Dirk Rohr - Counselling in Europe

Course Description: The transcultural course is designed for counsellors, counsellor educators, and students who wish to expand their practice and customize their approach, internationally or when serving their diverse client base locally. Benefits include:

• Gain fascinating insights into cross-cultural responsiveness

• Improve self-awareness of personal values and biases

• Add to your knowledge of the counselling profession worldwide

• Contributors from 20 countries

Course ObjectivesUpon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Communicate key components of a transcultural counselling approach and relevant theoretical frameworks/models

• Apply learning from region-specific profiles to their own practice

• Reflect on their personal definitions of counselling and culture

• Set specific action items to guide future practice.

• Details and Registration can be seen on our website.

The International Association for Counselling (IAC) was born as the International Round Table for the Advancement of Counselling (IRTAC) in 1966. The concept of a round table for Counselling was the brainchild of IAC’s founder and visionary Hans Hoxter. Professor Hoxter first viewed counselling as a force for peace and human well-being in the immediate aftermath of the second world war and when IRTAC was founded it gave a voice to all those counsellors and associations around the world who needed to meet, share and discuss with international colleagues.

The IAC round table concept presents us with scenarios where all counsellors and counselling associations irrespective of any kind of difference have opportunities to present, explain, understand and be heard and be understood. IAC is interested in becoming a vehicle for understanding, solidarity and opportunities for counsellors and their associations. During the Victoria, Canada conference (2014), the IAC Executive Council was presented with a plan to introduce several round tables for professionals to come together and belong to. The first batch of these include an Associations’ Round Table, an Ethics Round Table, an Indigenous Round Table, a Peace and Social Justice Round Table, a Projects Round Table, Counselling Practitioners’ Roundtable and an International Research Round Table.

The Associations’ Round Tableprovides opportunities for the leaders of associations to meet physically during IAC conferences to discuss and share issues that can be similar or different to each other.

The Ethics Round Tableshould be made up by professionals, academics and students who are interested in understanding different ethical issues and dilemmas and how these are tackled in ways that make sense within particular international contexts. It should thus provide for opportunities to explore differences and similarities in what constitutes good practice in different contexts and should include windows for academic and professional exchanges within different contexts.

The Counselling Practitioners’ Round Tablecreates an opportunity for practicing counsellors to learn and share the different experiences, approaches and standards adopted in different settings and countries. Too many times the counselling debate has been dominated by academics and researchers and this round table can be the repository of practitioners’ experiences and field knowledge. The round table could also serve to create international awareness on the practitioner and help counsellors in different contexts to unite and strive for better standards and work conditions.

The purpose of the IAC Indigenous Roundtableis to: Establish a community of counsellors who are interested in clinical practice and research relevant to Indigenous people; To acknowledge the historical and political issues that impact Indigenous mental health; Share the practices of Indigenous people to promote holistic health and healing; and advocate for culturally appropriate counselling and research for Indigenous people internationally. The RoundTable provides ongoing support and recommendations to the IAC Executive Council in developing a plan of action for the enhancement of Indigenous Counselling internationally.

The Research Round Tablesubstitutes the annual International Research Seminar held traditionally during an IAC conference. This round table gives the opportunity to counselling researchers and students to explore and research issues around counselling but particularly transcultural, contextual and social justice issues. This round table should attract top counselling researchers as well as budding researchers and students.

The International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling (IJAC) is published under the auspices of the International Association for Counselling. It promotes the exchange of information about counselling activities throughout the world. The journal contains over 1,200 conceptual, practical and research contributions that provide an international perspective on the following areas:

• theories and models of guidance and counselling

• counsellor education and supervision

• state of the art reports on guidance and counselling in specific settings

• special populations

• special applications

• counselling services in developing countries.

The International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling publishes original articles, major addresses and papers presented at the International Association for Counselling and other major international meetings, as well as thematic reviews and discussions related to guidance and counselling. The submission process for articles to go into the International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling (IJAC – published by Springer) can be seen on our website

IAC welcomes collaboration with a wide range of organisations (e. g. Counselling Associations, Institutes, Universities, and Groups) looking to organise events. There are three types of IAC event:

• IAC Annual International Conference: Large, annual event, minimum of 400 participants, lasting 2–4 days.

• Regional Conferences: May also be large (200+ participants) events, but mainly focus on counselling issues in the specific world region. IAC has eight world regions: Africa; Asia; North America; Latin America; Middle-East; Europe; Caribbean; and Oceania.

• Country Events: Workshops, Symposia, One-day conferences. These vary in participant numbers and are normally one-day events. Whilst organised 'Under the auspices of', or 'In Conjunction With' IAC, some country events may have less direct input by IAC.

• Ongoing virtual symposia, webinars and other online events. With the advent of COVID, IAC has increased online offerings throughout the year in cooperation with other associations and educational institutions.

There are multiple educational, cultural, economic, and social benefits of hosting such events. IAC International conferences and regional events bring together scholars and practitioners from around the world interested in a specific theme related to counselling. Hosting an IAC event can create an expanded network of both global and regional counsellors, and creates a major opportunity to place a spotlight on specific regional, or thematic, issues related to counselling. Events such as these advance the development of counselling through education, research, information-sharing (and fun!).

Hosting such events also raises the profile of host organisations, and counselling activity in that country. This is of interest to all those concerned about counselling’s development including practitioner’s, educators, and government departments (e. g. of health, education, and social affairs), as well as many other stakeholders. International events create enthusiasm and excitement from association’s members, students and partners.