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Conferences in Counseling

Conferences in the field of counseling offer students, practitioners, researchers, and scholars opportunities to gather, interact, and learn within a larger and often diverse environment. Individuals with common interests have formed societies and convened in groups for discussion and debate since the time of Socrates. In the field of psychology, the first formal meeting of professionals was the First International Congress of Psychology held in Paris in 1889, followed closely by the founding of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1892. In 1952, the American Personnel and Guidance Association was founded. Today, these professional societies and associations provide a forum in which members can discuss affairs and training standards of the association, participate in educational events, engage in professional renewal, strengthen professional identity, and make contacts with others who are interested in psychology and counseling.

Conferences in Context

Professional gatherings can stimulate creative and intellectual understanding among individuals. In the United States, the first formal professional conference in psychology was held in 1892 with the founding of the APA. This association met annually for members to exchange ideas, set standards for membership, and attend to the business affairs of the association. In 1952, four independent associations joined forces in Los Angeles to discuss and organize a greater and more unified professional voice for counselors. The four associations included 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). These four organizations became one larger organization, the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA). In 1983 APGA became the American Association of Counseling and Development (AACD), and later, in 1992, the AACD changed its name to the American Counseling Association (ACA) to reflect the growing unity of purpose among its members.

Interest in the area of counseling and psychology continues to grow as evidenced by the numerous areas of specialty and subspecialty development within the APA and ACA. Currently there are 54 divisions and 58 state or provincial associations within the APA. The ACA has 19 divisions and 56 branches. Many of these divisions and regional associations also hold annual conferences as a benefit for their members. These conferences in counseling are the organizational descendants of these associations' historic annual meetings.

Conferences and Other Opportunities for Learning

Many professionals are committed to continuous learning and enhancement of their knowledge base and skills. Today's counselors and psychologists can seek training from a variety of sources (e.g., conferences, workshops, graduate coursework, postdegree certification, independent study) and in a variety of formats (e.g., in person, online, or hybrid). Although all of these entities provide the opportunity for an instructive experience, conferences are unique in that they (1) typically mandate that participants belong to the sponsoring organization, (2) are assumed to attract persons who share a particular vocation or professional identity, (3) are viewed as a benefit of membership, (4) provide members information regarding the financial status of the organization, (5) afford members access to the governing board, and (6) offer a place to discuss the social relevance and purpose and standards of the organization. There is, at a minimum, an implied, if not overt, agreement that the basic beliefs and purpose of the association draw individuals to attend and participate.

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