Within the American Counseling Association there are 18 divisions. These divisions enhance professional identity and are organized around specific interest and practice areas. The divisions provide professional strength and satisfy the diverse needs of the counseling community.
UPDATE: In November 2018, the Governing Council received notice from the American Mental Health Counselors Association that they wished to disaffiliate from ACA as a national division. After discussion and negotiation with AMHCA, the ACA CEO reported that AMHCA fulfilled the requirements to complete their disaffiliation from ACA as of March 14, 2019. Both organizations look forward to continued collaboration on issues that will benefit mental health counselors and the profession.
Association for Adult Development and Aging (AADA)
Chartered in 1986, AADA serves as a focal point for information sharing, professional development, and advocacy related to adult development and aging issues; addresses counseling concerns across the lifespan.
2021-2022 President: John C. Nance
2021-2022 President-Elect: Adrianne Trogden
2021-2022 Past President: Christian Chan
Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC)
Originally the Association for Measurement and Evaluation in Guidance, AARC was chartered in 1965. The vision of AARC is to recognize and advance excellence in assessment and research in the counseling profession.
2021-2022 President: Elizabeth Prosek
2021-2022 President-Elect: Madeline Clark
2021-2022 Past President: Philip Gnilka
Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC)
Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling aims to focus on the training needs of counselors who work with children and adolescents, while also providing professional support to those counselors, whether they are school counselors, play therapists, or counselor educators.
2021-2022 President: LeAnn Solmonson
2021-2022 President-Elect: Rachel Jacoby
2021-2022 Past President: Emily Goodman-Scott
Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC)
The Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC) is a forum for counselors, counselor educators, creative arts therapists and counselors in training to explore unique and diverse approaches to counseling. ACC's goal is to promote greater awareness, advocacy, and understanding of diverse and creative approaches to counseling.
2020-2022 President: Edward Hudspeth
2020-2022 President-Elect: LoriAnn Stretch
2020-2022 Past President: Ruth Ouzts Moore
American College Counseling Association (ACCA)
ACCA is one of the newest divisions of the American Counseling Association. Chartered in 1991, the focus of ACCA is to foster student development in colleges, universities, and community colleges.
2021-2022 President: Raime Thibodeaux
2021-2022 President-Elect: Becca Smith
2021-2022 Past President: Andrew J. Lee
Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES)
Originally the National Association of Guidance and Counselor Trainers, ACES was a founding association of ACA in 1952. ACES emphasizes the need for quality education and supervision of counselors for all work settings.
2021-2022 President: Casey Barrio Minton
2021-2022 President-Elect: Natoya Hill Haskins
2021-2022 Past President: Heather Ambrose
Executive Director: Kelly Duncan
Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC)
AHC, formerly C-AHEAD, a founding association of ACA in 1952, provides a forum for the exchange of information about humanistically-oriented counseling practices and promotes changes that reflect the growing body of knowledge about humanistic principles applied to human development and potential.
2021-2022 President: Amanda Evans
2021-2022 President-Elect: Alfredo Palacios
2021-2022 Past President: Victoria Kress
Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD)
Originally the Association of Non-White Concerns in Personnel and Guidance, AMCD was chartered in 1972. AMCD strives to improve cultural, ethnic and racial empathy and understanding by programs to advance and sustain personal growth.
2021-2022 President: Margarita Martinez
2021-2022 President-Elect: Angela Coker
2021-2022 Past President: Kim Huges
American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA)
ARCA is an organization of rehabilitation counseling practitioners, educators, and students who are concerned with enhancing the development of people with disabilities throughout their life span and in promoting excellence in the rehabilitation counseling profession's practice, research, consultation, and professional development.
2021-2022 President: Sonia Peterson
2021-2022 President-Elect: Valerie E.D. Russell
2021-2022 Past President: Steve Zanskas
Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC)
Originally the National Catholic Guidance Conference, ASERVIC was chartered in 1974. ASERVIC is devoted to professionals who believe that spiritual, ethical, religious, and other human values are essential to the full development of the person and to the discipline of counseling.
2021-2022 President: Daniel Gutierrez
2021-2022 President-Elect: Jesse Fox
2021-2022 Past President: Ryan Foster
Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW)
Chartered in 1973, ASGW provides professional leadership in the field of group work, establishes standards for professional training, and supports research and the dissemination of knowledge.
2021-2022 President: Lorraine Guth
2021-2022 President-Elect: Kathy Ybanz-Llorente
2021-2022 Past President: Dibya Choudhuri
Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ)
CSJ is a community of counselors, counselor educators, graduate students, and school and community leaders who seek equity and an end to oppression and injustice affecting clients, students, counselors, families, communities, schools, workplaces, governments, and other social and institutional systems.
2021-2022 President: Delila Owens
2021-2022 President-Elect: Ebony White
2021-2022 Past President: Collette Dollarhide
International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC)
Originally the Public Offender Counselor Association, IAAOC was chartered in 1972. Members of IAAOC advocate the development of effective counseling and rehabilitation programs for people with substance abuse problems, other addictions, and adult and/or juvenile public offenders.
2021-2022 President: Kirk Bowden
2021-2022 President-Elect: Melanie Iarussi
2021-2022 Past President: Angie Cartwright
International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC)
Chartered in 1989, IAMFC members help develop healthy family systems through prevention, education, and therapy.
2020-2022 President: Rebecca Lynn Pender Baum
2020-2022 President-Elect: TBD
2020-2022 Past President: Samuel Gladding
Executive Director:
Military and Government Counseling Association (MGCA) formerly ACEG
Initially known as the Military Educators and Counselors Association, MGCA was chartered in 1984. MGCA is dedicated to counseling clients and their families in local, state, and federal government or in military-related agencies.
2021-2022 President: Natasha Barnes
2021-2022 President-Elect: Dannette Berksteiner
2021-2022 Past President: Katherine Atkins
National Career Development Association (NCDA)
Originally the National Vocational Guidance Association, NCDA was one of the founding associations of ACA in 1952. NCDA provides professional development, connection, publications, standards, and advocacy to career development professionals who inspire and empower individuals to achieve their career and life goals.
2021-2022 President: Sharon Givens
2021-2022 President-Elect: Lakeisha Matthews
2021-2022 Past President: Seth Hayden
Executive Director: Deneen Pennington
*NCDA term of office is October 1 - September 30
National Employment Counseling Association (NECA)
NECA was chartered in 1966 as the National Employment Counselors Association. NECA is committed to offering professional leadership to people who counsel in employment and/or career development settings.
2020-2022 President: Carolyn Greer
2020-2022 President-Elect: Sujata Ives
2020-2022 Past President: Rebecca Lynn Downie
Executive Director of Strategic Leadership, Professional Development, and e-News: Kay Brawley
Executive Director: John Hakemian
Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE)
Formerly Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC)
Educates counselors to the unique needs of client identity development; and a non-threatening counseling environment by aiding in the reduction of stereotypical thinking and homoprejudice.
2021-2022 President: Christie Jenkins
2021-2022 President-Elect: Tamekia Bell
2021-2022 Past President: Cory Viehl
ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATES
Association of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness (ACSSW)
The mission of ACSSW is to promote sexuality as a central aspect of being human that includes the intersection of interpersonal and intrapersonal influences on sexual expression and identities inclusive of age, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender and gender expression, physical and mental health and abilities, and socioeconomic status.
2021-2022 President: Angie Schubert
2021-2022 President-Elect: Frances McClain
International Association for Resilience and Trauma Counseling (IARTC)
The mission of IARTC is to enhance the quality of life for people and communities worldwide by promoting the development of professional counselors, advancing ACA, the counseling profession, and the ethical practice of counseling through trauma-informed practices, respect for human dignity, cultural inclusivity, and resilience.
2021-2022 President: Carol Smith
2021-2022 President-Elect: Peggy Mayfield