Section 3: Foundational Counseling Curriculum

The following standards apply to all entry-level programs for which accreditation is being sought unless otherwise specified.
The curriculum for entry-level programs provides for obtaining essential knowledge and skills necessary to function effectively as a professional counselor across service delivery modalities. Curriculum knowledge domains and outcome expectations are frequently interrelated and not mutually exclusive. Ethical behavior, diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical thinking are integral to counselor preparation and should be infused throughout the curriculum. Diversity refers to all aspects of intersectional and cultural identity. Counselor preparation programs address culturally sustaining content and strategies across the eight foundational curriculum areas. The eight foundational curriculum areas represent the knowledge required of all entry-level counselor education graduates. Counselor education programs must document where and in what manner each of the numbered standards listed below is covered in the curriculum.

A. PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING ORIENTATION AND ETHICAL PRACTICE

history and philosophy of the counseling profession and its specialized practice areas
the multiple professional roles and functions of counselors across specialized practice areas
counselors’ roles, responsibilities, and relationships as members of specialized practice and interprofessional teams, including (a) collaboration and consultation, (b) community outreach, and (c) emergency response management
the role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of and with individuals receiving counseling services to address systemic, institutional, architectural, attitudinal, disability, and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success
the role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of the profession
professional counseling organizations, including membership benefits, activities, services to members, and current issues
professional counseling credentialing across service delivery modalities, including certification, licensure, and accreditation practices and standards for all specialized practice areas
legislation, regulatory processes, and government/public policy relevant to and impact on service delivery of professional counseling across service delivery modalities and specialized practice areas
current labor market information and occupational outlook relevant to opportunities for practice within the counseling profession
ethical standards of professional counseling organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling across service delivery modalities and specialized practice areas
self-care, self-awareness, and self-evaluation strategies for ethical and effective practice
the purpose of and roles within counseling supervision in the profession

B. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES AND EXPERIENCES

theories and models of multicultural counseling, social justice, and advocacy
the influence of heritage, cultural identities, attitudes, values, beliefs, understandings, within-group differences, and acculturative experiences on individuals’ worldviews
the influence of heritage, cultural identities, attitudes, values, beliefs, understandings, within-group differences, and acculturative experiences on help-seeking and coping behaviors
the effects of historical events, multigenerational trauma, and current issues on diverse cultural groups in the U.S. and globally
the effects of stereotypes, overt and covert discrimination, racism, power, oppression, privilege, marginalization, microaggressions, and violence on counselors and clients
the effects of various socio-cultural influences, including public policies, social movements, and cultural values, on mental and physical health and wellness
disproportional effects of poverty, income disparities, and health disparities toward people with marginalized identities
principles of independence, inclusion, choice and self-empowerment, and access to services within and outside the counseling relationship
strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination
guidelines developed by professional counseling organizations related to social justice, advocacy, and working with individuals with diverse cultural identities
the role of religion and spirituality in clients’ and counselors’ psychological functioning

C. LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

theories of individual and family development across the lifespan
theories of cultural identity development
theories of learning
theories of personality and psychological development
theories and neurobiological etiology of addictions
structures for affective relationships, bonds, couples, marriages, and families
models of resilience, optimal development, and wellness in individuals and families across the lifespan
models of psychosocial adjustment and adaptation to illness and disability
the role of sexual development and sexuality related to overall wellness
biological, neurological, and physiological factors that affect lifespan development, functioning, behavior, resilience, and overall wellness
systemic, cultural, and environmental factors that affect lifespan development, functioning, behavior, resilience, and overall wellness
the influence of mental and physical health conditions on coping, resilience, and overall wellness for individuals and families across the lifespan
effects of crises, disasters, stress, grief, and trauma across the lifespan

D. CAREER DEVELOPMENT

theories and models of career development, counseling, and decision-making
approaches for conceptualizing the interrelationships among and between work, socioeconomic standing, wellness, disability, trauma, relationships, and other life roles and factors
processes for identifying and using career, avocational, educational, occupational, and labor market information resources, technology, and information systems
approaches for assessing the conditions of the work environment on clients’ life experiences
strategies for assessing abilities, interests, values, personality, and other factors that contribute to career development
career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation
developmentally responsive strategies for empowering individuals to engage in culturally sustaining career and educational development and employment opportunities
strategies for advocating for employment support for individuals facing barriers in the workplace
strategies for facilitating client skill development for career, educational, and life-work planning and management
career and postsecondary training readiness and educational decision-making
strategies for improving access to educational and occupational opportunities for people from marginalized groups
ethical and legal issues relevant to career development and career counseling

E. COUNSELING PRACTICE AND RELATIONSHIPS

theories and models of counseling, including relevance to clients from diverse cultural backgrounds
critical thinking and reasoning strategies for clinical judgment in the counseling process
case conceptualization skills using a variety of models and approaches
consultation models and strategies
application of technology related to counseling
ethical and legal issues relevant to establishing and maintaining counseling relationships across service delivery modalities
culturally sustaining and responsive strategies for establishing and maintaining counseling relationships across service delivery modalities
counselor characteristics, behaviors, and strategies that facilitate effective counseling relationships
interviewing, attending, and listening skills in the counseling process
counseling strategies and techniques used to facilitate the client change process
strategies for adapting and accommodating the counseling process to client culture, context, abilities, and preferences
goal consensus and collaborative decision-making in the counseling process
developmentally relevant and culturally sustaining counseling treatment or intervention plans
development of measurable outcomes for clients
evidence-based counseling strategies and techniques for prevention and intervention
record-keeping and documentation skills
principles and strategies of caseload management and the referral process to promote independence, optimal wellness, empowerment, and engagement with community resources
classification, effects, and indications of commonly prescribed psychopharmacological medications
suicide prevention and response models and strategies
crisis intervention, trauma-informed, community-based, and disaster mental health strategies
processes for developing a personal model of counseling grounded in theory and research

F. GROUP COUNSELING AND GROUP WORK

theoretical foundations of group counseling and group work
dynamics associated with group process and development
therapeutic factors of group work and how they contribute to group effectiveness
characteristics and functions of effective group leaders
approaches to group formation, including recruiting, screening, and selecting members
application of technology related to group counseling and group work
types of groups, settings, and other considerations that affect conducting groups
culturally sustaining and developmentally responsive strategies for designing and facilitating groups
ethical and legal considerations relative to the delivery of group counseling and group work across service delivery modalities
direct experiences in which counseling students participate as group members in a small group activity, approved by the program, for a minimum of 10 clock hours over the course of one academic term

G. ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC PROCESSES

historical perspectives concerning the nature and meaning of assessment and testing in counseling
basic concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments, and group and individual assessments
statistical concepts, including scales of measurement, measures of central tendency, indices of variability, shapes and types of distributions, and correlations
reliability and validity in the use of assessments
culturally sustaining and developmental considerations for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessments, including individual accommodations and environmental modifications
ethical and legal considerations for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessments
use of culturally sustaining and developmentally appropriate assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning purposes
use of assessments in academic/educational, career, personal, and social development
use of environmental assessments and systematic behavioral observations
use of structured interviewing, symptom checklists, and personality and psychological testing
diagnostic processes, including differential diagnosis and the use of current diagnostic classification systems
procedures to identify substance use, addictions, and co-occurring conditions
procedures for assessing and responding to risk of aggression or danger to others, self-inflicted harm, and suicide
procedures for assessing clients’ experience of trauma
procedures for identifying and reporting signs of abuse and neglect
procedures to identify client characteristics, protective factors, risk factors, and warning signs of mental health and behavioral disorders
procedures for using assessment results for referral and consultation

H. RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION

the importance of research in advancing the counseling profession, including the use of research to inform counseling practice
identification and evaluation of the evidence base for counseling theories, interventions, and practices
qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research designs
practice-based and action research methods
statistical tests used in conducting research and program evaluation
analysis and use of data in research
use of research methods and procedures to evaluate counseling interventions
program evaluation designs and procedures, including needs assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments to inform decision-making and advocacy
culturally sustaining and developmentally relevant outcome measures for counseling services
ethical and legal considerations relevant to conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results of research and program evaluation
culturally sustaining and developmentally responsive strategies for conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results of research and program evaluation

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