Capturing Counseling Priorities

During Advocates in Action Month this September, we’re excited to announce a new initiative, Capturing Counseling Priorities. Capturing Counseling Priorities was inspired by Photovoice methodology, which promotes ethical photography for social change. Thanks to ACA member Jadarius Evans, LPC-A, we’re thrilled to bring this initiative to Advocates in Action Month.

As part of this initiative, participants are encouraged to take photos capturing what our policy priorities mean to them and submit your photos through the Google Form.* Then, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, we’ll host a virtual session to discuss the initiative, what art reveals about the real-life impacts of policy and how we can take action.

So, how do you get involved? First, watch the short video on the Advocates in Action Month page when they go live on Tuesday, Sept. 1, explaining the project and how you can engage from home.

Once you’re ready to start, take photos in response to these prompts:

• How do low reimbursement rates and clawbacks impact you and/or your clients?
• What are barriers to accessing mental healthcare?
• How is technology a challenge to counseling? How is it an opportunity?

You can submit as many or as few photos as you like. The photos just need to follow our ACA Code of Ethics, our project guidelines and any subjects in the photograph must sign the ACA Consent to Use of Photographic Images, found below.

Consider engaging with this new initiative during Advocates in Action Month! We cannot wait to see the photos you take.

For additional questions, contact the ACA Government Affairs and Public Policy Team at advocacy@counseling.org.

*By submitting your photos, you are giving ACA permission to share these photos to elevate counselor's voices and experiences. By submitting your story, you give ACA permission to use all or some of your photos for advocacy communications (meeting with policymakers, etc.) and/or promotional uses (reports, one-pagers, social media). ACA will give photo credit to submitters.

Capturing Counseling Priorities Photography Policy:

By submitting a photograph to the Capturing Counseling Priorities Photo Project, I grant the American Counseling Association (ACA) permission to use, reproduce, edit, publish, display, and distribute the photograph, now and in the future, in connection with ACA’s educational, informational, promotional, and advocacy-related activities. This may include use in ACA publications, presentations, websites, social media channels, emails, and other print or digital materials.

I represent that I took the photograph or otherwise have the right to submit it and grant ACA the permissions described above. I also confirm that I have obtained permission from each identifiable person shown in the photograph for ACA to use their image for these purposes.

I understand that I retain ownership of the photograph, that I will not receive compensation for its use, and that ACA is not required to use or publish the photograph. I release ACA and its authorized representatives from claims arising from ACA’s authorized use of the photograph as described above.