American Counseling Association

Infobox Organization
name=American Counseling Association
image_border=Aca logo.gif
headquarters=Alexandria, Virginia, United States
leader_title=President
leader_name=Dr. Colleen Logan
formation=1952
website= [http://www.counseling.org/ counseling.org] The American Counseling Association (ACA) is a professional organization of counselors in the United States. It is the world's largest association exclusively representing professional counselors.

Its stated mission is to "enhance the quality of life in society by promoting the development of professional counselors, advancing the counseling profession, and using the profession and practice of counseling to promote respect for human dignity and diversity."

The association is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.

History

The group was founded in 1952 as the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA), formed by the merger of the National Vocational Guidance Association (NVGA), the National Association of Guidance and Counselor Trainers (NAGCT), the Student Personnel Association for Teacher Education (SPATE), and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). The American Personnel and Guidance Association changed its name to the American Association of Counseling and Development (AACD) in 1983. On July 1, 1992, the association adopted its current name.

The American Counseling Association promotes public confidence and trust in the counseling profession so that professionals can further assist their clients and students in dealing with the challenges life presents.

In addition to its members in the United States, the American Counseling Association services professional counselors in the U.S. and in 50 other countries, including nations in Europe and Latin America as well as the Philippines and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, the American Counseling Association is associated with a comprehensive network of 19 divisions and 56 branches. The American Counseling Association also collaborates with several corporate and related organizations to enhance member services.

Divisions

There are 19 chartered divisions within the American Counseling Association. These divisions provide leadership, resources and information unique to specialized areas and/or principles of counseling. Divisions chartered by ACA elect division officers who govern their activities independently and carry a voice in national ACA governance. Enhance your professional identity and practice by joining one or more divisions.

* [http://www.theaaceonline.com/ Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education (AACE)]
* [http://www.aadaweb.org/ Association for Adult Development and Aging (AADA)]
* [http://www.aca-acc.org/ Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC)]
* [http://www.collegecounseling.org/ American College Counseling Association (ACCA)]
* [http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_web/organizations/aceg/index.htm Association for Counselors and Educators in Government (ACEG)]
* [http://www.acesonline.net/ Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES)]
* [http://www.aglbic.org/ Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC)]
* [http://www.amcdaca.org/ Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD)]
* [http://www.amhca.org/ American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)]
* [http://www.arcaweb.org/ American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA)]
* [http://www.schoolcounselor.org/ American School Counselor Association (ASCA)]
* [http://www.aservic.org/ Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC)]
* [http://www.asgw.org/ Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW)]
* [http://www.c-ahead.com/ Counseling Association for Humanistic Education and Development (C-AHEAD)]
*Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) [ [http://www.counselorsforsocialjustice.com/ Counselors for Social Justice - Home Page ] ]
* [http://www.iaaoc.org/ International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC)]
* [http://www.iamfc.com/ International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC)]
* [http://ncda.org/ National Career Development Association (NCDA)]
* [http://www.employmentcounseling.org/ National Employment Counseling Association (NECA)]

Regions

* [http://www.counseling.org/midwest Midwest]
* [http://www.counseling.org/NAR North Atlantic]
* [http://www.counseling.org/SR Southern]
* [http://www.counseling.org/westernregion Western]

Branches

ACA has 56 chartered branches in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.

* [http://www.alabamacounseling.org/ Alabama]
* [http://www.akcounseling.org/ Alaska]
* [http://www.azca.org/ Arizona]
* [http://www.arcounseling.org/ Arkansas]
* [http://www.cacounseling.org/ California]
* [http://www.unco.edu/cca Colorado]
* [http://www.ccamain.org/ Connecticut]
* [http://www.decounseling.org/ Delaware]
* [http://www.flacounseling.org/ Florida]
*Hawaii
* [http://www.idahocounselor.org/ Idaho]
* [http://www.ilcounseling.org/ Illinois]
* [http://www.indianacounseling.org/ Indiana]
* [http://www.kscounseling.org/ Kansas]
* [http://www.kyca.org/ Kentucky]
* [http://www.lacounseling.org/ Louisiana]
* [http://www.maineca.org/ Maine]
* [http://www.loyola.edu/macd Maryland]
* [http://www.wccnet.edu/orgs/mca/ Michigan]
* [http://www.mncounseling.org/ Minnesota]
* [http://www.mscounselor.org Mississippi]
* [http://www.counselingmissouri.org/ Missouri]
* [http://www.montanacounseling.org/ Montana]
*Nebraska
* [http://www.njcounseling.org/ New Jersey]
* [http://www.nmca-nm.org/ New Mexico]
* [http://www.nycounseling.org/ New York]
* [http://www.nccounseling.org/ North Carolina]
* [http://www.sendit.nodak.edu/ndca North Dakota]
* [http://www.ohiocounseling.org/ Ohio]
* [http://www.oklahomacounseling.org/ Oklahoma]
* [http://www.or-counseling.org/ Oregon]
* [http://www.pacounseling.org/ Pennsylvania]
*Puerto Rico
* [http://www.thepalmettocounselor.org/ South Carolina]
* [http://www.sdcounseling.org/ South Dakota]
* [http://www.tncounselors.org/ Tennessee]
* [http://www.txca.org/ Texas]
*Utah
* [http://www.vcacounselors.org/ Virginia]
* [http://wacounseling.org/ Washington]
* [http://wvcounseling.org/ West Virginia]
* [http://www.wicounseling.org/ Wisconsin]
* [http://www.wyoca.org/ Wyoming]
* [http://www.online-infos.de/eb-aca/main.htm Europe]

References

External links

* [http://www.counseling.org American Counseling Association]