Growing grassroots: counseling student experiences in legislative professional advocacy

ABSTRACT

Counselor educators and supervisors have a vital role in promoting legislative professional advocacy (LPA). An interpretative qualitative analysis study of counseling graduate students involved in state-level LPA was conducted. Findings revealed six distinct themes: (1) professional counselor identity, (2) knowledge, attitudes and skills, (3) professional support, (4) power of the group, (5) social justice, and (6) personal impact. Study findings may help counselor educators and supervisors educate, guide, and mentor students, thereby increasing the likelihood of professional counselor LPA.

KEYWORDS:

• Counselor education and supervision
• legislative professional advocacy
• professional identity
• counselor advocacy

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).