The issue that I chose to support was the Counseling Compact.

The counseling Compact

helps the increasing demand of counseling services needed and it authorizes in person and

Telehealth practice across state lines (Counseling Compact). The Counseling compact will work

when 10 states approve of it (Counseling Compact). When licensed counselors are able to apply

for it, there will be no issues practicing counseling across state lines (Counseling Compact).

Counselors would be able to maintain the ability to regulate practice in their home states

(Counseling Compact). Counselors would have to exchange information such as the verification

of licensure and discriminatory sanctions (Counseling Compact). The reason this issue is

important to me is because before I started studying to become a counselor, I did not know where

I was going to live after I got married, and therefore I was not sure where I would practice

counseling. It caused me to wonder about the possibility of practicing in different states. Ever

since I found out I couldn’t, I have hoped to help it happen in the future. After covid started, I

started thinking about providing Telehealth sessions in multiple states if we are able to in the

future. It was something that I was getting excited about. I was also disappointed that I had to

leave a client that moved to another state because we were making great progress. I worry about

the possibility of moving and needing to get a license in another state. It makes me feel almost

forced to stay in one state if I get my license in just one state. In order to create change, I

followed the instructions on the website. I looked up who the senators of Virginia were since it

said to contact the state legislators, and I looked for their email addresses. I downloaded the tool

kit that the website provided and added to the emails. I also wrote to them about why I think they

should support the Counseling Compact. The tool kit was helpful because it contained a good

amount of information to help them understand the Counseling Compact.

 References:

Counseling compact. Counseling Compact - American Mental Health Counselors Association.

(n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2021, from

https://www.amhca.org/advocacy/counselingcompact.