Virginia Counselor. President s Message

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1 1 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE VIRGINIA COUNSELORS Virginia Counselor Inside this issue: President s Message President s Message 1 Thomas Hohenshil Publishes Global Counseling Book 2 VACES FACES of Virginia 4 CVCA Workshop 5-6 VCA Annual Legislative Day Clinical Supervision VASC Greetings and Happy New Year! When I think about entering into a new year, I think about making resolutions. I am sure I am not too different than many other human beings. I think that the idea of New Year s resolutions is fantastic - it is a challenging and fresh way to promote positive change within yourself. Without thoughtful and appropriate preparations, it can also be a way to set oneself up for disappointment or even feelings of failure. Personally, I did not commit to any specific resolutions for I did, however, commit myself to working towards and embracing a fulfilling life. So often we get caught up in everything else that is going on around us and everything on our to-do lists that we forget to evaluate and reevaluate the importance of taking meaningful time for ourselves to enjoy all that life has to offer us. I have found great value in reflecting on my time as VCA President since last July. A lot has happened and I would like to share a few highlights with you. Pam Brott, VCA Past- President, and her convention planning committee raised the bar by planning and organizing an outstanding event in November. The Virginia Alliance for School Counseling is active, energized and continuously growing. The leadership and steering committee of this organization is full of energy and dedicated to meeting the needs of all school counselors in Virginia. VCA Lobbyist, Becky Bowers-Lanier has been working closely with the Advocacy Relations Committee and some valued VCA members in monitoring current legislative and policy issues that impact the various aspects of our profession. VCA Legislative Advocacy Day is coming up on January 28. This is an Summer Tetterton, M.Ed., LPC, NCC VCA President opportunity for you to have your voice heard and to connect with your legislators. Please consider joining us in making a difference. My final thought for you as I close my President s Message for this edition of the newsletter is an encouraging one - Enjoy 2013, and regardless of New Year s resolutions, I wish you all a year full of happiness, success, and fulfillment! Thoughtful regards, Summer

2 2 2 HOHENSHIL PUBLISHES GLOBAL COUNSELING BOOK Long time VCA member, Thomas H. Hohenshil (Professor Emeritus of Virginia Tech), recently co-edited and co-authored ACA's first book devoted to global counseling. The book, Counseling Around the World: An International Handbook, provides information about counseling activities in 40 different countries located on six continents. After an introductory section which describes global diversity issues, chapters are devoted to counseling services for countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Oceania, and South and Central America. Each chapter follows a common format which includes the history and current state of counseling in the country, techniques that have been shown to work best, diversity issues specific to the country, counselor education and training, and possibilities for the future of counseling. More than 100 counseling practitioners, professors, and researchers from 40 countries participated in writing the various chapters. The book is designed for use as a text for graduate courses in global counseling, multi-cultural courses, and various introductory and professional issues courses. Several other Virginia counselors participated in the development of the book by co-authoring chapters, including Ted Remley, Garrett McAuliffe, and Marina Kuzmina. Norman Amundson of the University of British Columbia and Spencer Niles from the Pennsylvania State University joined Hohenshil as Co-Editors of the book. Additional information can be obtained at the following ACA link (see page 2 or 4)

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4 4 4 FACES of Virginia: Resources for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Families By Susan Branco Alvarado There is a need for Counselors in the Commonwealth to be trained and knowledgeable about common clinical issues that affect adoptive, foster, and kinship families. The 2010 US Census indicates that Virginia has over 37,000 adoptive families in its residence. In addition, there are approximately 6,000 children living in foster homes and over 70,000 kinship care homes. Counselors working with adoptive, foster, and kinship families must be competent, at minimum, in the following areas to provide appropriate clinical services: systems and family counseling, trauma, grief and loss, multicultural issues and special education/school-based needs. Counselors should also have working knowledge of attachment theory and should take great care to research ethical and validated methods of collaborating with families struggling with impaired attachment (these specifically do NOT include any coercive, punitive, or regression techniques). In addition to providing clinical services, counselors also need case management skills to assist families in accessing resources. Referral to supports for families is a vital component of case management. Counselors should be aware that there is a non-profit family-to-family support organization in Virginia which can be a valuable referral source. FACES of Virginia Families: Foster, Adoption, and Kinship Association. FACES offers a toll-free Warm Line to families as well as self-directed referral assistance through their website, The FACES mission is to provide a united voice for children, youth, and families involved in foster, adoptive, and kinship care so all children and youth are treated with dignity, respect, and equality. Its goals include the following objectives: Support the recruitment and retention of quality foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Advocate for and provide consistent and standardized training and support for foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Provide resources and information to parents, empowering them to be educated, equipped, and effective. Advocate for the needs of foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Promote and strengthen collaborations among all professionals, including caregivers. Since 2007 FACES has increased its membership to over 1100 families in Virginia. The organization offers innovative programming to offer regional and community based support groups and referrals sources, public advocacy at VA legislative and budgetary meetings, provides weekly FACEBOOK on-line supportive and informational chats for members, and hosts annual educational events for families. Counselors can direct families to access FACES of VA services by directing them to the website or calling 877-VA FACES ( ).

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6 CVCA Spring 2013 Workshop Manage the Stress or the Brain Will Achieve Less Registration Form 4 6 Name Address Phone Number CVCA/VCA Member ($45) Student Member ($35) Nonmember ($65) Student Nonmember ($55) Please check if you prefer a vegetarian lunch Please register online through VCA s website: Or, return this form and payment to: Tim Luikart, Treasurer 1249 Frost Place Harrisonburg, VA Checks can be made payable to CVCA. Registration Deadline: February 15th, 2013 Location: Blue Ridge community College, Plecker Workforce Center Parking: Please use the South Entrance and the parking lots immediately adjacent to Plecker (on the left as you come down the South Entrance driveway); any available space except those marked for Faculty or State Vehicle.

7 2 7 Virginia Counselors Association Legislative Day, January 28, 2013 The annual Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) Legislative Day took place on Monday, January 28, 2013, in Richmond. There were 30 attendees and many were able to meet with legislators or their aides and discuss issues of importance to Virginia s counselors. In addition to advocating for counselors and counseling in general, this year we focused on HB 1666 (Yost), a bill to update the statue governing the Board of Counseling and SB 1325 (Barker), a bill that will increase the efficiency and operations of the Board of Counseling. You can check on the status for various bills at the following website: Virginia s Legislative Information System or by contacting Becky Bowers-Lanier, the VCA lobbyist, becky@b2lconsulting.com. The Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) is dedicated to the goal of meeting the needs of all Virginia counselors in a variety of work settings. It is a dynamic and active organization that has been effective in responding to statewide issues and in providing opportunities for professional interaction at the state and local levels. VCA s Mission is to ensure that VCA members in all settings will provide best counseling practices that enhance human development and functioning throughout the life span and promote public confidence in the counseling profession. UPDATE - the HB 1666, the bill that would make technical updates in definitions and grant the authority to the Board of Counseling to maintain a registry of qualified supervisors, passed the House on a vote of The bill will now cross over to the Senate, where it will most likely be referred to the Senate Education and Health Committee. The SB 1325 (Barker), the bill that would raise fees for the Board of Counseling to enable to Board to operate more efficiently, was heard on Monday in the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology.

8 8 March 14-16, 2013 Richmond VA Tech Center - 20, 15 or 5 Planning to Supervise LPC's in Virginia, but you haven't fulfilled all 20 hours of the new state requirements yet? A training, Clinical Supervision in Virginia, will be held at the Richmond VA Tech Center in Richmond, VA on Thursday, March 14, Friday, March 15 (8:30 am-5:00 pm) & Saturday, March 16 from 9:30 am- 3:30 pm (20 contact hours - includes 4 hours of ethics), or Thursday, March 14, Friday, March 15 from 8:30 am-5:00 pm (15 contact hours- includes 2 hours of ethics), or Saturday, March 16 from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm (5 contact hours - includes 2 hours of ethics). PRESENTER: Dr. Gerard Lawson, Associate Professor of the Virginia Tech Counselor Education Program The three-day training will provide the 20 contact hours required to supervise LPC residents, and will highlight the legal, ethical, theoretical, and practical requirements associated with providing clinical supervision. Participants attending the workshop in its entirety will receive a verification form for proof of contact hours fulfilling the new Virginia LPC supervision requirements. This training offers the option to obtain 20, 15 or 5 contact hours and includes 4 hours of ethics (20 hours), 2 hours of ethics (15 & 5 hours). Fees to attend are as follows and space is limited: Thursday, Friday and Saturday: $400 VCA Members; $450 Non-Members - 20 Hours Thursday & Friday Only - $300 VCA Members; $335 Non-Members - 15 Hours Saturday Only - $110 VCA Members, $135 Non-Member - 5 Hours Register at or telephone the VCA Office at

9 2 9 News from the VASC The Virginia Alliance for School Counseling (VASC), the newest organization to be housed under VCA, officially launched back in November at the VCA Convention. We recruited over 123 charter members at that time and membership is climbing. We have since reached out to chapters throughout the state and are able to share our goals and vision for the organization. VASC s three guiding pillars are outreach, advocacy, and professional development. We appreciate and understand the importance of collaboration with all mental health professionals and want to be connected on a local and state level. We recognize the significance of our lobbying efforts and know we must advocate for ourselves in order to be heard. Lastly, we understand many counselors miss opportunities to develop professionally because of locality. VASC is committed to providing these opportunities throughout Virginia. VASC has been working hard to determine our Virginia school counselors needs, but we need your help. Over the next few months, we will be implementing professional development opportunities that meet the specific needs for school counselors and other mental health professionals working with children and adolescents. If you are a charter member of VASC, you will receive a welcome packet with information regarding some of the exciting workshops we will offer in the coming months. Even more importantly, we want to hear from you. Please visit our website and complete our needs assessment survey. For those VCA members who have not yet joined VASC, we encourage you to consider the opportunities and benefits you will receive once you have become a VASC member. VASC recently participated in Richmond s Legislative Day as an advocate for school counselors across the state and is assisting in the review of the Virginia Standards of Quality (SOQ). We have partnered with organizations, such as 1in5, because we believe positive change can only occur if we are collaborating as a profession. In March, look for our booth at VASGW s Group-A-Rama and the Virginia Tech Outreach convention. VASC is excited for the upcoming months with professional development opportunities that will reach throughout the entire state, including those areas that had been previously under-served. We are also thrilled to announce Trevor Romain will be the keynote speaker at VCA Convention this year and hope you will join us at The Homestead! If you would like to see a certain professional workshop in your area or want to learn more about VASC, please let us hear from you! VASC s cochairs are Karen Carlson dcarlson27@yahoo.com and Michelle Dillon michellelynndillon@gmail.com, and our leadership advisors are Michele Dowdy mmdowdy@rcs.k12.va.us and Sandy Hite sghite@mgwnet.com. We hope everyone had a fantastic National School Counseling Week! Your VASC Steering Committee

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