ACA News

Counseling Experts Present Latest Research at the 2025 ACA Conference & Expo, March 27-29 in Orlando, Fla.

More than 150 posters to be presented covering nicotine dependence and cognitive function among young adults to mental health implications of forced family separation at the border and more.

ACA Conference to Feature Sessions on Climate Change, Today’s Political Landscape, Impact of the Loneliness Epidemic on Youth & More

The 2025 ACA Conference & Expo, the premier professional development and networking event for professional counselors, will feature 200+ education sessions, organized across 24 mental health and counseling topic areas.

Boynes Announces Departure; ACA Governing Council Announces Plans for Interim Leadership

Shawn Boynes, CEO, has announced his departure effective April 15, 2025. During his tenure, Boynes oversaw a 10% cumulative revenue growth, implemented a focused strategic plan, & launched the ACA Strategic Partner Network.

SimplePractice Joins the ACA Strategic Partner Network

The American Counseling Association (ACA) is pleased to announce the addition of SimplePractice to its Strategic Partner Network. This move expands the long-standing relationship between the two organizations.

Christine Suniti Bhat Begins Term as President of American Counseling Association

Christine Suniti Bhat, PhD, an Ohio University professor and an expert on cyberbullying prevention, begins her term as 2024-2025 president of the American Counseling Association on July 1.

Bradley Erford Named Incoming Editor of ACA Flagship Journal

Bradley T. Erford, PhD, a Vanderbilt University professor and expert on psychoeducational tests and counseling outcomes research, has been named incoming editor of the Journal of Counseling & Development (JCD)

Journal Explores the Experiences of Minority and Young Populations Within LGBTQ+ Community

The experiences and mental health of children, youth and marginalized groups within the LGBTQ+ community is the focus of a special two-part series in the Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling.

Professional Counselors Love Their Work, But Not Their Earnings

American Counseling Association survey reveals counselors’ concerns about income, education costs and professional support.

ACA CEO Testifies on Need for Improved Mental Health Care for Black Men and Boys

Today, ACA CEO Shawn Boynes, FASAE, CAE, testified at a congressional hearing about the role counselors can play in providing support for Black men and boys and dismantling stigma around mental health concerns.

Counseling Awareness Month Honors Professionals Who Foster Mental Health and Wellness

The American Counseling Association celebrates the field’s role in debunking mental illness stigma and providing care.

ACA Awards Recognize Achievement and Excellence in Professional Counseling

Each year, the American Counseling Association recognizes excellence in research, career and humanitarian achievement among counseling professionals and students. This year’s awards will be presented at ACA’s 2024 Conference & Expo in New Orleans.

College Students Appear Resistant to Using 988 Crisis Phone Line

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched across the U.S. nearly 2 years ago. But college students appear disinclined to use it, according to new research published in the Journal of Addiction & Offender Counseling

AI Can Support — But Not Replace — Human Counselors, According to New Recommendations

Artificial intelligence (AI) shows promise as a valuable support tool but the American Counseling Association (ACA) warns that consumers should not use AI as a substitute for a human counselor. 

Workplace Wellness Policies Could Soften the Effects of Workaholism

Employers should consider more ways to facilitate time off for the employees who are least likely to take it — workaholics. That’s the conclusion of counseling experts who conducted a workaholism study published in Career Development Quarterly

Many Appalachian Teens Feel Lack of Control over College Access, Study Suggests

Alexandria, Va. (September 27, 2023) — High school students in poor, rural Appalachian areas face several obstacles in attaining a college education. One of those impediments may be their own sense of powerlessness over their academic futures, ...

Counselors Share What It's Like to Lose a Client to Suicide

Alexandria, Va. (September 12, 2023) — Mental health and school counselors need far more support than they typically receive for one of the field’s most traumatic occupational hazards: a client’s suicide, according to reports in the ...

First Responders Are People, Too: Study Shows How Dehumanization Leads to Burnout

Alexandria, Va. — From medical professionals who were on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic to firefighters rescuing victims of the Maui wildfires, first responders are often hailed as heroes. But many of them experience the public’s ...

Why Schools Close Black Boys Out of Gifted and Talented Programs

Biased tests and educators’ racial attitudes hinder academic opportunities Alexandria, Va. — Flaws in testing and racial bias among teachers and school counselors are some of the reasons many Black boys are denied advanced learning ...

Nearly Half of Mental Health Practitioners Say They Are Unprepared to Help Clients Cope with Climate Change

Many mental health counselors feel ill-equipped to help their clients deal with psychological issues around climate change, according to a new study published in the Journal of Humanistic Counseling, a journal of the American Counseling Association.

Black Men Reap Mental Health Benefits from Otherfathering

Black men serve a variety of parental roles in their communities ? from teaching to coaching to mentoring youth. A new study reveals how this work, called otherfathering, influences the men?s mental health.