| History of ASERVIC |
Historical Development of the
Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in
Counseling (ASERVIC)
Judith G. Miranti
The history of the association began with two parallel but interrelated developments. First, in
1951, A Catholic Guidance Council was formed in the Archdiocese of New York to encourage
the development of and provide support for counseling and guidance within the diocesan
parochial schools. These diocesan councils grew in number across the nation and a need
developed to promote communication among them at the national level, resulting in the
foundation of the National Conference of Guidance Councils in 1958. Second, at the
American Personnel and Guidance Association convention in Chicago in 1955, a small group
of Catholic members, many of whom had been instrumental in the development of the New
York Diocesan Guidance Council, met to explore the possibilities of developing a national
Catholic guidance organization. This original group identified themselves as “Catholic
Counselors in APGA.” This special interest group met yearly, usually on the Saturday and
Sunday prior to the annual APGA convention. This continued until the 1973 St. Louis APGA
convention.
In 1961, the leaders of Catholic Counselors in APGA, the National Conference of Guidance
Councils met and formed the National Catholic Guidance Conference (NCGC). The
connection between NCGC and APGA was formalized in the new constitution and bylaws. The
bylaws required that the NCGC annual conventions be held in the same city and at the same
time as the APGA convention. They also required that the elected officers of NCGC be
members of APGA.
In 1973, the Executive Director of NCGC, Dr. Willis Bartlett, and the President of NCGC, Dr.
James Lee, attended the APGA Board of Directors meeting to make formal application for
divisional status. After eighteen years, the small group that had begun as Catholic
Counselors in APGA and had developed a separate national professional organization
returned to APGA as a national division. The official charter of the division was awarded at
the 1974 New Orleans APGA convention.
Robert Doyle, one of the original members of Catholic Counselors in APGA, Willis Bartlett,
then president of NCGC and James Lee, past president of NCGC met at the 1977 Dallas,
Texas, APGA convention to develop a series of motions that provided the rational for the
future directions of NCGC and a new name for the organization, the Association for Religious
and Values Issues in Counseling (ARVIC). The motions were all passed at the Board of
Directors meeting on March 6, 1977 . The general membership voted its approval of the
name change the following fall.
In 1993, at the American Counseling Association convention in Minneapolis , MN , the ARVIC
Board of Directors passed the motion to rename the division, the Association of Spiritual,
Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. Today, ASERVIC boasts of a membership in
excess of 4,000 which include members of many faiths and beliefs. In the past, the Catholic
heritage had served the organization well and had been one of its strengths. Paradoxically,
that same heritage was considered by some to be a limitation in that the organization has
experienced a great deal of difficulty in shedding its Catholic skin. Today the organization is
no longer dominated by members of any particular religious group. ASERVIC is another step
in NCGC, ARVIC’s growth and development as an association which is committed to the
infusion of spiritual, ethical, and religious values in counselor preparation and practice.
Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in
Counseling (ASERVIC)
Judith G. Miranti
The history of the association began with two parallel but interrelated developments. First, in
1951, A Catholic Guidance Council was formed in the Archdiocese of New York to encourage
the development of and provide support for counseling and guidance within the diocesan
parochial schools. These diocesan councils grew in number across the nation and a need
developed to promote communication among them at the national level, resulting in the
foundation of the National Conference of Guidance Councils in 1958. Second, at the
American Personnel and Guidance Association convention in Chicago in 1955, a small group
of Catholic members, many of whom had been instrumental in the development of the New
York Diocesan Guidance Council, met to explore the possibilities of developing a national
Catholic guidance organization. This original group identified themselves as “Catholic
Counselors in APGA.” This special interest group met yearly, usually on the Saturday and
Sunday prior to the annual APGA convention. This continued until the 1973 St. Louis APGA
convention.
In 1961, the leaders of Catholic Counselors in APGA, the National Conference of Guidance
Councils met and formed the National Catholic Guidance Conference (NCGC). The
connection between NCGC and APGA was formalized in the new constitution and bylaws. The
bylaws required that the NCGC annual conventions be held in the same city and at the same
time as the APGA convention. They also required that the elected officers of NCGC be
members of APGA.
In 1973, the Executive Director of NCGC, Dr. Willis Bartlett, and the President of NCGC, Dr.
James Lee, attended the APGA Board of Directors meeting to make formal application for
divisional status. After eighteen years, the small group that had begun as Catholic
Counselors in APGA and had developed a separate national professional organization
returned to APGA as a national division. The official charter of the division was awarded at
the 1974 New Orleans APGA convention.
Robert Doyle, one of the original members of Catholic Counselors in APGA, Willis Bartlett,
then president of NCGC and James Lee, past president of NCGC met at the 1977 Dallas,
Texas, APGA convention to develop a series of motions that provided the rational for the
future directions of NCGC and a new name for the organization, the Association for Religious
and Values Issues in Counseling (ARVIC). The motions were all passed at the Board of
Directors meeting on March 6, 1977 . The general membership voted its approval of the
name change the following fall.
In 1993, at the American Counseling Association convention in Minneapolis , MN , the ARVIC
Board of Directors passed the motion to rename the division, the Association of Spiritual,
Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. Today, ASERVIC boasts of a membership in
excess of 4,000 which include members of many faiths and beliefs. In the past, the Catholic
heritage had served the organization well and had been one of its strengths. Paradoxically,
that same heritage was considered by some to be a limitation in that the organization has
experienced a great deal of difficulty in shedding its Catholic skin. Today the organization is
no longer dominated by members of any particular religious group. ASERVIC is another step
in NCGC, ARVIC’s growth and development as an association which is committed to the
infusion of spiritual, ethical, and religious values in counselor preparation and practice.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |