Counselor advocacy against gun violence: a systemic perspective with advocacy and wellness competencies

Abstract

Gun violence within the United States has become a public health crisis, negatively impacting the wellness of individuals and communities. While professional counseling associations have called upon members to advocate against gun violence, the literature remains sparse. Furthermore, activism can impede counselor wellness, thus, increased self-care and wellness promotion practices are needed. For these reasons, we propose the combined use of the ACA Advocacy Competencies and CSI Wellness Competencies for counselors advocating against gun violence.