What Endures

By Victoria Kress, PhD, LPCC-S, NCC

September 2026

All counselors are, by definition, leaders. Whether we work with clients, students, supervisees, organizations or communities, we influence growth, foster change and help shape the future. Leadership is not limited to those with titles. It is found in the counselor who helps a client find hope, the counselor educator who prepares the next generation of professionals and the supervisor who helps a new counselor develop confidence and competence.

While our settings and roles may differ, professional counselors share a commitment to leaving people and systems better than we found them. As a former Girl Scouts troop leader, I often think about a lesson we taught our scouts: Always leave things cleaner than you find them. The same principle guides counselors. Our goal is not simply to do the work before us but to leave behind something stronger, healthier and more sustainable for those who come after us.

As I begin my year as ACA president, I have been reflecting on the nature of leadership. We often think of leadership as solving problems, responding to crises or guiding organizations through periods of change. While those responsibilities are certainly important, some of the most meaningful leadership work involves creating things that endure.

One of my foundational leadership beliefs is that, if a leader has done their job well, their work continues long after they have moved on. The strongest leaders do not simply create activity during their term of service; they help create systems, opportunities and structures that continue to benefit others for years to come. We help clients build skills, relationships, resilience and insight that continue serving them long after counseling ends. In many ways, leadership asks us to do the same.

This year marks an important milestone for ACA as we implement our new governance structure, the most significant governance restructuring in the association’s 75-year history. This transition represents years of thoughtful planning and collaboration designed to create a governance structure that is more efficient, strategic and responsive to the needs of our members and profession. We owe a debt of gratitude to the many leaders whose vision, perseverance and hard work made this transition possible.

As we build this next chapter of ACA, I am excited about several initiatives focused on strengthening the counseling profession for the future. One initiative involves the development of a legislative advocacy training, credentialing and badge program designed to help counselors build practical skills in public policy and advocacy.

Counselors have big hearts. We care deeply about the people and communities we serve and often witness the impact that policies and legislation have on their lives. Yet many counselors have never received formal training in how to effectively engage in the legislative arena. Advocacy requires a unique set of skills, and developing those skills can help transform our passion into meaningful action. Counselors have powerful stories, unique expertise and important perspectives to share. By increasing our collective capacity for advocacy, we can strengthen our voice on issues that affect our clients, communities and profession.

Another area of focus involves continuing important conversations related to children and youth. As counselors, we are uniquely positioned to recognize and address the ways young people can be marginalized within systems designed to serve them. I am particularly interested in helping our profession explore the concept of childism and how counselors can advocate more effectively for youth in counseling settings, schools, communities and public policy. Children and adolescents often have the least power within the systems that shape their lives, yet their experiences today profoundly influence who they become tomorrow.

Finally, we cannot effectively advocate for those we serve if we cannot sustain our ability to practice our craft and support our families. To that end, I am convening a task force focused on counselor reimbursement and insurance-related issues. Counselors deserve fair reimbursement for the services they provide. Reimbursement challenges affect not only counselors but also access to care for the individuals, families and communities we serve. When counselors struggle to sustain their practices, clients lose access to needed services. This work is complex, but it is essential to the long-term health of our profession.

Although these initiatives focus on different issues, they share a common purpose. Each is intended to strengthen the foundation of our profession and create opportunities that will benefit counselors and those we serve well into the future.

ACA has always been more than an association. It is a professional home and a community of people committed to improving lives, advancing mental health and supporting one another. The work we do today matters. The structures we build today matter. The investments we make in leadership, advocacy and professional development matter.

I hope when this presidential year ends, ACA will be stronger not because of any single initiative but because together we have invested in the systems, skills and relationships that allow counselors to thrive. If we do this work well, the impact will extend far beyond any one year, leader or initiative.

What endures is rarely built in a moment. It is created through vision, service, collaboration and a willingness to invest in something larger than ourselves. I am honored to serve alongside you as we continue building a profession that will support counselors, clients and communities for generations to come.

Thank you for the work you do every day and for the many ways you contribute to our profession. Together, we are creating a legacy that endures.