Rookie Counseling

Association for Multicultural Counseling & Development (AMCD)

The Association for Multicultural Counseling & Development (AMCD) is dedicated to educating and supporting counselors in their pursuit of multicultural competency- more recently known as, cultural humility. The concept of cultural competence is a tall order, but AMCD offers many resources for members and nonmembers to learn more about themselves and others.

Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC) defines how counselors are expected to strive for cultural humility. They call these developmental domains, within which, we can explore our attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, skills, and actions.

The developmental domains include: 

1. Counselor self-awareness 
   • attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, skills, and action (AKSA) 

2. Client worldview 
   • attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, skills, and action (AKSA) 

3. Counseling relationship
   • attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, skills, and action (AKSA) 

4. Counseling and advocacy interventions. 

Below is a graphic provided by AMCD to help counselors visualize the developmental domains and how AKSA is incorporated into each of them.

Multiracial Counseling Competencies

The official Multiracial Counseling Competencies, published in 2015, covers:

1. Interracial Couples and Multiracial Families 

2. Multiracial Individuals  

3. Transracial Adoptees 

4. Transracial Adoption Kinship Network 

Within each of these, the authors address: 

1. Human Growth and Development 

2. Social and Cultural Diversity 

3. Helping Relationships  

4. Group Work  

5. Career Development Endorsed and adopted by the ACA Governing Council, March 2015 

6. Assessment  

7. Research and Program Evaluation  

8. Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice 

Through this document, the expectations and possibilities for counselors to work with clients in a culturally humble way are explored. This is a long, thorough document that you can look back to as a foundation for cultural humility in multiple areas. Although there are many cultural considerations that might not be included in the document, it is an excellent place to start when looking for applicable research in the field of cultural humility.

AMCD Concerns Groups

The AMCD offers several concerns groups for their members. These groups promise professional connections, resources, and community.

• African American Concerns Group  
• Asian American/ Pacific Islander Concerns Group
• Latinx Concerns Group 
• Native American Concerns Group
• International Concerns Group
• Women Concerns Group  
• Multiethnic, Multiracial, and Transracial Adoptee Concerns Group  

AMCD Graduate Student Mentorship

If you are a graduate student or new professional, you can apply to be part of a student mentorship. By doing so, you are paired with a professional who will help you network and gain knowledge about yourself and the field.

Requirements: 

1. Be an AMCD member 

2. Be a graduate student or new professional 

3. Submit an application packet that includes the submission of a research proposal that mirrors a multicultural issue reflected in the mission and goals of AMCD 

If membership is not an option for you, you can still subscribe to their newsletter.

AMCD Writer’s Consortium

One resource available for non-members of AMCD is the Writer’s Consortium.

Goals of the Writer’s Consortium: 

1. To network and promote awareness of resources, inclusive of educational, employment, funding, and publishing opportunities. 

2. To inspire seasoned and aspiring writers to publish. 

3. To support seasoned and aspiring writers. 

The resources is hosted via zoom and is free to join. Monthly meeting dates and times are posted on the website. 

---

Resources

Alvarado, S., Baden, A., Brew, L., Chen-Hayes, S., Crippen, C., Harris, H., Henriksen, R., Malott, K., Paladino, D., Pope, M., Salazar, C., & Singh, A. (2015). Competencies for Counseling the Multiracial Population Multi-Racial/Ethnic Counseling Concerns (MRECC) Interest Network of the American Counseling Association Taskforce. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/competencies/competencies-for-counseling-the-multiracial-population-2-2-15-final.pdf?sfvrsn=c7ba412c_14

Multicultural Counseling & Development. (n.d.). Multicultural Counseling & Development. https://www.multiculturalcounselingdevelopment.org/