Top Blown Off: The Intersection Between Counseling, Advocacy, and Mountaintop Removal

Counseling professionals have an opportunity to advocate for the overall wellness and mental health needs of Appalachian residents affected by mountaintop removal. In this presentation, different forms of advocacy as well as the implications for counseling professionals will be discussed. Competent counseling practice is multifaceted. For over two decades, the leadership and members of the American Counseling Association (ACA) have further expanded competent counseling to include multicultural and advocacy competency with the full adoption of the Multicultural Counseling Competencies (Sue, Arredondo, and McDavis, 1992) and ACA Advocacy Competencies (Lewis, Arnold, House, & Toporek, 2002). An offshoot of the advocacy competencies is social justice advocacy, which focuses on the promotion of equality and elimination of injustice among clients (Toporek, Lewis, & Crethar, 2009). Within Appalachia, professional counselors have a unique opportunity to advocate for the needs of those affected by mountaintop removal. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; 2013) defines mountaintop removal as a method of coal mining involving the use of explosives to remove the top layer of soil thereby exposing the coal seam underneath. The environmental and health effects of mountaintop removal have been a concern among many Appalachian natives and environmentalists. With recent research demonstrating the negative effect of mountaintop removal on self-rated mental health (see Zullig & Hendryx, 2011), counseling professionals are presented with opportunities to advocate for the mental wellness and overall needs of their Appalachian clientele. References Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2013). Mid-Atlantic mountaintop mining: What is mountaintop mining? Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov Lewis, J. A., Arnold, M. S., House, R., & Toporek, R. L. (2002). ACA Advocacy Competencies. Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org Sue, D. W., Arredondo, P., & McDavis, R. (1992). Multicultural counseling competencies and standards: A call to the profession. Journal of Counseling & Development, 70, 477-486. Toporek, R. L., Lewis, J. A, & Crethar, H. C. (2009). Promoting systemic change through the ACA Advocacy Competencies. Journal of Counseling & Development, 87, 260-268. Zullig, K. J., & Hendryx, M. (2011). Health-related quality of life among central Appalachian residents in mountaintop mining counties. American Journal of Public Health, 101, 848-853

Bringing the Art of Counselor Education into the 21st Century

Technology currently permeates both the personal and professional lives of many counseling professionals. Therefore, counselor educators are charged with the responsibility of ensuring appropriate infusion of technology in the training of counseling students. During this presentation, three methods for incorporating technology in the classroom will be discussed and demonstrated and current literature about their efficacy will be reviewed. Attendees are strongly encouraged to bring a smart phone, tablet, or laptop to the presentation to ensure full participation

Five Timeless Teaching Strategies from Welcome Back, Kotter

In 1975, Gabe Kotter introduced himself as the teacher of the Sweathogs on the television show Welcome Back, Kotter. Through the use of several timeless teaching strategies, Mr. Kotter facilitated the success of students identified by others as unruly and in need of remediation. Forty years later, these teaching strategies continue to be culturally relevant and applicable. During this presentation, the presenters will provide an overview of five timeless teaching strategies demonstrated by Mr. Kotter, show brief video clips, and discuss related literature

Using Photovoice to Explore the Cultural Experiences of Students in Appalachia

The conference title “Extreme Appalachia!” represents an opportunity for conversations that acknowledge the many ways in which culture can be conceptualized in Appalachia, a topic that continues to be relevant. Identifying a set of common values, beliefs, and/or characteristics may assist some in understanding Appalachian cultural experiences. However, doing so simplifies a rather complex discussion, fails to acknowledge a multitude of perspectives, and ignores the intersectionality of diverse individual experiences. Therefore, the goal of this presentation is to discuss the use of photovoice as a pedagogical tool to facilitate an increased awareness of the multiplicity of cultural identities within Appalachia. Through photovoice, individuals are asked to use a camera to capture images that both communicate and honor their voices, experiences, and perspectives (Wang & Burris, 1997). Although photovoice has traditionally been used in participatory action research, more recently, this approach has also been used in the fields of education, healthcare, and mental health (Lenz & Sangganjanavanich, 2013; Massengale, Strack, Orsini, & Herget, 2016; Smith, Bratini, & Appio, 2012). The use of Photovoice in education provided a unique opportunity for students in a graduate-level counseling program at East Tennessee State University, located within the Appalachian region, to grow in awareness of their and others’ cultural identities and experiences. In this presentation, the use of photovoice in a social and cultural diversity class will be explored, and a former student of the class will present her photovoice project and discuss her experience. Implications for education and advocacy will also be provided

Ethical and Legal Issues for Counselor Educators

Working with students requires you to know laws and ethics related to teaching. The content of this chapter orients students with FERPA, ADA, and IDEA. It includes a review of the ACA ethical guidelines and CACREP standards related to the roles and functions of Counselor Educators and Supervisors. Though the use of case study examples, readers have the opportunity to develop applied understanding of the ethical and legal guidelines related to the role of being an instructor and gatekeeper of the profession