The International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC) best cultivates the growing and evolving professional identity of counselors in a variety of ways. This organization originally began as Public Offender Counselor Association in 1972, and only included addiction counseling in 1990, thereby reflecting a more precise picture of its members and scope (iaaco.org). It is indeed a well-versed and multi-faceted organization and one that which benefits the professional growth of one who becomes a member.
             The first way in which this organization will help to cultivate a counselor's ever growing professional identity is its diversity. This is organization of professional substance abuse counselors, corrections counselors, students and counselor educators (iaaoc.org). The members of this organization have a passion that orbits around the same goal, helping people who have addictive and criminal behavior, but who all approach this challenge from a different perspective and viewpoint. Thus, it is rewarding to be a member of a professional organization in which the members have such a strong common bond and want to improve the lives of people who have made bad decisions and have paid the price for it.
             Furthermore, this organization, aside from providing one with a diversity of perspectives, approaches, methods, and viewpoints can provide a guidepost and path for development as a professional and show the route and possible highways toward advancement. Although this might not seem like such a novel service, in this particular field, it is quite a feat; addiction and offender counseling does not have such a direct path as other professions. Thus the fact that this organization can offer its members both leadership opportunities and advancement, truly speaks volumes about all that they are capable of, and the possibilities they are offering their members.
             Another compelling reason that a professional counselor...