ACES Interest Networks provide a mechanism for ACES members with common professional interests to share ideas, information, research, and to engage in project collaboration with other interest network members. Membership in any Interest Network is open to all ACES members. If you are interested in joining an interest network, you can do so through your member profile or contact Member Services at memberservices@acesonline.net and ask to be added to any interest networks you’d like to join.
The Academic Leadership Development Interest Network aims to enhance counselor education by promoting leadership training and mentoring to current and prospective academic leaders. This group will help build a pipeline of educational leaders from the field of counselor education, which will, in turn, promote the profession.
The Advocacy Interest Network will be recognized as a vanguard of change within the ACES organization. We are committed to:
For more information and to get involved, please contact either co-chair:
The goal of the Bilingual Counselor Education and Supervision (BCES) Interest Network is to promote increasing awareness of bilingual counselor education and supervision and provide a supportive and educational community about bilingual counseling within ACES and it’s 5 regions. This interest network is committed to find ways to support unique needs of educators and supervisors of bilingual counselors. Lastly, this interest network will be used as a place of networking and resource sharing for those who are invested in bilingual counselor education and supervision. For more information and to get involved, please contact either co-chair:
The goal of the ACES Career Interest Network is to connect counselor educators teaching career courses with one another and resources for effective pedagogy. This interest network provides space for counselor educators to connect, discuss best teaching practices, and engage in research focused on career development and counseling. For more information and to get involved, please contact:
The ACES Climate Justice in Counseling Interest Network aims to do impactful Teaching, Service and Research. We are committed to:
The Clinic Directors and Placement Coordinators Interest Network is a space for individuals who work as Practicum and Internship Placement Coordinators or Training Clinical Directors and other clinic personnel to gather and share best practices related to these roles. The goal of the CDPC Interest Network is to share information and work collaboratively to solve problems that arise when running training clinics and coordinating clinical placements within Graduate Counseling Programs. The CDPC Interest Network supports members through a monitored listserv (contact co-chair Kristen Nadermann to join the listserv), meetings at ACES and regional ACES conferences, and online meetings throughout the academic year. For more information and to get involved, please contact:
The purpose of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Diversity & Inclusion Interest Network (ACES DIIN) is to promote the appreciation and understanding of multiculturalism and diversity in research/scholarship, teaching, leadership/advocacy, supervision and counseling through building a community of counselor educators, counselors, supervisors, and counselor education students in training dedicated to addressing the concerns of minoritized individuals.
The interest network is able to do this and more by (a) providing a wellness-centering space of community and supportive dialogue, (b) allowing voluntary collaboration in activism related subcommittees (e.g., antiracist practice in counselor education, research and publication, guest speaker/webinars, and an upcoming disability/ability status advocacy group) to provide resources to inform the field, (c) establishing or facilitating mentorship, and (d) overall ensuring that the beliefs and concerns of marginalized individuals are addressed in ACES governance.
Historically, the network was named the Multicultural Interest Network. In 2020, it was revitalized and reformed as the ACES Diversity & Inclusion Interest Network through the dedicated efforts of Drs. Teysha Bowser and K. Lynn Pierce. This interest network is committed to improving the conversation around diversity topics including race/ethnicity, gender expression/gender identity/gender, sexual/affectional orientation, ability/disability status and accessibility, trauma proximity, religion, spirituality, and addiction proximity among various cultural identities that may influence access within the counselor education profession.
For more information and to get involved, please contact the current chair(s) of the leadership team (links found below):
The Disability Justice and Accessibility in Counseling (DJAC) Interest Network provides a community space for ACES members to connect and collaborate and to advance disability justice and anti-oppression practices and initiatives (inclusive of anti-ableism, anti-audism, anti-sanism, and related disability affirming approaches). Centered on intersectional and cross-disability experiences, this network welcomes disabled individuals and allies who share the same purpose. Together, we work to promote accessibility, amplify the voices of people with disabilities, and ensure equitable representation in professional leadership, conferences, counseling practices, academia, and research.
We aim to create a collaborative space of solidarity for those who identify as part of disability, chronic illness/spoonie, Autism/neurodiversity, blind/vision-impaired, D(d)eaf/hard of hearing, and any affiliated communities and their allies who are committed to disability justice and affirming approaches. This includes counselors, educators, supervisors, practitioners, students, and other professionals in the counseling field.
DJAC is committed to advancing disability justice within the counseling profession through ongoing critical reflection, education, and advocacy. Culturally responsive and affirming counseling requires sustained engagement with disability communities and the creation of accessible, inclusive spaces. We invite all who share the commitment to actively engage in this work and help shape a more just and equitable profession
The International Students and Faculty Interest Network (ISFIN) aims to create an inclusive and culturally affirming community for international and non-international ACES members. ISFIN is committed to providing support for counseling students and faculty through networking, mentorship, resources, and advocacy.
For more information and to get involved, please contact either co-chair:
The Men’s Mental Health Interest Network aims to bridge the gap in the resources available for counselor educators and practitioners by fostering a community of educators, researchers, and practitioners who are specifically interested in enhancing the effectiveness of counseling interventions for men.
If you have any questions, please contact:
The Neurodivergence in CES Interest Network provides a collaborative space for counselor educators, supervisors, and graduate students to explore, promote, and advance neurodiversity-affirming practices within counselor education. This network serves as a platform for members to:
If you have any questions, please contact:
The New Faculty Interest Network (NFIN) supports and advocates for early career faculty and doctoral candidates in counselor education by providing resources, mentorship, and a collaborative community to enhance their teaching, research, service, and career development.
If you have any questions, please contact:
The purpose of CEQUIN is to provide a supportive and educational community for counselor educators and supervisors who engage in qualitative research. CEQUIN strives to be an open, collegial, reciprocal, and friendly environment for qualitative researchers.
For more information and to get involved, please contact: Chair TBD
The ACES Rural Interest Network focuses on the experiences, needs, and challenges of counseling in rural settings. As an ACES Interest Network the primary focus is on preparing counselors for practice in rural areas, through teaching and supervising and in research, writing, presenting, and discussing rural counseling. Isolation is often a challenge for rural people. To that end, this group provides an opportunity for networking among counselor educators and supervisors who have an interest in rural counseling. Goals of the Rural Interest Network include developing a model for rural counselor education and continuing to shine the light of the needs of rural counselors through conference presentations, webinars, research, and publication.
For more information and to get involved, please contact:
The goal of SCIN (School Counseling Interest Network) is to support ACES members who have an interest in school counseling (e.g., counselor educators, doctoral students, etc) through (1) professional development (e.g., speakers), (2) networking, and (3) sharing resources and information pertaining to counseling, counselor education, and school counseling. We achieve these goals through monthly meetings via zoom (during the academic year), meeting at professional conferences (e.g., ACA, ACES), and providing support to our workgroups (which provide networking opportunities).
The Substance and Behavioral Addiction Counseling Interest Network aims to create a collaborative community for counselor educators and supervisors dedicated to advancing addiction counseling education and supervision. Our goals include: (1) sharing and developing innovative pedagogical approaches for teaching addiction counseling courses; (2) establishing best practices for supervising counselors-in-training working with clients affected by addiction; (3) promoting research and scholarship in addiction counseling education; and (4) advocating for comprehensive addiction counseling preparation within counselor education programs. We strive to support both new and experienced faculty in developing and maintaining expertise in addiction counseling education while fostering connections between educators, supervisors, and practitioners in the field.
In ACES Supervision Interest Network, we are aiming at reaching out researchers and practitioners of counseling supervision to discuss, collaborate, and create partnerships on conducting research on as well as clinical strategies toward current issues in counseling supervision. Our members include ACES members who are doctoral students, faculty, and practitioners from the field.
For more information and to get involved contact:
The ACES Trauma-Informed Counselor Education and Training Interest Network (TI-CETIN) has been established to support counselor educators, supervisors and doctoral students who are passionate about trauma-informed education and trauma training. This network aims to create a community dedicated to enhancing trauma and trauma education competency in the training of future counseling professionals. This Interest Network seeks to create an ongoing community for counselor educators and doctoral CES students, focusing on trauma-informed, neuroscience-informed, and culturally responsive practices in counselor education and training.
ACES members are counselors, supervisors, graduate students, and faculty members who strive to improve the education and supervision of counselors in training and in practice. ACES and the regional associations host conferences to highlight research and best practices in supervision and in the training of counselors.
