Year: 2025

Share Your Student Loan Story

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Share how federal student loans have enabled you to pursue a degree in counseling! The Department of Education is considering lowering federal student loan borrowing limits for students, which could force some student towards expensive private lenders and discourage others from pursuing counseling altogether. ACA is collecting stories about the importance of these loans for enabling students to attend graduate programs and ultimately serve the community by becoming counselors.

Please share your federal student loan story. For instance,

  • How have these loans enabled you to pursue counseling?
  • How would these changes discourage students from joining the counseling field?
  • How could changing federal student loan limits harm access to counselors by shrinking the workforce?
For more information on how you can share your story and participate, check out the ACA Take Action page at: Take Action – Engage and Amplify Your Voice (counseling.org)

2025 Counseling Advocacy Update

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American Counseling Association, Advocacy in Action
View Web Version

2025 was a year full of incredible advocacy wins thanks to your hard work. Read on to see the achievements at the federal and state levels as a result of your dedication to advocating for the counseling profession!

Federal Updates

Proposed Changes to Federal Student Loan Caps

The Department of Education (ED) is considering significant reductions to federal student loan limits. This proposed change would be particularly challenging for students in programs not considered “professional” by ED, which includes master’s level counseling programs. This change could push many students toward expensive private lending and discourage future counselors from entering the profession. Learn more.

We will submit comments about these proposed changes to ED during the public comment period, which is anticipated to begin in early 2026.

You can act now — share how student loans supported your journey to becoming a licensed professional counselor and how the proposed loan limits would negatively impact future students’ educational and professional trajectories.

Medicare Providers — Counselors are Eligible!

Counselors can now apply to be a Medicare provider. Learn more.
FEDERAL WINS

  • Created 37 new articles and resources for members to enhance engagement and provide timely policy guidance.
  • Engaged in more than 100 congressional meetings to advocate for our key legislative priorities.
  • Endorsed 11 pieces of legislation and signed seven national coalition letters.
  • More than 100 counselor advocates traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend Hill Day, where we advanced our federal advocacy efforts. Attendees met with 95 Members of Congress or their staff, spanning over 17% of all Congressional offices and around 35% of the Senate.
  • Filed two amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court in the cases of Mahmoud v. Taylor and Chiles v. Salazar.
GRASSROOTS WINS
Federal Action Alert Participation by State as of Dec. 1.
  • Revamped the Take Action Center to better serve our members.
  • ACA Advocates wrote more than 8,500 letters to legislators, made over 175 phone calls, submitted more than 150 comments on regulations and submitted over 210 advocacy stories, which is a 310% increase in engagement compared to 2024.
  • The most active states were New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Virginia.
  • The most popular campaigns urged Congress to support Medicaid, to restore counselor access to grant funding, to support the LGBTQ+ youth mental health lifeline and to oppose conversion therapy.
State Updates

Counseling Compact

Did you know you can follow the work of the Counseling Compact Commission (CCC), such as their meetings and updates on the Compact? All CCC meetings and minutes are open to the public. Learn more about the Compact rollout for your state.

You can also find information on fees, jurisprudence exams and state-specific contact information.

COUNSELING COMPACT WINS

  • Nevada became the 38th state and 39th jurisdiction to join the Counseling Compact when Governor Joe Lombardo signed Assembly Bill 163 in June.
  • Arizona and Minnesota became the first states to start issuing privileges to practice across state lines in September.
  • Counseling Compact legislation was introduced in nine states.

Connect with Other Advocates at Advocacy Power Hour

Advocacy Power Hour (APH) connects advocacy leaders and interested members with our team to discuss state policy updates, advocacy strategies at the state level and our national policy agenda.

The next APH is Thursday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. ET.

Register for the next APH.

STATE WINS

  • Hosted the second annual Spotlight on States event during Advocates in Action Month, providing an overview of state legislation and advocacy throughout the year. This event featured 18 speakers and attracted over 110 registrants interested in state-level advocacy and legislative engagement.
  • APH continues to grow. Since implementing a new registration system, APH registration has jumped to as high as 81 registrants per meeting.

Get Involved

Are you ready to advocate for the counseling profession? Here are steps to kickstart your advocacy journey:

Please note that trainings are an exclusive benefit for ACA members only.
ACA actively works on legislative and public policy issues that matter to our members. Priorities include Medicare reimbursement for counselors, the Counseling Compact and increased funding for mental health care.

Protecting the Professional Degree Status for Counselors

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PROTECTING THE PROFESSIONAL DEGREE STATUS FOR COUNSELORS

The Situation:

Under the terms of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill  (H.R. 1), the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will replace existing loan repayment programs, including the Grad PLUS Program and much of the Parent PLUS program. Under RAP, annual federal loans for new borrowers will be capped at $20,500 for graduate students and $50,000 for professional students per academic year. The Department of Education identified 11 degrees, including medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and law, that would be considered professional degrees. Counseling and Therapy programs were not included on this list, meaning students in these fields would not qualify for the higher funding cap.

Affected Master’s Degrees:

Accounting

Architecture

Audiology

Business Masters

Counseling and Therapy 

Education

Engineering Masters

Nursing

Occupational Therapy

Physical Therapy

Physician Assistant

Public Health

Social Work

Speech and Language Pathology

Why This Matters:

Reducing federal financial aid for counseling and therapy students will restrict entry into mental health professions at a time when shortages are already severe. Fewer students may be able to afford these degrees, which will shrink the future behavioral health workforce. Excluding counseling and therapy from professional status undermines efforts to meet rising mental health needs across the United States. With more than one-third of Americans living in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, any new barrier to entering the mental health field will further harm public well-being.

Take Action Today:

I. Contact your congressional representatives using our VoterVoice system.   https://www.votervoice.net/NBCCGrassroots/Campaigns/131783/Respond

II. Share your personal experience receiving federal student aid and how this support allowed you to complete your education and succeed in your profession.

III. Spread awareness ahead of the 2026 public comment period for higher education rulemaking.

Internship Opportunity: MaineStay Youth & Family Services

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MaineStay Youth & Family Services in Maine Township/Park Ridge area is now accepting applications from master’s students interested in a counseling internship for 2026-2027. They will be starting interviews in January. See attached flyer for an overview of their extensive internship training program.

More detailed information can be found online at mainetown.com/internship. They are looking for highly motivated students interested in the field of counseling or family therapy who would like to have a lot of training and supervision at their internship site.

MaineStay Internship Program Flyer

Internship Opportunity – Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital

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Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates has just opened their application process for the 26-27 year. They conduct their application/interview process on a rolling admissions approach which means that as soon as applications are received, they are reviewed and, if chosen, interviews are scheduled. The majority of their interviews take place from January through March. They will continue to accept applications until all 20 of our internship positions are full.

Please see the linked brochure and application for a detailed list of the clinical training opportunities offered.

In order to apply, students need to complete the one page application and email it along with two letters of recommendation, a resume, a cover letter and unofficial graduate school transcripts to Marie Duetsch at Marie.duetsch@ascension.org.

More information about Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital can be found here: https://healthcare.ascension.org/locations/illinois/ilchi/hoffman-estates-ascension-alexian-brothers-behavioral-health-hospital

Internship Opportunity – University of St. Francis Student Assistance Program (USAP) Counseling Internship

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The University of St. Francis in Joliet is currently taking internship applications for its Student Assistance Program (USAP) Counseling Internship for the 2026-2027 year. Interested students can reach out to Linda Espinosa at linda.espinosa@aah.org with any questions.

In order to apply, students must email:

  • a cover letter
  • transcript
  • curriculum vitae
  • three letters of recommendation (at least one letter of recommendation must come from a supervisor who is familiar with and can speak about your clinical work and experience)

Call for Research Participants!

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CALL FOR RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

I Thought They’d Find Out I Didn’t Belong: A Relational Model of Impostor
Syndrome Among Emerging Mental Health Professionals

Principal Investigator: Dhionis Tartari, MA, LCPC (IL), LPC (WI), NCC, BC-TMH
Program: Ph.D., Counselor Education & Supervision, The Chicago School
IRB Application Number: IRB-FY25-619

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to construct a grounded theory that explains how impostor
syndrome develops and is experienced among counselors-in-training and early-career
counselors, and how mentoring and supervisory relationships influence that development.
The study aims to provide counselor educators and supervisors with insights to support
emerging professionals, reduce impostor feelings, and strengthen professional identity
formation.

Eligibility
Participants must meet all of the following criteria:
• Be 21 years of age or older
• Be currently enrolled in or have graduated from a CACREP-accredited counseling program
OR be within the first five years of post-master’s clinical practice
• Reside in the United States
• Have experience with faculty mentorship and/or clinical supervision
• Be willing to discuss experiences of self-doubt, mentoring, and professional development

What to Expect
• One 45–60 minute virtual interview via a secure telehealth platform (Doxy.me)
• An optional 30-minute follow-up interview within two weeks, conducted virtually for
clarification of responses
• Interviews will be audio-recorded and de-identified for analysis
• Participation is voluntary and confidential

Interested or Have Questions?
Dhionis Tartari, LCPC (IL), LPC(WI), NCC, BC-TMH – Principal Investigator
[dtartari@ego.thechicagoschool.edu]
Dr. Sarah Dalton – Dissertation Chair
sdalton@thechicagoschool.edu

Free Webinar! School Counseling Internship & Job Interviews: Tips and Practice

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Free Webinar! School Counseling Internship & Job Interviews: Tips and Practice

Monday, December 15th, 7pm – 8pm via Zoom

School counseling graduate students, get ready to shine in your upcoming internship or job interviews! Join us for a free live webinar featuring experienced school counselors and admins sharing practical tips, common pitfalls, and strategies for presenting your strengths with confidence.

After a brief presentation, you’ll join breakout rooms to practice real interview questions and receive feedback. You’ll leave with greater clarity, stronger answers, and a better sense of what interviewers are looking for!

Register today for this free event! – https://ilschoolcounselor.org/event-6447930

– ISCA Graduate Student Committee