Teaching Practice Briefs

The ACES Teaching Practice Briefs present concise scholarly summaries and practical guides that describe teaching innovations and instructional strategies pertinent to counselor education.

Briefs provide creative, research-informed practices to promote high quality teaching and inclusive learning environments. TPBs offer counselor educators (a) quick reference guides on a variety of topics pertaining to teaching strategies, learning environments, and translating community engaged practices to classroom settings, and (b) creative, evidence-based ideas for counseling instruction from within counselor education and across educational or helping disciplines. All briefs are masked and peer-reviewed prior to publication.

TPB Co-editors and the TPB Editorial Board facilitate the publication of two issues annually, with calls for briefs announced twice per year and posted on this website.

Inquiries about the TPBs may be sent to teachingbriefs@acesonline.net.

Read Issue VI
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Call for Issue VIII: Navigating Teaching in Challenging Sociopolitical Times

The ACES TPB Editorial Board is currently seeking submissions for the eighth issue of the  TPBs, slated for publication in Summer 2026. This issue is themed with a specific focus on Navigating Teaching in Challenging Sociopolitical Times.

For the last year, counselor educators have faced frequent challenges, increasing restrictions, and unpredictable barriers to their teaching. Many of us are teaching in contexts shaped by shifting  policies, undesirable mandates, teaching restrictions, anticipatory institutional compliance,  political polarization, systemic inequities, and ongoing global conflicts. These realities have  created challenges in counseling classrooms, and often call us to respond with creativity,  resilience, and innovation in our teaching practices.

This special issue will feature teaching practice briefs that share brief, practical teaching  strategies for navigating counselor education in today’s sociopolitical climate. We invite  submissions that reflect the lived realities of teaching with a focus on inclusivity and care for  students. We especially welcome briefs that:

  • Share classroom activities or teaching approaches that address sociopolitical issues.
  • Describe how counselor educators are supporting students through challenging times via  classroom teaching practices.
  • Provide examples of advocacy, equity-minded practices, or culturally responsive approaches in teaching.
  • Highlight ways to sustain community, resilience, and well-being in classrooms.
  • Offer stories of innovation, flexibility, or lessons learned from navigating difficult  contexts in counseling classrooms.

Due to the sociopolitical nature of this issue, author names of briefs selected for publication can  be anonymized per authors’ request.

All submissions are due February 2, 2026 and must be submitted to teachingbriefs@acesonline.net.

New AI Policy

The TPB Editorial Board screens all accepted briefs for generative technology. We acknowledge that no artificial intelligence (AI) detection software is impeccable; at the same time, we recognize the promulgation of AI-generated content and increased incidents of AI-assisted plagiarism. Thus, we require that all authors of TPB submissions must inform the editorial team (teachingbriefs@acesonline.net) if, where, and for what purpose they have used AI-assisted technology to generate content in submitted briefs. We discourage the use of generative technologies, except for tables, figures, and fictional vignettes. Briefs that seemingly use generative technologies to produce their briefs without notifying the editorial team may be rejected. All authors with approved AI-generated content will be asked to indicate the use and location of this content in their author’s note.

Teaching Practice Briefs Editorial Board

Aaron Reslink,
University of Reno

Abby Dougherty,
Southern New Hampshire University

Abdoulaye Diallo,
Northern Illinois University

Brian Paulson,
Valdosta State University

Carrie VanMeter,
Capella University

D’Arion Johnston,
University of South Carolina

Delarious Stewart,
The University of the Cumberlands

Elizabeth Brokamp,
Gwynedd Mercy University

Francis McLain,
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Jeffrey Cornelius-White,
Missouri State University

Jennifer Hunsaker,
Utah State University

Jung Hyun,
St. Bonaventure University

Karen Roller,
Palo Alto University

Katelyn Matkin,
University of North Texas

Kristen Kansiewicz,
Evangel University

Leah Clarke,
Messiah University

Marty Jencius,
Kent State University

Megan Long,
Emporia State University

Michael Kiener,
Maryville University

Michelle Ghoston,
Wake Forest University

Michelle Muratori,
Johns Hopkins University

Nancy Naomi Carlson,
Walden University

Orsolya Várkyoni,
Molloy University

Pao-Yin Huang,
Seattle University

Phoenix Rosewood,
Antioch University

Rachel Saunders,
Greenville County Schools

Sara Wood,
Colorado Christian University

Sonah Kho,
University of Wyoming

Susan Long,
The University of Toledo

Suzanne Dugger,
Florida Gulf Coast University

Tiffany Rogers,
University of North Georgia

Tina Fitts,
Walden University

Valerie Minnich,
Grand Canyon University

Yahyahan Aras,
Barry University

Zhiqi (Angel) Liu,
North Carolina State University

Karen Cathey,
Winona State University

Assistant Editor of Copyediting

Leigh DeLorenzi,
Rollins College

Assistant Editor of Copyediting

Susan Branco,
Palo Alto University

Co-Editor

Clare Merlin-Knoblich, 
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Co-Editor

Tamika Jackson,
William & Mary

Associate Editor

Lillian Martz,
Portland State University

Editorial Assistant

Teaching Practice Briefs Format and Author Guidelines

Briefs, minus the title page and references, must be between 6 and 8 single-spaced pages in length. Additional writing style and citation guidelines must follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).

Briefs should be formatted for anonymous peer review and the title page should be submitted as a separate document. Brief abstracts should be a maximum of 100 words. The structure of submissions must adhere to the following TPBs format:

I. Author and Affiliation (separate title page conducive to blind peer review)

II. Abstract

III. Introduction

A. Relevant research and literature support
B. Rationale or knowledge gap
C. How the teaching innovation/instructional strategy addresses the need/knowledge gap

IV. Description of teaching innovation/instructional strategy

A. Application of the topic to counselor education
B. Ethical considerations for responding to learning diversity, classroom diversity, and fostering inclusive learning environments
C. Demonstrated reflexivity and intrapersonal awareness of the author(s)’ about potential impacts on the classroom
D. Suggested resources for implementation

V. Evaluation of effectiveness of teaching innovation/instructional strategy.

VI. Assessment tools/methods used in teaching innovation/instructional strategy to assess student learning

VII. Implications

A. Unanswered questions and/or limitations
B. Future directions for practice and research

VIII. References

All submissions can be directed to teachingbriefs@acesonline.net. 

View full author guidelines

Teaching Practice Briefs Guidelines for Reviewers

Reviewers are asked to follow the reviewer guidelines here when reviewing Teaching Practice Briefs. Authors may benefit from considering these guidelines prior to submitting their brief.

View Reviewer Guidelines
ACES Teaching Practice Briefs

History of the Teaching Practice Briefs

In 2021, the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) governing council created the special committee on teaching. Committee members represented the five different ACES regions and included two ACES emerging leaders.

Over the course of the academic year, the committee worked to envision and establish the processes and procedures of TPBs. The committee created a guiding blueprint for the TPBs proposed content, structure, rubrics, and submission timelines. The committee also recruited co-editors and board members. Together with the committee, the co-editors revised the guiding document and developed the call for the inaugural issue of the briefs, which will focus on teaching innovations that center diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as antiracist instructional strategies. The inaugural issue is slated for publication in January 2023.

Calls for Briefs

Calls for TPBs will consist of two categories: Themed Issues and Open Submissions. The Editorial Team aims to publish biannual issues in January and June. Published issues will be housed on the ACES webpage (acesonline.net).

Themed Issues cover special topics in counselor education. Briefs will focus on such areas as innovative/emerging practices, evidence-based instructional design, assessment of teaching and learning, doctoral student preparation, program structure and culture, “In the life of…” – offering a window into the lived experiences of educators and supervisors who work across institutional types and/or from different positionalities, and more. Calls will be distributed in June, with submission due in September.

Open Submissions issues welcome entries on wide-ranging teaching innovations and instructional strategies in counselor education. Briefs may address any of the aforementioned topics, but Open Submission issues will be more expansive in scope. Calls will be distributed in October, with submission due in February.

Goals of the TPBs

  1. To function as the primary resource for innovative, antiracist, socially just, and evidence-based teaching and learning practices that promote quality instruction for all learners in counselor education programs.
  2. To present thought-provoking and applicable strategies that place anti-racist teaching practices and the development of culturally competent counselors, leaders, and advocates at the forefront of teaching and learning in counselor education.
  3. To provide evidence-based teaching and learning practices that draw from the wisdom of other disciplines including K-12 education and other professions.
  4. To help counselor educators implement emerging and innovative teaching strategies including how to translate community engaged work into classroom practices.
  5. To support counselor education programs re-envisioning how they articulate the concepts of critical self-reflection, bravery, inclusion, rigor, and quality in their curriculum, program function, and classroom practices including issues pertaining to student recruitment, retention, and program climate.

About the Co-Editors

The ACES special committee on teaching selected Dr. Javier F. Casado Pérez and Dr. Clare Merlin-Knoblich as co-editors for the inaugural TPB term (2022-2025).

Dr. Javier F. Casado Pérez

Javier F. Casado Pérez (they/them/elle) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counselor Education at Portland State University. They earned their PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from The Pennsylvania State University and MS in Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University. Dr. Casado Pérez serves as Strategic Planning Chair for the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development and is past chair of the Critical Methodologies Taskforce for the Counselor Education Qualitative Research Interest Network. They have published multiple peer-reviewed instructional articles and serve as a reviewer on the editorial boards for the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development and Journal for Specialists in Group Work. They have appeared on “The Thoughtful Counselor” and “Leading Equity Virtual Summit,” and participated in the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) 2021 National Conference’s Presidential Session on “Practical Strategies for Inclusive Teaching Across the Counselor Education Curriculum.” They hold certificates in both Graduate and Online Teaching. Dr. Casado Pérez strives to bring a focus on equity-minded teaching to the TPBs, as well as an emphasis on liberatory and unsettling instructional frameworks.

Dr. Clare Merlin-Knoblich

Clare Merlin-Knoblich (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the College of William & Mary and M.Ed. in Counseling from the University of Georgia. Clare is a former school counselor and researches social justice school counseling practices, including the meaningful multicultural education interventions and behaviors that school counselors enact. She also researches innovations in counselor education and supervision, including the flipped learning teaching approach, which she has published and consulted about with a range of outlets in higher education. Clare currently serves on the editorial board for Counselor Education & Supervision and has reviewed for the Journal of Multicultural Counselor and Development and the Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology. As the daughter of an educator, Clare is excited to serve in this co-editor role to promote and catalyze innovative practices in teaching. As the parent of a 2-year-old, she hopes the ACES Teaching Practice Briefs will contribute to more effective teaching that will benefit future generations of students, counselors, and clients.