De-Colonizing and Enlivening Lifespan Development in Counselor Education with Experiential Exercises Across the Curriculum

Authors

Emily Horton, University of Houston, Clear LakeFollow
Diane Smedley, University of Houston, Clear LakeFollow
Karen M. Roller, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
Kelly Coker, Palo Alto CollegeFollow

Document Type

Article

Keywords

lifespan, human growth, decolonizing, experiential, counselor education

Subject Area

Counselor Education

Abstract

ACA and IAMFC codes of ethics center culturally-affirming lifespan development skills as professional identity responsibilities specific to counselors. Despite the critical importance of lifespan, the training of CITs in this area is inadequate and grounded in research based on homogeneous samples and discriminatory practices. Counselor education is deeply in need of a lifespan curriculum that reflects diverse populations. The updated lifespan curriculum must be inclusive and consider the impact of context and culture on lifespan development. In this conceptual article, we call on counseling faculty to infuse updated developmental science with clinical skills development across their plans of study.

Recommended Citation

Horton, E., Smedley, D., Roller, K. M., & Coker, K. (2024). De-Colonizing and Enlivening Lifespan Development in Counselor Education with Experiential Exercises Across the Curriculum. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 18(2). Retrieved from https://research.library.kutztown.edu/jcps/vol18/iss2/3