A Message from the President...

Greetings amazing counselors,

I am honored to follow Dr. Olson as the new SDCA President for the 2020-2021 membership year. One blessing from social distancing for my family, has been regular family movie nights. Our favorite new movie involves trolls and music. While watching the movie I came up with the theme for my presidency with SDCA. Music brings people together, just like it brought the trolls together. We all carry a rhythm inside us and there are many ways to share it with others. The original design included a troll, but with the current events that have stirred my design for social justice, it brought on a whole new meaning for me.

Music without harmony is simple, but with harmony it is dynamic. I want to invite my fellow counselors, educators, and mental health professionals to create a dynamic movement in harmony to help our clients, students, and communities. Communities have drawn together through the pandemic by caring for others by singing in Italy and wearing masks to protect one another from Covid-19.

Diversity in the counseling community is not only important to me, but it is part of my identity as a  counselor. The American Counseling Association Ethics code includes a section on Confidentiality and Advocacy. The code states,

“Counselors obtain client consent prior to engaging in advocacy efforts on behalf of an identifiable client to improve the provision of services and to work toward removal of systemic barriers or obstacles that inhibit client access, growth, and development.”

The American Counseling Association also made a statement in June in response to the most recent Anti-Racism movement, https://www.counseling.org/news/updates/2020/06/22/aca-anti-racism-statement. Before I am work on advocating for social justice or mental health stigma and legislation, I must first find serenity. I have found serenity in my strength of learning. In his book “A View from the Roof: Lessons for Life & Business,” Dr. Calvin Mackie stated,

“Everyone has a responsibility to future generations to pass on the knowledge they have attained and inspire others to tackle the problems facing humankind. . . When we stop learning, we stop growing and become a part of the walking, breathing, living dead with no dreams and especially no hope for the future.”

Please join me in living the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “We must become the change we want to see in the world.” How and what are you ready to advocate for in our current state of uncertainty? Take the first step, no matter how small or how scary that step seems right now. Then stop and breath in the courage and comfort in knowing that in this moment, you are healthy.

The SDCA board has been working hard to prepare for the new fiscal year. I would love to invite you to participate as a collaborator with committees or other areas of leadership. Apply for our leadership mentor program and learn from outstanding leadership within our SDCA membership.