NBCC Visions is our official newsletter. It is published electronically every month and delivered to all NCCs via email.
Stay up to date on NBCC and Affiliates’ latest activities. If you did not receive the latest issue, please log in to your ProCounselor account to update your contact information.
In honor of last week’s National School Counselor Week, hear from National Certified School Counselors Dr. Sommer Guerin and Carla Rawls, from a successful program in Mississippi, about how they have utilized the school’s resources to support their students and community.
The NBCC Foundation continues to provide quality support and resources for NCCs through offerings of scholarships, fellowships, capacity-building initiatives, the annual Symposium, and webinars.
Meet N’Kae Harris, a staff favorite known for her style, wit, and of course her role in ensuring that the employees of NBCC and Affiliates get paid.
We recognize that our country is in turmoil, and we appreciate the continued dedication of counselors everywhere to addressing the many challenges that face our community. Read about our continued commitment to your work and to addressing the larger issues permeating our society.
With no shortage of legislative items to address, NBCC’s Government & Legislative Affairs team is tracking many trends that could impact the counseling profession at the state level.
NBCC takes pride in successfully bringing together mental health practitioners and educators from across the globe to learn from one another at the International Capacity Building Department's first conference, Mental Health Connections: Counseling Across the Globe.
The NBCC Foundation would like to thank everyone who participated in the Giving Tuesday campaign this year. Your dedication to bridging the gap in access to quality mental health services is what makes their mission possible.
Read about Donna Kozlowski, NBCC's Executive Assistant to the VP of Credentialing & Quality Assurance, and her varied background working with celebrities, attending over 200 professional football games, and making her way to NBCC.
President and CEO of NBCC and Affiliates Kylie Dotson-Blake details a year of challenges, innovation, and success. Even in the midst of moving staff to remote work, testing sites closing, and the need for board certified counselors increasing, NBCC has worked tirelessly to provide much needed resources and looks forward to continuing that in 2021.
NBCC’s Government Affairs Manager, Jake Jackson, interviews Medicare legislation expert Dr. Matthew Fullen, who pursues improving the relationship between the counseling profession and older adults.
The NBCC Foundation celebrates a successful Bridging the Gap Virtual Summit, presented by Mental Health Academy. Over 2,250 registrants helped the Foundation raise more than $71,000, which funds mental health resources for underserved communities around the world.
Meet Lisa Gagliano, Executive Assistant to the VP of the Foundation and Professional Services Division, who finds working in a family-like atmosphere to be motivating and meaningful.
An article recently published in The New York Times has brought national attention to the lack of resources in mental health for older adults in the United States. With mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists not being covered by Medicare, hundreds of thousands of older Americans are without affordable providers.
Last month, we introduced the International Capacity Building Department’s first virtual conference that will connect participants to presenters from all over the world. We are excited to be able to share more information about this exciting opportunity.
In this months Counseling Confab, Rubin Battino, PhD, MS, NCC, LCPCC, offers three short essays on various aspects of practicing psychotherapy and counseling.
The NBCC Foundation has recently been selected as a part of the newly formed Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program (IMFP), a new initiative under SAMHSA. Learn more about the new program and the call for IMFP mentors.
Read about Angie Givens, State Licensure Facilitator for the Center for Credentialing & Education, and how she has dedicated nine years to NBCC and Affiliates and to counselors everywhere.
The Mental Health Access Improvement Act has passed out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and could be brought to the floor for a full House vote soon.
Read how Laura Shannonhouse, PhD, NCC, LPC, has found success for herself and for the profession by relying on data from clinical research to advise and advocate for the profession of counseling.
Three professors from Capella University share an experiential exercise, “Implementing a Literary Prompt,” and provides a brief overview of two group supervision experiences among counselors-in-training.
Linda Buscemi, PhD, NCC, LPC, explains her concept of "innatious," the ability to emotionally identify needs so to understand what drives our actions, beliefs, and emotions, and how to incorporate it into sessions in individual and couples therapy.
With recently made changes to our internal structures to better serve our stakeholders, NBCC is in search of qualified candidates who are enthusiastic about making a lasting impact on the profession of counseling to fill open positions in our Greensboro, North Carolina, offices.
The International Capacity Building Department is proud to announce their first virtual conference, “Mental Health Connections: Counseling Across the Globe,” to be held Dec. 17–18, 2020.
In a major win for Veterans Affairs’ mental health initiatives and NBCC’s continuing advocacy efforts, an extensive mental health reform bill was recently passed in the Senate by voice vote.
NBCC warmly welcomes Dr. Amie Manis as the new editor of The Professional Counselor (TPC), our open-access, online academic journal.
The NBCC Foundation continues to offer high-quality, free continuing education opportunities through their monthly webinars.
Through the COVID-19 challenges of transitioning to online and hybrid education, non-stop work, and general fatigue, Anne Marie Roberts has found hope and continues to inspire her students through compassion and authentic care.
The results of the 2020 APEX Awards for Publication Excellence were released and members of both the NBCC Communications Department and the editorial staff of The Professional Counselor (TPC) received a combined seven awards for their work.
Among the 22 bills presented at a legislative hearing was H.R. 945, the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, which, if passed, would allow mental health counselors to be reimbursed by Medicare for counseling services.
NBCC welcomes its five new board members: Michael Brooks, Mary Linda Diaz, Tina Lott, Rich Stapleton, and Ponce DeLeon Tidwell, Jr.
NBCC is excited to announce this year's grant award recipients: Stockton University in Galloway Township, New Jersey; Touro College in New York City, New York; and the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Meet Carri Curtis, one of NBCC's Recertification Customer Service Representatives, who enjoys the interactions and challenges of her role, and who has a profound respect for counselors offering the much-needed guidance clients are seeking.
We are pleased to introduce a new section to our newsletter, the Counseling Confab, where board certified counselors guest writers can share their successes, challenges, questions, and advice for others in the profession.
NBCC is working with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and AMHCA to provide insight on how mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists can effectively treat Parkinson’s disease patients.
Guest writers Jasmaine Ataga, NCC, LPC, and Zach McNiece provide insight into trauma, meaning-making, and incorporating poetry into sessions as a tool for processing.
As part of its continuing support of programs seeking CACREP accreditation, NBCC welcomes three subject matter experts to the CACREP Awards Committee, which evaluates the quality of the programs applying for NBCC grants to assist with the costs of obtaining accreditation.
Over 30 awards from the NBCC Foundation and the Center for Credentialing & Education are available for counseling students and counseling professionals seeking additional credentials and continuing education opportunities.
Dr. Janeé Avent Harris is an active researcher, publisher, educator, and consultant on subject matters such as diversity, cultural issues, and religion/spirituality. She offers this perspective as a counselor and as a Black, Christian woman.
Kapil Nayar, NCC, ACS, LPC, believes every conversation can lead to an opportunity to learn, grow, and heal. Read about his journey into counseling, his curiosity for learning, and his thoughts on social justice advocacy.
The theme for the 2020 Bridging the Gap Digital Experience is “Family Matters,” with an emphasis on counseling skills, research, and resources that can improve, strengthen, or enrich families that represent minority and other underserved communities.
The Professional Counselor recognized the winners of its annual awards, the Dissertation Excellence Award and the Outstanding Scholar Awards. Winners are selected each year from the articles published in that year’s volume, and are chosen based on their scholarly style, innovative and inventive material, and relevance to the counseling profession.
Our executive team addresses our stance on the systematic racism that permeates our society. Counselors are essential to helping people navigate through the hurt, fear, and anguish that is so pervasive in our communities. The actions of counselors can transform communities and strengthen justice and equity across our societal structures.
Navigating the nuances of HIPAA-compliant communications with clients during this time can be tricky. Carol McGinnis, NCC, BC-TMH, LCPC, and Eric Ward, MS, provide fail-safe tips to help counselors, educators, and students when utilizing Zoom.
We hear from Melonie Davis and Isabel Gomez of the NBCC Foundation on how we are staying connected to our NBCC Foundation Minority Fellows during this time of physical distancing.
We reached out to members of The Professional Counselor’s Editorial Review Board for insight into their transition to online counseling and education. Read about their success using online resources, creating the right workspace, and allowing students to express their creativity.
Stacey Brown, NCC, shares an account of her experiences transitioning her private practice and her personal life since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Sandra Logan-McKibben, PhD, NCC, NCSC, ACS, BC-TMH, shares what an inspiration her students have been and her optimism for the future of technology in counseling.
Joel Diambra, EdD, NCC, LPC-MHSP, has faced the changes COVID-19 has brought in several professional capacities. He provides tips for online teaching and supervision and shares his emotional journey.
As we continue to work remotely, the NBCC Communications Team takes a moment to talk about what has been their saving grace as we transitioned to work-from-home life.
As we all adjust to the “new normal” of working remotely, Dustin Reed, PhD, NCC, LPC, urges counselors to take precautions to ensure that state and federal laws and codes of ethics are followed.
The boards of NBCC and Affiliates recognize Dr. Andreea Szilagyi, who served NBCC in various capacities since 2004, including International Counselor in Residence, Associate Vice President and Vice President of NBCC International.
Kylie Dotson-Blake, Interim President and CEO of NBCC and Affiliates, shares a personal message and explains the change in this month's newsletter format.
With an influx of telehealth courses available right now, NBCC has compiled a list of courses from our Approved Continuing Education Providers (ACEPs). These ACEPs have a proven level of quality and their courses will meet your board certification continuing education requirements.
The coronavirus stimulus package hopes to offers support by providing economic aid to impacted businesses and individuals. The $1,200 stimulus checks coming to millions of Americans are getting a lot of attention, but there are several other provisions in this legislation that board certified counselors should know about.
Stay informed on state-by-state reimbursement policies, contact information for state insurance commissioners, and which insurers are temporarily easing restrictions for telemental health services. Our Government Affairs team keeps you updated.
The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, in addition to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights, are temporarily relaxing requirements and policies, making telemental health more accessible.
As part of Medicare Mental Health Week, NBCC has connected with our board certified counselors to help craft messages urging our representatives to pass the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, which would recognize mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists as covered Medicare providers.
The newest CACREP grant recipient to achieve CACREP accreditation is Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. Applications for the 2020–2021 grant opened on March 6, 2020, and the application cycle will close on April 3, 2020.
Licensure portability is a challenge for many counselors wanting to expand their area of practice. Erik Mansager, PhD, NCC, CCMHC, MAC, LCPC, CADP, has met the challenge and is now practicing and using his NBCC credentials overseas.
A year after NBCC launched the updated Counselor Find search platform, thousands of board certified counselors have taken advantage of this benefit, allowing counselors to enter their practice contact information, and making it easier for potential clients to connect with them directly.
NBCC, as part of the Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition (MMHWC), is working to strengthen advocacy efforts for the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, which would recognize mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists as covered Medicare providers and allow them to bill Medicare for counseling services.
With over 600 NBCC Foundation Alumni Fellows and Scholars working each day to expand mental health services in their own neighborhoods, making connections is more important than ever!
In late 2019, NBCC and the African Union Southern Africa Regional Office (AU-SARO) jointly sponsored a conference titled Conference on Improvement of Mental Health Services in SADC and COMESA Regions.
Meet NBCC and Affiliates’ IT Director, Melanie Wilkerson. Melanie explains why she came out of retirement, her love of murder mystery novels, and her hero, Steve Wozniak.
Every year NBCC receives dozens of board certified counselors who show continued dedication to advancement and learning by requesting a voluntary audit. We reached out to 2019’s successful audit participants to ask about their motivation to earn such a high number of continuing education clock hours.
NBCC is a proud sponsor of the Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education, and has represented the discipline of counseling at this forum since 2012. NBCC was recently asked to take part in a workshop titled "The Social Determinants of Mental Health."
Meet our spunky Cash Receipts Analyst, Lori Young, who thought her first day on the job was an April Fool's joke. Lori details her humorous transition to NBCC and her role ensuring accuracy related to receiving and processing transactions for NBCC and Affiliates.
The National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and Affiliates announces the filling of four new permanent Vice President positions: Callie Marino, Tammi Lee, Isabel Gomez, and Sidney Grant.
Telemental health care is a rapidly growing service. The Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider credential was designed to help mental health professionals navigate this type of service delivery.
We have a conversation with Dr. Nicole Stargell, NCC, BC-TMH, about her experiences with telemental health, her thoughts about this service, and how she sees it advancing in the years to come.
NBCC and Affiliates welcomes its new Chief Operations Officer (COO), Rebecca Amburn. She is a familiar face to NBCC and Affiliates, as she has served for the past three years on the CCE Board of Directors. Familiarity with our organization and business operations will be extremely beneficial as she transitions into the position of COO.
NBCC was a Platinum Sponsor for the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Conference in Seattle, Washington, held Oct. 10–13, 2019.
David Marcincavage, the Intellectual Property Coordinator at NBCC and Affiliates, discusses his journey to North Carolina and his role working with trademarks and copyrights.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has proposed rules that would drastically affect the counseling profession in the state. The proposed rule changes repeal nearly the entire scope of practice for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs). NBCC has been working with stakeholders to actively oppose these changes.
NBCC and Affiliates welcomes Dr. Monalisa McGee, NCC, MAC, LPC, LMHP, CPC, LMHC, to the 2019-20 Board of Directors of the National Board for Certified Counselors.
LaGrange College and Norfolk State University are the 2019–20 recipients of the NBCC and Affiliates Grant for Initial CACREP Accreditation. The individual $9,000 grants assist the universities as they work through phases of applying for CACREP accreditation.
Rachel Siehs, NCC, LMHC, finds her most rewarding work in counseling adolescents and young adults—often journeying with them through crises. Siehs never imagined she would face her own crisis at the age of 27, in the form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
NBCC continues to provide new tools for board certified counselors to distinguish themselves and increase their visibility in the pool of mental health professionals.
The Professional Counselor (TPC), NBCC’s peer-reviewed, open-access online journal, has won an APEX Award for Publication Excellence for the seventh consecutive year. This year, TPC won a Grand Award, signifying its status in the top 100 of 1,300 publications judged by APEX.
Andreea Tiganus, an Ethics Coordinator with NBCC’s Credentialing and Quality Assurance division, discusses her love of family and the law, as well as adjusting to life in the U.S. after arriving from Romania in 2014.
Under a partnership with TheAwardGroup, NBCC is creating a simple, quick way for board certified counselors to obtain the free certificate they gain upon certification or recertification.
LaTonya Summers, PhD, NCC, MAC, LCAS, LPCS, understands the struggle to be authentic in the workplace. She initiated a new research study with a goal of better understanding African-American women's perceptions about upward mobility, career compromise, and natural hair bias in the workplace.
The European Board for Certified Counselors (EBCC), incorporated in 2010, has made great strides in promoting the value of counseling overseas and in increasing mental health awareness and support.
Board certified counselors now have access via ProCounselor to continuing education (CE) documents that date from before a certificant’s five-year renewal cycle.
This month’s NBCC Visions reveals a streamlined design that we hope our board certified counselors find both attractive and useful—especially those using mobile devices, who now comprise more than 50% of our readers.
Isbah Ali Farzan, a psychometrician with the Center for Credentialing & Education, discusses how she joined NBCC and Affiliates and what a psychometrician does in a profession dependent on the assessment process.
Board certified counselors report that their digital badges, a program initiated by NBCC a year ago, have been what one called "a phenomenal tool." Learn how digital badges can help you, and how to download yours if you haven't yet done so.
The NBCC Foundation's 2019 Bridging the Gap Symposium led an exploration of the physical representations of Atlanta’s civil rights legacy and the continued effects of systemic racism and other trauma that are deeply felt by millions of people every day.
Christopher Townsend, PhD, NCC, LPC, LCAS, CCS, never envisioned himself graduating from college, let alone being called a doctor. His path out of the projects of High Point, North Carolina, led to a life work of helping those less fortunate obtain mental health care.
The Professional Counselor (TPC) has conferred its annual scholarship awards—one Dissertation Excellence Award and two Outstanding Scholar Awards—recognizing the most noteworthy articles published in NBCC's peer-reviewed, open-access electronic journal.
Mary Alice Olsan, Director of NBCC's Government & Legislative Affairs Department, discusses how NBCC helps state boards and agencies protect the public and support the counseling profession.
“Living in a world that is just a connection away, I know that people can find whatever they need with just a stroke on a keyboard,” says Mississippi-based Straughter, DPC, NCC, LPC, who has been a counselor for nearly 20 years. “
Tammi Lee, Interim Vice President of CCE and Business Services & Partnerships, discusses her role overseeing state agency services, contracted management services, business development, government and legislative affairs, and international business services.
Christy Sims, NCC, CMHC, had barely begun her counseling career when she suffered severe burns several years ago in the only reported case of an acid attack in the state of Georgia. Since that time, beyond the pain and countless surgeries, she has led a legal battle to empower victims of domestic violence.
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