IV Interamerican Congress on Counseling

Transcription

1 IV Interamerican Congress on Counseling IV Interamerican Congress on Counseling April 14-18, 2008 Culture, Community and Counseling: Connections for a Fulfilling Life

2 Introduction The central theme of the Fourth Interamerican Congress on Counseling revolves around the relationships among culture, community, and counseling. The intention is to highlight the connections between the social praxis and the theoretical framework of counseling. The social reality of the Americas in 21st-century is characterized by multiple adjustments, numerous opportunities, interconnected lives, and interdisciplinary social interchanges. The counseling profession, with its emphasis on holistic liberation and new paradigms of human living, proposes a progressive model for change that encourages professionals to promote total wellness through leadership that includes socio-political actions. The role of professional counselors in the Americas is an interdisciplinary collaborative effort aiming to assist people, families, communities, and societies in flourishing and living abundantly. Counseling as an emancipating profession has a genuine commitment to address the social, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of human beings within the framework of justice, equality, solidarity, respect for human rights, and fraternal coexistence. Consequently, this Congress invites everyone to experience an interdisciplinary academic and scientific encounter that will stimulate a thriving professional exchange, which will range from opening dialogues to diverse experiences and communal living. The Congress will provide unique opportunities for professional exchanges, formation of alliances, community involvement, and recreational activities while participants enjoy the cultural richness of Central America. This Congress will help build the foundation for continued professional development from a humanistic, integrated, collective, and ethical perspective that is grounded in a commitment to human dignity and the total well-being of people and communities. This Congress will offer professional activities that focus on the strengths of human beings, building empowering relationships and experiencing creativity and diversity in a transformational manner. Regarding the central theme of this activity, one should consider the following definitions: Culture A set of interdependent relationships between people and their context. Culture refers to the intersection of ethnicity, linguistics, rituals, ideologies, and behaviors that directly affects the reality of individuals and their communities. Culture gives people a sense of identity and belonging. The counseling process recognizes the interrelationship among the social, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions of human beings but emphasizes that in order to fully understand the peoples experiences, the geographic, historical, and socio-cultural context need to be considered. Community Collective entities that coexist as an ecosystem organized by specific parameters, recognized rules, social practices, and forms of regulated daily activities. Human reality within this context is a shared experience where connections and relationships constitute the very essence of being. Consequently, chronic isolation and social disconnection are a threat to people s total well-being. Survival and thriving of human beings hinge on the interdependent and meaningful relationships that they develop over their lifetime. Counseling posits that it is in community that one can experience the fullness of life. Professional counselors promote healthy relationships in which the contributions of each individual are valued and each person can develop to his or her fullest potential. Counseling The discipline and social practice that integrates the fields of psychology, philosophy, education, sociology, anthropology, medicine, and theology in a scientific and artistic manner, with the intent of assisting human beings in the process of growing, developing, and flourishing. Counseling serves persons, groups, and communities by utilizing various evidence-based interventional modalities that take into account developmental and pertinent sociocultural factors. The counseling praxis considers peoples strengths, sociocultural variables, and ecological context. The role of counseling is: 1) to prevent debilitating problems and disempowering relationships, 2) to promote healthy personal and relational development at every phase of life, and 3) to ameliorate emotional, cognitive, relational, and spiritual concerns that might be hindering people from thriving and developing. 3

3 Background The First Interamerican Congress on Counseling took place in 2004 in Mexico. Its central theme was on Interdisciplinarity and Counseling. In 2005, Venezuela hosted the Congress following the theme of Encounters and Transformations. In 2007, it met in Argentina, focusing on the potentials of human development. Each one of these gatherings provided an environment for professional dialogue, reflecting the high standards of scientific rigor and technical excellence of the counseling profession. These gatherings have served to highlight significant research in the counseling field and to promote institutional and individual alliances. The discussions and themes of these Interamerican conferences demonstrate the relevance and the social pertinence of the counseling profession in the 21st-century. Proposed Topics 1. Multicultural and multidimensional counseling in an environment marked by social, political, and economic challenges. 2. Community counseling: social justice, poverty, group efficacy, and protective and risk factors. 3. Theories and praxes of counseling from a liberating perspective. 4. Counseling and personal development: human strengths, resilience, flourishing, creativity, flow, sustainable happiness, total wellbeing, and creative organizations. 5. Counseling education, research, and certification processes. Objectives To provide an atmosphere in which professional counselors, counseling students, and related professionals can discuss issues relating to the various contexts and realities encountered within the praxis of counseling. To draw special attention to the theory and practice of counseling from a Latin American perspective, taking into account the connection among culture, community, and the counseling profession. To highlight a new leadership paradigm for the counseling profession characterized by respect, mutuality, social justice, and solidarity. To highlight the landmarks of the counseling profession, such as resilience, developmental growth, relational empowerment, peoples strengths, optimal holistic functioning, and healing dialogues within the social-cultural contexts. Presentations Proposals can be sent electronically in English or Spanish. Please make sure that files sent electronically are compatible with Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. The deadline for submission of abstracts is January 18, 2008, and the deadline for submission of the completed presentation is February 14, Send the abstracts and proposals to the selection committee at: oficina@counselingamericas.org The completed (final) manuscripts should include the abstract (summary), introduction, literature review, methodology, findings-results, conclusions-proposals, and references. If you plan to present a Poster, the abstract should include the title, summary (no more than 250 words), content, and the physical dimensions of the poster. Guidelines for presentation of abstracts: Length: Up to 250 words Language: English/Spanish Name of author should be bolded (name of the organization should be in parentheses). A brief personal bio (150 words) is required of the presenting author. 4 Objective of the paper and description of its content (250 words maximum 5 for the summary).

4 In your introduction please state how you feel this presentation fits into one of the proposed topics for this conference. Include the following information with the abstract: Last name First Name Title: (Mr., Ms. Mrs., other) Job position: Organization: Address: State Country: Telephone Fax Audiovisual equipment required: Organizing Committee Benjamin Cortez Esteban Montilla Andres Sanchez-Bodas Robert Smith Dana Comstock Aliria Vilera Event Coordinators Benjamin Cortez Esteban Montilla Location and date Date: April 14-18, 2008 Location:. Best Western, Las Mercedes. Km11 Carretera Norte, Managua, RD-46, Nicaragua. Telephone: Fax: Main Sponsor Interamerican Counseling Society (Sociedad Interamerican de Counseling) One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, Texas, Telephone: Fax: Web: Target Audience Professional counselors School Counselors Psychologists Psychiatrists Sociologists Philosophers Students Religious Leaders Educators Keynote Speakers Dr. Barbara Okun (Northeastern University and Harvard Medical School, Boston) Dr. Leon Olive Morett (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México) Lic. Miguel De Castilla (Ministro de Educación de Nicaragua) Registration Fees Registration may be completed online or by filling out the registration form and sending it electronically with an electronic bank deposit. Scholarships may be available. Co-Sponsors a. Professionals i. $125 US - if registration is submitted prior to December 30, 2007 Universidad Evangélica Nicaragüense MLK, The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), The ii. $150 US - if registration is submitted after January 1, b. Students College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy i. $50 US - if registration is submitted prior to December 30, 2007 (CPSP), St. Mary s University, Escuela de Postgrado ii. $75 US - if registration is submitted after January 1, en Teologia y Consejeria Profesional (EPTC), Holos 6 To register visit the webpage for the Interamerican Counseling Association 7 (Sociedad San Isidro, Texas A&M University-CC, Interamericana de Counseling SIC) at:

5 Lodging The conference will take place at the Best Western Hotel, Las Mercedes, KM 11 Carretera Norte, Managua, RD-46, Nicaragua. This hotel is located across the street from the Managua International Airport. The cost per person per night is $70. (This cost includes lodging and three meals). Please indicate that you will be attending the Fourth Interamerican Congress on Counseling when you register. To make reservations, contact the Hotel directly by telephone, fax, or Internet. Telephone: Fax: lasmercedes.com.ni Attention: Virginia Flores Other hotels in Managua: Crown Plaza Hotel. Octava calle Suroeste No Telephone: Fax: (US $ ) Holiday Inn Select. Pista Juan Pablo II. Telephone: Fax: (US $ ) Hotel Camino Real. Km 9½ Carretera Norte. Aeropuerto internacional. Managua, Nicaragua. Telephone: Fax: com.ni ($99-200). Hotel Hilton Princess Managua. Km 4½ Carretera Masaya. Sector los Robles.. Telephone: Fax: hotelesprincess.com (US $ ). La Posada de Don Pantaleon. Del Colegio Teresiano 1c. al sur 1/2c. al oeste. Sector Reparto Bel Air.. Telephone: Fax: ($58-69) Hotel Villa Amer- i- cana. Planes de Altamira #12. Km. 4 ½ carretera a Masaya 1 c. al este. Telephone: (505) , (505) Fax: (505) villamer@ cablenet.com.ni IV Interamerican Congress 8 on Counseling