1. I decided to choose AAPC, the American Association of Pastoral Counseling. The three cons I found did not work with insurance companies, did not have as much education, and could not dispense medication. The three pros I found were if you were Christian, it gave you more faith, they use scripture to build self-esteem, and they don’t rely on just scripture they have studied other mental health practices.   

The cons of AAPC are significant to me as a person who lives paycheck to paycheck and has insurance that covers therapy. This would be a hard choice, as I would not have the money to pay, and my insurance does. With them not having as much education they are not able to dispense or work with people who can dispense medication and unfortunately therapy does not always work, and some people need medication to help with their mental health. Both these are critical reasons I would not choose to join this Association. 

On the other hand, there are a few pro situations that are within this association. First, if you were having trouble believing in your faith and yourself, AAPC counselors work firsthand with those situations using scripture to help with your faith and to build your self-esteem. Even though they use scripture and God to help build your self-esteem it is not the only thing they have studied when it comes to mental health practices. They are versed in others and don’t just rely on God. 

In conclusion, there are pros and cons to AAPC but this Professional Association is not for me. I was hoping they would talk about how they do not just focus on God, but it seems that most of their practice circles around God and his scriptures and this is just not for me.  

With the Professional Association you chose where do you take a mental health conversation once you’ve opened with, “How are you feeling?”

2.  

 The American Counseling Association, the advantage of joining the American Counseling Association is as follow, there are a number of benefits that members receive, including advocacy, community, credibility, and practice support. Members receive discounts on insurance and professional development opportunities. The ACA also offers members educational opportunities, job development, and networking resources. The advantage of joining the American Counseling Association is as follow, membership fees is sky high, committing to the rules and regulations of the association can be very challenging, and it is time consuming. As always, the benefits always outlast the cost and so joining the American Counseling Association will be a great idea and benefit for me. Ethical considerations of joining the American Counseling Association is the benefits the association offers to business, which including networking opportunities, new informations and updates from the association, discounts on products and services, and educational resources. I am starting up a business back home, and i have been trying to connect with other businesses and vendors to help lift my business. This is why i believe the benefits outweigh the cost of joining the American Counseling Association. businesses can often receive discounts on products and services from vendors that offer discounts to members. This can be a great way to save money on business expenses, and can help my business stretch  further. The association will be able to provide me with access to network of like-minded individuals and businesses, which can be invaluable for networking and building business relationship. In addition, the associations can help keep my busines up-to-date on industry news and changes, and can provide educational resources on best practices and new trends. Educational opportunities, job development, and networking opportunities is a great way to improve the lives of my family and i. Joining the American Counseling Association will great other avenue to better equip myself so that i can be put in the right position to assist the needy and less priviledged.