Philosophy and Goals

The counseling program of a comprehensive community and technical college is an essential component of the educational system. Whereas the instructional program concerns itself primarily, but not exclusively, with fostering intellectual growth and development, the counseling program concerns itself primarily, but not exclusively, with personal/social/educational/career growth and development.

One of the goals of the counseling program is to teach strategies whereby individuals in the setting of higher education can learn to solve problems, make decisions, accept responsibilities, and change behavior. A unique characteristic of the counseling program is its comprehensiveness manifested in a wide variety of professional services ranging from providing information to counseling support for those with severe cognitive/affective/behavioral obstacles to educational goals.

A second goal is to aid in increasing the effectiveness of the learning environment. This is accomplished by influencing changes which help to minimize educational barriers, enhance learning opportunities, maximize successful ducational experiences, and by responding to student and institutional needs and changes in student populations. In the state of Washington, Counseling is a legally defined profession (RCW 18.19) . The Washington Community and Technical College Counselors Association (WC&TC2A [or WCTCCA]) holds itself to specified qualifications and training, principles and practices common to the counseling profession.