Strengthening professional counselor identity using the ACA advocacy competencies as a framework

Professional counseling has grown as a behavioral health profession in the USA since it was first licensed in Virginia in 1976. However, establishing a well-defined professional counselor identity (PCI) has remained elusive. We highlight the importance of PCI and outline current challenges to PCI. Drawing on the literature, we present strategies to strengthen PCI by organizing these within the framework of the American Counseling Association (ACA) Advocacy Competencies. We offer additional strategies to strengthen PCI.