruct them to take a very gentle to twist to each side to stretch the back. Neck rolls and shoulder rolls are great for relieving tension in the shoulders. * Breathing with movement: From standing, have them inhale and raise their arms overhead. Instruct them to try to keep the shoulders relaxed away from the ears. On the exhalation, release the arms back by the sides. Repeat. This one is a great palette cleanser ; it can be used to clear the mind after an emotional session or to ease anxiety. * Somatic Tracking: This exercise from the field of somatic psychology is a very powerful invitation to try on different emotions. Have the client stand in a position or walk in a way that demonstrates what a particular emotion or mental state would look like. For example, if a client expresses a desire to be more confident, ask them questions like, What would confident look like? How would you stand or walk if you were confident? What would your posture be like? Invite her to get up and move around your office as they feel comfortable with the exercise. It is very important that you not engage a client in any physical activity if they have severe health problems like very high blood pressure, unregulated diabetes, or heart disease. Talk to your client about their physical health before engaging in physical activity. Very gentle movement is just fine for most people and can be a powerful addition to the counseling process. Page 9

10 ALCA Quarterly Winter-Spring ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2010 in Pictures Page 10

11 ALCA Quarterly Winter-Spring Page 11

12 ALAMFC Has Busy Spring By Dr. K.T. Valkyrie, President-Elect March 4, Leeds AL: The Executive Council of ALCA met to conduct the business of your professional association at their annual winter meeting. Individuals travel many miles and hours to volunteer their time, service and passion for our organization. I represented our Marriage and Family Division as President-Elect until May 1. It is exciting and energizing to be part of a group so dedicated to the care and feeding of our profession. Each member can rest easy knowing that your association leadership is active. Equally active is your newly constituted Executive Council of OUR MFC Division. Your officers are Karena T.Valkyrie, President; Eddie Clark, President-Elect; Harriet Schaffer, Treasurer/Secretary; Michelle Bond, Appointed Assistant to support Treasurer/Secretary; Glenda Reynolds, Newsletter, Necoal Driver, Historian, and Lisa Patterson, Web and Facebook Guru. We met in Montgomery in February to begin setting our goals for the year. Our next meeting is scheduled for Friday May 5 following the Spring Leadership Training Retreat (at the Shoney s in Clanton) - 3:00 p.m. (Visitors are invited bring your suggestions and let us know how you want to be active dinner is Dutch treat.) Our theme for this year is Uniform and United. A subcommittee (Glenda Reynolds, Eddie Clark, and Lisa Patterson) has been appointed to create a unified imagery and communication front using digital technology. We hope to have a recognizable image across our newsletters, new website and Facebook communication efforts. Our Name the Marriage and Family Division s Newsletter contest begins now and will be announced in the next edition of the ALCA Quarterly. We will award a $25 gift certificate to the individual whose name suggestion for our newsletter is selected. (Thank you Eddie Clark for this great idea!) Growing our newsletter and creating our website we will help us to reach out to our stakeholders MFC division members and clients. We hope to have helpful sections, such as the president s message corner, upcoming events in the community for members and families, workshop/continuing education workshop, professional essays and tidbit tips for couples and families provided by professional members in the division and outside the division. We also want to explore the possibility of creating a MFC Locator section on the website. By creating a uniformed presentation of our communication images and unifying our efforts we believe we will expand our Division s visibility in the state and be seen as a viable resource for the couples and families in our state. Important Dates: April 15 - Name the Marriage and Family Newsletter contest suggestions may be ed to drktvalkyrie@gmail.com. Contest closes on April 15th. Winner will be notified by and the $25 gift card will be mailed to the winner by April 30th after selection has been made. May 5 MFC Division Meeting Shoney s Clanton AL 3:00 p.m. Executive Council work meeting; members are invited to bring ideas, suggestions, etc. (Dinner on your own, but let us know if you are attending - thanks.) Other Important Stuff: Please send your workshop and speaker suggestions to drktvalkyrie@gmail.com. We want to have a speaker and provide CEU at the Annual Conference Luncheon in Birmingham and a Winter/Spring Workshop that would help MF counselors and parents in If you are a professional who would like to have an essay addressing how parents could address a certain issue when our website goes live please contact me as well. That s all for now Your division leadership is hard at work! Be well! Page 12

13 ALGBTICAL Workshop A Success By Melissa Scott, President ALGBTICAL presented its 5th Annual Winter Workshop on Friday, February 11, The event took place at the Homewood Public Library in the Birmingham area. The theme was: Ending LGBTQ Bullying & Suicide in School & Community Settings. Organizers considered the event the best workshop to date. Attendance was excellent, with over 70 participants registered. Response from attendees was very favorable. This year s Winter Workshop was co-sponsored and endorsed by the Alabama School Counselors Association (ALSCA) and the Alabama Safe Schools Coalition (ASSC). The Southern Poverty Law Center documentary film, Bullied, was also featured. Information tables from local organizations were also included in the event. ALGBTICAL was especially excited to feature our keynote speaker, Dr. Anneliese Singh. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia, College of Education s Department of Counseling & Human Development Services. She is Past President of ALGBTIC (Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Issues in Counseling). Scholarship Applicants Needed By Lin Wood, Endowment Fund Chair The Association is now accepting applications for the Miles-Seymour Memorial Scholarship. The Miles- Seymour Scholarship is an ALCA scholarship award designed to assist deserving doctoral ALCA student members. The Scholarship is named to honor former ALCA president and noted counselor/mentor John Seymour and long-time ALCA member and legal counsel Al Miles. It is supported by the ALCA Endowment Fund. The student application is self-explanatory, but I would remind you to take note of the items that should accompany the application. Also, you will be interested in the following guidelines: The scholarship will be $750 for one year 1) Applicants must be current members of ALCA (for at least three months at time of applying for scholarship) 2) Applicants must be currently enrolled and pursuing a degree in counseling/student personnel, etc., at the doctoral level 3) Applicants must be attending an Alabama institution 4) Selection of recipient and determination/ interpretation/alteration of guidelines will be solely the responsibility of the Scholarship Committee. We would like very much to have a good variety of candidates from which to choose. I encourage you to apply or to pass the word and application along to someone whom you think is deserving. I look forward to hearing from you. Soon! Miles-Seymour Memorial Scholarship Deadline for Application: September 1, 2011 Page 13

14 ALSCA President Recognizes and Challenges School Counselors By Donna Clark Hello School Counselors, Spring is almost here and I know you re ready for a break. It s also testing season. We all know what that means.. typically extra work for counselors! I can just imagine all of the school counselors in the state literally getting up on a small box and telling anyone who will listen, the trouble with testing. Just picture it! It s also that time of year when school systems are looking at budgets and staffing for the coming school year. Alabama educators can t seem to get a break when it comes to education funding. Please stay informed locally and nationally when it comes to education funding and make your voice heard! Last fall at the Alabama Counseling Association Annual Fall Conference, ALSCA recognized top counselors and RAVE winners at the Awards Luncheon. They are as follows: Asa Sparks New Counselor of the Year Kate Hardy, Southview Elem., Tuscaloosa Elementary Counselor of the Year Hayden Belisle, Oak Mountain Elem, Shelby Co. Middle School Counselor of the Year Yvette Coley-Smith, Hampton Cove Middle School, Huntsville High School Counselor of the Year Dr. Theresa Gurley, Lee High School, Huntsville Counselor Advocate of the Year Tom Johnson, Bayside Academy, Daphne Counselor Supervisor of the Year Dr. LaWanda Edwards, Alabama State Univ, Mtgy RAVE Gold Award Jonesboro Elementary School, Bessemer; Counselors - Becky Murray and Leticia Varner RAVE Silver Award Bottenfield Middle School, Jefferson County; Counselors - Mary Wilson Kearney, Jana Lee, & Tammy Cauthen Charles F. Hard Elementary School, Bessemer; Counselor - Yolanda Williams Liberty Park Middle School, Vestavia Hills; Counselor Stephanie Holcomb ALSCA recognized the 2009 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards newly certified counselors: Shannon Beard Tuscaloosa City Schools Mary Wilson Kearney Jefferson County Schools Angie Morrison Tuscaloosa City Schools Nancy Wolfe Huntsville City Schools I will pass the torch to Jennifer Riddle in May. New ALSCA officers include: President - Jennifer Riddle President-elect Dr. LaWanda Edwards President-elect-elect Dr. Monica Mack Secretary Kathy Hutchens Treasurer Margaret Fox Historian Deirdre Nelson Jennifer is in the process of putting together her ALSCA executive board. We encourage you to take an active role in this organization it s only as good as its active members! Please check out the ALSCA website at for pictures from fall conference and other interesting items of interest. All the best, Donna Page 14

15 Chapter I Meets in Huntsville By Debbie Poland, President On February 9th, in partnership with Chapter II, we held our Building Bridges Workshop at the Huntsville Museum of Art. Donna Clark, Coordinator of Guidance Services for Huntsville City Schools, Amanda Stone, Chapter II President, and I worked together to organize the program for the day. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of delicious pastries, orange juice and coffee that started the morning off just right. During the morning session, we heard from Leila Nabors, LPC, who spoke to us on Meeting the Needs of Sexual Minority Youth. Next, we heard from Kevin Turner, Chief Investigator, with the Madison County District Attorney s Office, on Youth Involvement in Gang Activity. After a delicious lunch provided by Denny Carter with ASVAB, we divided into sessions. School counselors heard from Brian Law, who is the current President of the American School Counselor Association, on Bridging the Gap to School Counseling Program Development and Response to Intervention: Putting Together Your School Counseling Pyramid. Social Workers and Mental Health counselors were addressed by Jane Baker, MSW, LCSW, from the Center for Attachment and Family Development, in Decatur, AL, on Reactive Attachment Disorder. We had an abundance of door prizes that we gave away after lunch. Many had to leave early due to the threat of snow, which did come and kept us out of school the next day! Both chapters brought items to contribute to the Share the Heart Project that Chapter I initiated at our fall meeting at Northwest Shoals Community College. The items collected go to the local DHR for help with foster children who go through their system. Chapter I is planning a meeting on April 29, 2011, at Lee Heights Baptist Church in Florence, where Dr. Quinn Pearson will speak to us on ways those in the counseling profession can take care of their own mental and physical health. We will vote on officer nominations and induct our new officers. It has been my pleasure to serve Chapter I as their president this past year. We look forward to a great year under our new President Gina Wright. Hope to see everyone in Florence on April 29. Chapter III Studies Community Resources By Doris Vaughans, President ALCA Chapter III members have great times of camaraderie, fellowship, and networking while learning about community resources. Chapter III sponsors bi-annual Community Resource Luncheon Meetings in the Tuscaloosa area. It is a wonderful opportunity for the members of Chapter III to learn more about community resources available for client referrals. Dr. Jamie Satcher, Dr. Mark Leggett, and several of the Chapter III members volunteer at the West Alabama AIDS Outreach (WAAO), the site of their Fall Community Outreach Luncheon. Their Fall luncheon was held on October 22, 2010, at noon. A comprehensive presentation of the Services of WAAO and Counseling- Related Issues was provided by Billy Kirkpatrick, MS, LPC, Director. WAAO catered lunch for the event. The chapter also had a community resource luncheon in January at Indian Rivers Community Mental Health Center. Page 15

16 What a Time!! By Carolyn Johnson Liggins, Chapter IV President We had a great Chapter IV meeting at the ALCA Annual Conference in Mobile. Our meeting was so successful that we had people from Chapter IX in attendance! Our guest of honor was Dr. Marcheta Evans, President of the American Counseling Association. She is a past president of ALCA where she was a very active member. We felt so honored that she took time to spend with us! Dr. Larry Tyson presented awards to his graduate students from UAB. A very special award was given to Mr. Ronald Douglas for his outstanding work with St. Clair Correctional Institute. Our attendance was good and the fellowship was awesome. It was good to gather with other counselors and communicate about concerns pertaining to clients. We are continuing with this year s goal to help feed the hungry. On April 10, 2011, we are participating in the CROP Hunger Walk at Caldwell Park. We also are assisting a local shelter with food for Easter dinner. Thank you to all the members that participated this year, and we look forward to seeing even more of our members in Birmingham next fall at Annual Conference. Chapter VI Installs Officers By Dr. Harold E. Arnold The ALCA Chapter VI counselors met at Judson College for their Winter/Spring 2011 Meeting. Chapter VI had a lively and productive morning business session which included the swearing in of new officers. After the meeting the chapter enjoyed an all you-can-eat fried chicken buffet at the Judson College Dining Hall. Chapter VII Hosts Winter Building Bridges Workshop By Dr. Monica Mack, President Chapter VII held its Winter Building Bridges Workshop on Thursday, February 22, 2011, at Auburn University. Over 50 counselors, counselor educators, and parents attended the presentation entitled Cyberbullying 101: What You Need to Know. Dr. Kathy Robinson and Sandy Little, workshop presenters, spoke to the group about the basics of cyberbullying. Copies of Teaching Tolerance magazine Number 38: Fall 2010 were provided to participants. The issue focused on the tough problems faced by America s rural schools, taking a look at cyberbullying and the life-or-death controversies surrounding online harassment. Additionally, Presidentelect, Maranda Brown, shared a clip from the Teaching Tolerance film Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History. Bullied is a documentary film chronicling one student s torment at the hands of antigay bullies and offers an inspiring message of hope to fighting harassment. These materials were provided by the Southern Poverty Law Center, The workshop culminated with strategies on how to deal with bullying; a resource list was provided to workshop participants. Page 16

17 The Valkyrie s View By Dr. Karena T. Valkyrie, President, Chapter IX I write realizing that this is my last contribution to The Quarterly as President of Chapter IX. We began this New Year by installing our new slate officers at the February 25, 2011, business meeting which followed our winter workshop. Your officers are Mary Earnest, President; Margaret Fox, Treasurer: Kathy King, Secretary: Kim Compton, Website/Newsletter/PR; Lisa Patterson, Historian; and Rhonda G. McCRummen, Parliamentarian who was appointed after the installation. (For a full listing of all the committee chairs and members-at-large, please check out our website.) Chapter IX has worked hard and has achieved many successes in the last three years and I am proud to have been part of the organization and effort behind those accomplishments. We are clearly stronger as a chapter as evidenced by our exuberant annual meeting in Mobile where we welcomed several new members and renewed connections with several retired ones. One of our greatest accomplishments of the past three years is the award our Building Bridges workshop - Working with Diverse Populations: Ethics and Competency Issues received. We are so proud of working with VII ALAADA, ALAMCD, ALCCA, and ALDARCA to create an award winning program. Lisa Patterson was acknowledged as Outstanding Chapter IX member at the conference for her devoted service as president and website/ newsletter guru. Starting the New Year off as conscientiously planned and partnering with ALASGW and ALCCA,we had an outstanding Winter Workshop on February 25th. In a four-hour format, Drs. Lynn Boyd and Jeanell Norvell provided a workshop to review the ethics linked to group work, the stages of group development, and examples of effective exercises for dealing with difficult populations. Group exercises covered include concepts linked with guided imagery, building trust, anger management, genograms, sculpting, and family of origins issues. Kudos to Lynn and Jeanell for a Great Job per the reviews from the 41 attendees. To the members of Chapter IX, I have treasured being your president and thank you for all of the support and effort that enabled our chapter to see growth and success in these past three years. I know we have a very bright future ahead and we are in very good hands with Mary and her team. Be well, happy New Year and fare-thee-well. Submissions for Journal Requested By Larry Tyson, Editor Submissions for The ALCA Journal are sought for upcoming editions. Submissions can be either best practices or research-based manuscripts. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to submit their work. Manuscripts are reviewed by at least two members of the Editorial Board as well as the Editor for appropriateness, quality, and significance. Authors are asked to submit one copy of their manuscript electronically (using Word) to the Editor of The Alabama Counseling Association Journal. All submissions are to be sent to Lawrence Tyson, Ph.D., and Editor at following address: ltyson@uab.edu. Author notes including current position, work address, telephone numbers, and address must be included on the title page. Authors will electronically receive a copy of their manuscript along with editorial comments. If the manuscript is deemed appropriate for The Alabama Counseling Association Journal, the author will electronically resend the edited manuscript to the Editor of The Alabama Counseling Association Journal, Lawrence Tyson, Ph.D. using the above listed address. The Editor will determine in which edition of The Alabama Counseling Association Journal the manuscript will be included. Page 17

18 Counselor Locator Service Available for Public Since 2003 ALCA has provided a valuable service to counselors and citizens in Alabama. Using the Counselor Locator Service, potential clients may access the ALCA website and identify counselors by geographic area and practice when they are in need. This is an excellent opportunity to promote one s availability for service to clients. Counselors interested in being a part of this service should chip@alabamacounseling. org their credentials, location, contact information and type of services they provide. ALCA Endowment Fund If you want to honor someone, send a memoriam, or just make a contribution, the ALCA Endowment Fund is perfect for you. Your contribution supports counseling activities. As a service to our Endowment Fund contributors, we will send the appropriate acknowledgements. Contact Lin wood at or lin@alabamacounseling.org ALCA Membership Provides Many Benefits Outstanding annual conference Ongoing opportunities for CEU credits Ongoing drive-in workshops Informative website Counselor Locator Service available for public on website Continuously updated listserve for the latest counseling developments The Quarterly (a newsletter) ALCA Journal (a professional journal) Affiliation with local counselors through 9 chapters Affiliation with counselors in similar job settings through 13 divisions Chapter and division meetings and newsletters Affiliation with American Counseling Association (ACA) Comprehensive and competitive liability insurance through ACA Counseling issues advocacy Legislative monitoring Liaison with the Alabama State Counselor Licensure Board Legalese, free legal advice from Attorney Nat Watkins Legal publications on counseling related issues The Miles-Seymour Scholarship for graduate study Centralized state office Administrative advice from Executive Director For More Information Contact: Alabama Counseling Association 217 Daryl Street Livingston, AL Telephone FAX Toll free (in Alabama) Page 18

19 The Alabama Counseling Association Executive Director: Dr. Ervin (Chip) Wood, Livingston Elected Officers: President: Dr. Nancy Fox, Jacksonville Secretary: Nancy Wolfe, Huntsville President-Elect: Dr. Melanie Wallace, B'ham Treasurer: Margaret Fox, Brantley Past Pres.: Judy Childress, Hoover Historian: Dr. Necoal Driver, Montgomery Appointed by President: Parliamentarian Joanne Schrantz, Auburn Chapter Presidents: Chapter I.. Debbie Poland, Harvest (Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan and Winston Counties) Chapter II:.. Amanda Stone, Rainsville (Blount, Jackson, Madison and Marshall Counties) Chapter III:. Doris Vaughans, Tuscaloosa (Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Walker Counties) Chapter IV:... Carolyn Liggins, Birmingham (Jefferson and Shelby Counties) Chapter V:. Adam Green, Gallant (Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Dekalb, Etowah, St. Clair and Talladega Counties) Chapter VI:.. Sheridan Cahoon, Prattville (Autauga, Bibb, Butler, Chilton, Choctaw, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry and Wilcox Counties) Chapter VII:.. Dr. Monica Mack, Montgomery (Bullock, Chambers, Clay, Coosa, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Montgomery, Randolph, Russell and Tallapoosa Counties) Chapter VIII:... Dr. Irene McIntosh, Mobile (Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe and Washington Counties) Chapter IX:.. Dr. Karena T. Valkyrie, Troy (Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Crenshaw, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike Counties) Division Presidents: Alabama Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ALACES).. Dr. Lynn Boyd, Pike Road Alabama Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (ALAMCD Dr. LaWanda Edwards, Montg'y AL Assoc. for Spiritual, Ethical and religious Values Issues in Counseling (ALASERVIC)...Sylvia Shepherd, Headland Alabama Association for Specialists in Group Work (ALSGW)... Jacques L. Austin, Lipscomb Alabama College Counseling Association (ALCCA)...Dr. Yulanda Tyre, Cecil Alabama Division of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ALDARCA)..Mary Anne Templeton, Troy Alabama Mental Health Counselors Association (ALMHCA)...Crissa Letson, Mobile Alabama School Counselor Association (ALSCA) Donna Clark,.HuntsvilleAlabama Association for Marriage and Family LAMFC)..Dr. Andy Creamer, Troy Alabama Career Development Association (ALCDA).. Meg Smith, Montgomery Alabama Association for Addictions and Offenders Counselors (ALAAOCA)... Don Phillips, Huntsville Alabama Association for Adult Development (ALAADA).....Bill Jordan, Centre Assoc. for Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Issues in Counseling of Alabama (ALGBTICAL)...Melissa Scott, Birmingham Standing Committee Chairs: Nat'l Awards/Resolutions...Dr. Ingie B. Givens, Tuscaloosa State Awards/Resolutions...Dr. Eddie Clark, Montgomery...Dr. Necoal Driver, Montgomery Bylaws.. Joanne Schrantz, Auburn Budget/Finance Margaret Fox, Huntsville Nat'l Govt/Prof Relations.....Dr. Mark Leggett, Tuscaloosa State Govt/Prof Relations..Carol Turner, Birmingham Ethics.....Meg Smith, Montgomery Membership....Darlyce Bundy, Birmingham Dr. Joyce Rhoden, Tuskegee Program....Dr. Melanie Wallace, Birmingham Publications...Judy Childress, Hoover Nominations/Elections Judy Childress, Hoover Professional Standards Dr. Tommy Turner, Boaz....Dr. Debbie Grant, Pelham Publicity...Dr. Necoal Driver, Montgomery Special Committee Chairs: CEU Coordinator..Dr. Carolyn Thomas, Pike Road Chapter/Division Coordinator..Michael Lebeau, Birmingham Endowment Fund...Lin Wood, Livingston Graduate Students. Vincent Hinton, Birmingham. Kelli Lasseter, Leeds Hospitality...Dr. Mark Leggett, Tuscaloosa Current Issues. Jerri Lynn Morrow, Pleasant Grove Leadership Development..Dr.Monica H. Motley, Mobile...Dr. Monica Mack, Montgomery Strategic Planning... Judy Childress, Hoover Research/Evaluation Kassie Doggett, Birmingham Professional Development...Nancy Fortner, Brownsboro Annual Conference..Dr. Irene McIntosh, Mobile Special Functions: Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.... Dr. Walter Cox, Birmingham State Dept of Education Liaison.. Janice E. Webb, Montg'y ACA Liaison..Dr. Thelma Robinson, Florence The Journal...Dr. Larry Tyson, Birmingham The Quarterly..Judy Childress, Hoover Chi Sigma Iota Liaison.. Dr. Chippewa Thomas, Auburn Circle of Presidents....Katharine Nichols, Hoover Ads/exhibits...Carol Turner, Birmingham Adaptive Needs Accom Dr. Angela M. Stowe, Birmingham Page 19

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