Advocacy for the Counseling Profession: Why It Matters
This paper examines advocacy within the counseling profession from three perspectives. First, it establishes the need for advocacy by drawing on Lee's (1998) definition of advocacy as arguing for a cause, Myers et al.'s (1998) call for a national advocacy plan, and the Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL) model as a structural framework for professional well-being. Second, it identifies consequences when advocacy is insufficient, including reduced counselor effectiveness, personal hardship, and diminished professional performance. Third, it proposes ways a master's-level counselor education program can embed advocacy training into both curriculum and extracurricular activities, emphasizing early socialization into professional identity and collaborative peer-support structures.
- Introduction and Objective: Paper's purpose and three-part scope outlined
- The Need for Advocacy in Counseling: Why counselors need systematic professional advocacy
- The Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL) Model: WEL framework as a tool for counselor well-being
- Consequences of Insufficient Advocacy: Risks of neglecting professional advocacy efforts
- Incorporating Advocacy into Master's-Level Programs: Curriculum strategies for building advocacy culture
- Conclusion: Lasting benefits of early advocacy training
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What makes this paper effective
- It frames advocacy as both an ethical obligation and a practical necessity, connecting individual counselor well-being to broader professional outcomes.
- It grounds abstract claims in a specific, empirically developed instrument — the Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL) — giving the argument structural support.
- It moves logically from defining the problem (need for advocacy), to identifying risks (consequences of inaction), to proposing solutions (curriculum integration), creating a coherent problem-solution arc.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates source-anchored argument building: each major claim is directly attributed to a named scholar or model (Lee, Myers et al., Bemak), with quotations used to establish authoritative definitions before the author extends or applies them. This technique is especially useful in professional and applied fields where legitimacy rests on alignment with recognized frameworks.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a clearly stated objective paragraph that previews all three sections. It then develops each section in turn: the first substantive section establishes need and introduces the WEL model; the second identifies professional consequences; and the third translates the theory into practical curriculum recommendations. The references section follows standard APA-style formatting. The structure mirrors a policy brief more than a traditional essay, making it well-suited for professional advocacy audiences.
Introduction and Objective
The objective of this paper is to describe the need for advocacy for the counseling profession in clear terms, outlining the benefits advocacy provides to the profession as a whole, and to discuss the consequences of insufficient advocacy. Finally, it describes how a master's-level counselor education program may incorporate advocacy training into its curriculum and extracurricular activities. The perspective of creativity in the development of advocates — through the use of individual strengths, existing beliefs, and attitudes concerning the profession — is a central focus.
The Need for Advocacy in Counseling
The need for advocacy cannot be overstated in relation to the counseling profession. The stress inherent to this work has many complicating factors when the realities of individual life and the broader world are taken into account. As stated in Lee (1998) in "Advocacy for Counseling and Counselors: A Professional Imperative," advocacy is defined as "the process or act of arguing or pleading for a cause or proposal" (p. 8). Within this context, Lee recommended that counselors become agents of social change, intervening not just in the lives of their clients but in the world around them as well. It is a necessity that this type of advocacy be applied among professional counselors as a service to one another in combating the specific stressors to which they may be subject due to the nature of their work.
Myers et al. (1998) further assert that "advocacy for the profession is essential for the future of counseling and counselors," yet "advocacy for the professional has received little systematic attention." They argue that a national plan for advocacy is needed, the effectiveness of which depends on achieving consensus concerning professional identity, promoting a positive public image, establishing effective intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration, and obtaining the participation of each counselor in advocacy activities. They also note that "too often, credentialed and professional counselors are unable to access positions or earn payment commensurate with their level of competence" (Chi Sigma Iota, 1999; Engels & Bradley, 2001; Myers & Smith, 1999).
One stated rationale for interdisciplinary collaboration is that it will assist counselors in achieving their full potential to effect positive social change (Bemak, 1998). As Bemak further notes, "all counselors have an opportunity, if not a responsibility, to be an advocate for both their clients and themselves." Advocacy is therefore a two-pronged effort that includes advocacy for client well-being and for the profession itself — both of which are necessary and within the scope of training and practice of professional counselors.
The Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL) Model
Initiatives of this kind, however, must be structured in nature and grounded in specific guidelines or a recognized model. One such model, presented by Jane Myers and Tom Sweeney, is known as the WEL. According to Myers et al. (1998), a holistic model of wellness has been developed and structured into what is termed the "WEL" — or the "Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle" — to serve as a framework for assisting individuals in making healthy lifestyle choices. It is based upon five life tasks and subtasks as defined by the "Wheel of Wellness." The life tasks of spirituality, self-direction, work and leisure, friendship, and love are all known to interact with various life forces and global events. The WEL instrument is comprised of 131 self-statement items requiring a response via a five-point Likert scale.
The Life Tasks Scales are as follows:
1. Spirituality; 2. Self-Regulation (including sense of worth, sense of control, realistic beliefs, intellectual stimulation, sense of humor, nutrition, exercise, self-care, stress management, gender identity, and cultural identity); 3. Work; 4. Leisure; 5. Friendship; 6. Love; 7. Total Self-Regulation; 8. Perceived Wellness; 9. Total Wellness (Myers et al., 1998).
Conclusion
Through structuring curriculum and extracurricular activities to include support mechanisms during the educational development of professional counselors, this framework is built upon and remains in place throughout the professional lives of those counselors. It provides a sustained outlet for the professional counselor when the complications and hardships inherent to the profession would otherwise risk producing negative outcomes in both the personal and professional lives of those individuals who have chosen this career.
References
Bemak, F. (1998). Interdisciplinary collaboration for social change: Redefining the counseling profession. In C. Lee & G. Walz (Eds.), Social action: A mandate for counselors (pp. 279–292). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Lee, C. (1998). Advocacy for counseling and counselors: A professional imperative. Journal of Counseling and Development, 2002, September 9.
Myers, J., et al. (1998). A holistic model of wellness (2nd ed.). Advocacy for counseling and counselors: A professional imperative. Journal of Counseling and Development, 2002, September 9.
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