ABSTRACT
Professional counseling organizations, including counseling honor societies, provide important opportunities for students to network with other professionals, nurture their leadership and advocacy skills, and contribute to the future of the counseling profession. In addition, there are many other financial and mentorship opportunities available. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a road map for students and new professionals to understand how to thoughtfully engage in professional counseling organizations, each of which plays an important mentoring role in their becoming effective counseling practitioners and educators. After describing the different types of counseling organizations, this chapter will describe the many personal and professional benefits of membership. Subsequently, the author will describe practical considerations when choosing the type of organization and one’s level of involvement. In addition, pitfalls will be addressed, providing caution to students and advisors alike who are guiding students in this process. The final section of this chapter will suggest “next steps” for students to begin the process of self-assessment as well as organizational exploration and assessment. The chapter will close with an assessment checklist, which may be used to clearly identify the benefits of particular organizations and how well they match with a student’s own needs and priorities.
