ÀÖ²©´«Ã½

By M. Elsa Soto Leggett, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, CSC

May 2026

Hola, mi gente. As I conclude my ÀÖ²©´«Ã½presidency, I return to a guiding principle that sustained both my leadership and our collective work: hope (esperanza). By that, I do not mean a sense of superficial optimism but the discipline to acknowledge complex challenges while remaining committed to possibility.

Hope can be a strategic way to stay engaged in uncertain times. It enables long-term thinking when short-term challenges dominate attention. It invites us to imagine and advocate for systems that better support counselors and the communities we serve. It reinforces the belief that thoughtful, ethical actions can have lasting impact.

I carried this belief throughout my presidency, which unfolded during a period marked by social polarization, collective fatigue, shifting policies, loss of humanity and growing mental health needs. Counselors were navigating uncertainty not only alongside their clients but within their own professional and personal contexts.

Leadership during this time required clarity and steadiness. It required acknowledging that counselors were carrying significant emotional and systemic weight. It required affirming that advocacy is neither incidental nor optional in our profession; it is central to our ethical responsibility to protect client welfare and strengthen the systems that impact mental health.

The responsibility of this role felt weighty at times. Representing a profession rooted in care and ethics during uncertain times demands discernment. It demands thoughtful responses rather than reactive ones. It demands listening, especially when perspectives differ. And it demands holding space for complexity without sacrificing clarity.

In this climate, ÀÖ²©´«Ã½strengthened advocacy efforts to represent counselors in conversations that directly affect practice, licensure, access to care and professional identity. Through coordinated messaging, member engagement and strategic dialogue, we amplified the profession’s presence in meaningful, responsible ways.

One significant accomplishment was reinforcing the visibility and coherence of the association’s public voice in collaboration with other national organizations. We advanced advocacy initiatives grounded in ethical practice, client access and professional protection. We facilitated courageous conversations around equity, policy and counselor wellness. We sought not merely to respond to external pressures but to articulate a forward-thinking vision for the profession. We embraced joy as a form of resistance, celebrated incremental progress, honored member engagement and witnessed counselors’ resilience.

This presidency also shaped me personally. Leadership expanded my capacity for reflection, strengthened my appreciation for collaborative governance and deepened my humility. I had moments of uncertainty and learning, but I also witnessed extraordinary dedication from members, staff and partners. I leave this role with profound respect for the resilience and integrity of this profession.

As I transition from this position, I remain confident in ACA’s direction and the strength of its leadership. The work ahead will evolve, and new challenges will emerge. Yet the foundation is secure: a profession grounded in ethics, committed to advocacy and sustained by collective purpose.

My call forward is simple and resolute: Continue.

Continue to advocate with clarity and courage. Continue to protect your wellness alongside the wellness of those you serve. Continue to cultivate joy. Continue to lend your voice to efforts that strengthen mental health systems and expand access to care.

Hope is not passive. Joy is not incidental. Advocacy is not optional. They are integral to who counselors are. In uncertain times, they remain our steady guide. Seguimos adelante.