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.
May is Mental Health Awareness month, a time to increase our focus on raising awareness of the importance of mental health, access to care, and reducing stigma. We spoke with some NBCC Foundation fellows and scholars to find out how they are advocating for mental health and making a positive impact in their communities.
NBCC’s Mental Health Facilitator (MHF) program is providing individuals outside the mental health field with education about mental health, language to talk about mental health, awareness of community-based resources, and basic skills to engage in conversations normalizing help-seeking and reducing stigma in their communities.
NBCC & Affiliates Global Capacity Building team is seeking presenters with international expertise for its third digital conference, Mental Health Connections: Building a Global Counseling Community. The virtual conference will take place Nov. 30–Dec. 2.
By donating your used professional books and journals to the NBCC Foundation, you can help empower international counseling students and professionals who otherwise may not have access to current educational materials.
NBCC’s institutes program offers participants an opportunity to expand their multicultural knowledge by engaging with new communities through service learning during an 8- to 10-day immersive experience. Tentative locations in 2023–2024 are Bhutan, Canada, and Rwanda.
Telemental health isn’t only growing, it’s rapidly evolving as our world changes. Proper training can help mental health professionals learn best practices, earn credibility, and expand their reach. Read more to learn about the BC-TMH credential and exciting new developments in the field.
More than ever before, counselors are serving clients who are mobile, working in remote settings, and seeking virtual, internet-based health services. CCE’s Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) credential highlights counselors’ specialized training and professional expertise in telemental health services.
After formal review by a committee of subject matter experts, we have completely revamped the TeleMental Health Examination (TMHE) and its content outline. The examination is taken by candidates seeking to earn the Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) credential.
There are no easy fixes to improving mental health care on federal and state levels. But one area that needs immediate reform to successfully address mental health treatment access is the process of managed care used by health plans and health insurers.
The Counseling Compact is a contract among states that will allow professional counselors who are licensed and residing in a Compact member state the privilege to practice in other Compact member states. NBCC strongly encourages cooperation among Compact states in the areas of licensure and regulation.
NBCC is proud of the continued work of NCCs and their advocacy efforts. This month, we reached out to Zori Paul, Pamela Fullerton, Kapil Nayar, and Turesa Gilchrist to learn about the work they do to advocate for access to mental health care services in their communities.
NBCCF awards scholarships and fellowships to counselors working with underserved populations and offers capacity-building grants to communities around the world where access to mental health care is extremely limited.
For John O. Nwosu, Jr., MEd, EdS, NCC, LPC, what began as a journey pursuing a career as a pharmacist turned into a quarter-life crisis, leading him to his current role as a school counselor, mentor, and advocate. Read more about Dr. Nwosu’s engaging work providing students with the tools they need to live their best lives.
Each month, we feature key leaders who are working to make a difference in the counseling profession. We recently asked Dr. Carol M. Smith, founding president of the International Association for Resilience and Trauma Counseling, to share her thoughts about her organization’s efforts to improve access to mental health care.
We hope you’ll stop by and see us at the 2022 ACA Conference & Expo, taking place April 7–9 in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect, engage, and learn how you can transform the counseling profession.
Each year, NBCC and Affiliates awards grants to master’s-level counseling programs seeking first-time CACREP accreditation to demonstrate that their programs meet the highest professional standards. Read more about the grant process and last year’s awardees.
NBCC will award 10 school counselors $1,000 each in honor of their efforts to address youth mental health needs and suicide prevention. Learn more about this program and apply today!
As a school counselor, Corey Daniel, NCC, plays a vital role in the mental health and well-being of the students at the North Carolina high school where she’s worked for 14 years.
Earning the National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) certification ensures that counselors adhere to the highest standards of practice and have met stringent requirements in education, experience, ethics, and more.
The winners of our 2021 NCSC award have been doing great work in their communities and beyond! This month we caught up with four of them to find out how these funds helped their missions.
Each month, we feature key leaders of the counseling profession sharing their thoughts about their organizations’ efforts to improve access to mental health care. This month we spoke with President Cheryl L. Fulton and Executive Director Holly Moorhead of Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic & Professional Honor Society International (CSI).
Each month, we feature key leaders of the counseling profession as they share their thoughts about their organizations’ efforts to improve access to mental health care. This month we spoke with President Mita Johnson and Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy of The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC).
Don’t miss Counseling Foundations: Your Path to Career Success, on Feb. 17 from noon–4 pm EST! Recent graduates and seasoned counseling professionals can meet employers, gain interview experience, and learn about exciting opportunities for counselors. Especially welcome are employers and candidates who are passionate about serving traditionally underserved populations.
Our searchable Counselor Find directory allows nationally certified counselors to list information about their practices online, making it easier for those seeking help to find care. This exclusive user-friendly platform is a great way to gain visibility while marketing your skills, and best of all, it’s free!
The latest research by NBCC’s Assessments Department shows that counselor examination volume for licensure and certification has remained consistent throughout the pandemic. Several new online testing options provide opportunities to more easily and efficiently fulfill the examination requirements for licensure and certification.
Congratulations to the four master’s-level counseling programs that were recently awarded NBCC and Affiliates grants to assist them with the costs of obtaining first-time accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)! Becoming CACREP-accredited is a remarkable accomplishment indicating that a counselor education program has been evaluated and meets the highest professional standards.
Are you interested in sharing your professional experience as an NCC or CCE credential holder to promote and advance the profession of counseling? Consider applying to become an NBCC and Affiliates board director or trustee and help make a positive, far-reaching impact on mental health care.
Counseling means different things to people in other countries, and EBCC is working to help define the profession in Europe by helping its partners create and implement certification and credentialing training programs.
Each month, we feature key leaders of the counseling profession sharing their thoughts about their organizations’ efforts to improve access to mental health care and strengthening health equity. This month we spoke with President S. Kent Butler Jr. and CEO Richard Yep of the American Counseling Association (ACA).
Grata R.V. Garcia-Catipon's work as a contract counselor for the United States Department of Defense has taken her to countries around the world, where she works with military families. Her experience growing up with military family members and as a military spouse have helped her to connect with her clients.
Gibozi Mphanzi, president of GCAM, and its co-founder, Diana Nyirenda, recently shared their insights about the importance of increasing access to mental health care in Malawi and what GCAM is doing to help foster health equity.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn about counseling in a variety of international settings and initiatives to expand awareness, training, and service capacity from international and domestic speakers during this three-day virtual event.
NBCC’s International Capacity Building Department has built relationships and partnerships around the world working towards advancing counseling and access to mental health resources to communities everywhere.
NBCC and the NBCC Foundation will host Mental Health Connections: Cultivating Equity, an international virtual conference, Dec. 8–10. Register now to learn about the state of counseling from speakers all over the world while also earning continuing education hours.
In support of Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) International, NBCC allows active CSI chapters to offer qualifying continuing education credit without applying for and maintaining Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP) status separate from that of their affiliated counselor education programs.
Select the NBCC Foundation through the AmazonSmile program before shopping online and .5% of your purchase price will be donated to help fund the NBCC Foundation’s annual military and rural scholarships for master’s-level counseling students. A little goes a long way.
In this month’s submission to the Counseling Confab, Pamela Fullerton, LCPC, CCTP, shares her recent experience at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) conference and what she took away from it.
In our new NBCC Visions column “Leading for Equity,” we hear from American Mental Health Counselors Association President Dr. Beverly Smith on her leadership efforts to advance equity and justice within the counseling profession.
The 33rd annual National Coming Out Day was observed on Oct. 11 to support members of the LGBTQ+ community by promoting equality and civil rights and supporting their right to live openly and authentically by publicly affirming their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
In 2018, Lisa Price became the second person to earn the BC-TMH credential, and the first in Virginia. Price says the BC-TMH has enabled her to virtually serve clients in her rural community who otherwise may not have access to care.
The NBCC Foundation is delighted with the success of its 2021 Bridging the Gap Symposium: Eliminating Mental Health Disparities, which was held virtually Sept. 23–24. Over 400 attendees viewed presentations and engaged in discussions on topics focused on counseling skills, research, and resources.
We are excited to announce that the entire library of courses from i-Counseling is now available on our new continuing education platform, CCE Academy. Our new user-friendly platform allows users to easily search and explore continuing education on a wide variety of topics.
Bilingual counselor Dr. Camila Pulgar Guzmán strives to remove long-held mental health care stigmas within the Latinx community. As a Chilean immigrant, she also has a personal understanding of the challenges faced by those adjusting to new lives in the United States.
Nominations for Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program (IMFP) mentors are now open through Sept. 19, 2021. IMFP mentors are ethnically/racially and gender-diverse individuals who possess knowledge and expertise of other diverse populations.
Darren Mullahey, NBCC’s Renewal Programs Manager, comes to us with years of experience in business and sales marketing and customer service, and he happens to be a decent pool player.
NBCC’s Board of Directors recently met with its leadership and worked together to develop the NBCC Creed, an official statement providing a clear view of our beliefs about what we value not only as counselors, but also as an organization.
NBCC and Affiliates recently held the Counseling Regulatory Boards Summit in Denver, Colorado. It provided an opportunity for state regulatory boards responsible for overseeing the licensure of counselors to come together and discuss key issues impacting all states.
The results of the 2021 APEX Awards for Publication Excellence have been released and members of both the NBCC Communications Department and the editorial staff of The Professional Counselor (TPC) received a combined eight awards for their work!
The Center for Credentialing & Education’s (CCE) mission is to advance professional excellence through credentialing, assessments, and business support services, offering credentialing to nearly 25,000 professionals globally in a variety of fields.
Volunteers fulfill a number of important roles with the NBCC Foundation and are essential in efforts to provide so many scholarship, fellowship, and other funding opportunities. Learn how you can be a part of the Foundation's mission to leverage the power of counseling by strategically focusing resources for positive change.
As a member of the LGBTQ community, Leann Romitti, NCC, MSCP, LPC, is especially passionate about providing quality care and a safe space for every client in need.
Meet Chris Travis, our Application Specialist, and unofficial family chauffeur, who takes pride in his work reviewing submissions primarily for CACREP and regionally accredited applicants.
As the country begins to consider returning to pre-pandemic life, the need for youth and children’s counselors is at an all-time high. NBCC continues to support counselors and provide relevant resources to better engage with underserved communities.
NBCC is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 National Certified School Counselor Awards. This year’s awards recognize school counselors who have invested extraordinary effort to meet the needs of their schools and community.
Supervision is not only a requirement for licensure; it is also a powerful tool for improvement throughout a counselor’s career. Qualifying for the CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential helps to identify supervisors with a strong commitment to the profession of counseling.
Grassroots advocacy means real people making their voices heard, raising awareness, and educating policymakers. As an NCC, you can offer expert advice about the counseling profession, as well as your personal insights into how lack of counselor recognition in federal programs and agencies creates a barrier to mental healthcare access.
The Professional Counselor (TPC) recently recognized the winners of its annual scholarship awards. Join us in congratulating this year’s winners
Marilyn Willis, MA, NCC, LPCC, is the author of RESTORED: A Self-Paced Grief Workbook for Your Journey From Loss to Life, and offers insight into her process for writing this book and what it offers to its readers.
NBCC’s Mental Health Facilitator (MHF) program works to meet global mental health needs by offering trainings to people outside mental health fields in basic helping and referral skills. If you or your organization are interested in MHF training, learn more or contact us.
NBCC and CCE are proud to introduce the Examination Sensitivity and Bias Review Committee, which will conduct ongoing reviews of assessments and processes to help ensure that our examinations are fair and representative.
Melonie Davis, Program Manager at the NBCC Foundation, recently received a Forty Under 40 Alumni Award from the Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Young Alumni Council.
The Professional Counselor (TPC) recently recognized the winner of its Dissertation Excellence Award, Dana L. Brookover.
Meet the wonder woman of NBCC Foundation’s Development and Communications, Tory Watkins Cherry—master multitasker and networking extraordinaire for the Foundation fellowship and scholarship recipients.
Our Government Affairs Manager, Jake Jackson, talks with Kapil Nayar, whose unsafe work environment at a Pennsylvania substance use disorder treatment facility spurred him to become a significant advocate for the facility's clients and all citizens of Pennsylvania.
J. Richelle Joe, PhD, NCC, ACS, provides insight on her experiences as a Black woman and counselor educator, especially in relation to racial tensions, and how they have impacted her students, clients, and herself.
School counselor Katerina Sorrell, MA, NCC, PPSC, LPCC, created a district-wide counseling report, which offers resources, words of encouragement, and some fun for good measure. See her unique newsletter for the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.
The NBCC grant program for regionally accredited institutions seeking first-time accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs is accepting applications until April 17, 2021.
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.
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