ALEXANDRIA, VA…. University of San Diego faculty member Dr. Brian S. Canfield is the new president of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the largest nonprofit association for professional counselors in the world. His term is July 1, 2007–June 30, 2008.
 
Canfield, elected by the 42,000-member association, has a 28-year career in higher education. He currently serves on the faculty of the University of San Diego as Professor in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences.   He has held positions as a faculty member at University of Louisiana at Monroe, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Louisiana State University at Shreveport, and Southeastern Louisiana University, including administrative roles as clinical director, department chair, and Associate Dean.  

A recipient of the 2005 International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC) Distinguished Leadership Award, Canfield has been an active member and leader in the counseling profession for more than 25 years.  He has served as President of IAMFC, a division of ACA, and he also has served as President of the Louisiana Mental Health Counselors Association and President of the Louisiana Division of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
 
Canfield’s research interests include cross-cultural counseling and professional practice issues.  He has published extensively and lectured on these topics to professional groups throughout the United States and Europe.
 
Increasing the level of professionalism and expanding the scope of practice for the 100,000 licensed counselors throughout the United Stated is one of the primary goals for ACA this year. “The profession of counseling offers a wide-range of professional expertise to address many of the problems which confront society.  The work of the ACA serves to educate the public and expand access to the services of professional counselors to better meet the needs of individuals, couples, families, adults and children,” Canfield said.

The American Counseling Association (www.counseling.org) is a nonprofit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, ACA is the world’s largest association exclusively representing more than 42,000 professional counselors across a wide spectrum from school counselors to family counselors, addictions counselors, and many other practice specialties.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Interviews with Canfield or other ACA officers, members or speakers can be arranged. E-mail BHeatherington@counseling.org for assistance or call 703-823-9800, ext.243.