What is Non-Directive Counseling

The genetic counseling (GC) profession has seen exponential growth in recent years, although the core identity of practitioners, focusing on the interpersonal impact of genetics on their clients' lives, remains unchanged. This chapter familiarizes undergraduate career officers and high school guidance counselors with the field, including the professional role of GCs in the North American landscape, the differences between U.S. and Canadian training programs, various clinical and non-clinical practice areas, and existing types of service provision. Typical indications for patient referral and case vignettes are added for clarity. Practice standards and the process of certification and licensure are reviewed, as are the missions, visions, and functional purposes of various organizations with which GCs may be actively engaged. Finally, readers are walked through the admissions process and examples of impactful mentorship and advocacy experiences in which applicants can engage to enhance their chances of acceptance to GC training programs.