"Chi Sigma Iota is the international honor society of professional counseling. It was established in 1985 through the efforts of leaders in the profession of counseling whose desire was to provide recognition for outstanding achievement as well as outstanding service within the profession. CSI was created for counselors-in-training, counselor educators, and professional counselors whose career commitment is to research and service through professional counseling.

Our mission is to promote scholarship, research, professionalism, leadership and excellence in counseling, and to recognize high attainment in the pursuit of academic and clinical excellence in the profession of counseling."

-Chi Sigma Iota

Recognition and Standardization

    Because common usage of the term "counselor" can be misleading, CSI provides professional counselors with a sense of definition, unity, and legitimacy within the relatively young and emerging field of counseling

    CSI distinguishes professional counselors by their preparation at the graduate level in pursuit of both masters and doctoral degrees

    For purposes of clarity among helping professionals who use counseling as a method or its techniques, the graduate education of members of the profession of counseling are defined by the national standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Sense of Community

• one of the largest single member organizations of professional counselors in the world
• 14,000 active members and over 76,000 initiated members currently
• 270 chapters in the USA, Europe, and the Philippines
• The opt-in Counselor Registry allows members to easily locate licensed professional counselors in their area – search terms include client populations preferred and types of interventions used
• Chi Sigma Iota Job Links provides a listing of common websites that professional counselors can use when searching for a job
• Honor cords, stoles and other graduation regalia available for members

Research Opportunities and Grants

    CSI Chapter Grants are intended to support activities in chapters that promote and recognize excellence in the areas of leadership, professional identity, advocacy, and scholarship

• The grants provide 50-100 dollars as seed money for chapter projects, which may include, but are not limited to, workshops and professional development activities, advocacy, leadership training, recognition of excellence, or promotion of scholarship
• Chapters are challenged to identify projects or activities that help CSI members to enhance their professional identity and their own sense of commitment to the counseling profession and personal excellence

CSI Excellence in Counseling Research Grants Program
    Intended to support and enhance the counseling profession through targeted support of     research by CSI members

Professional Development Opportunities

• CSI Day 2012, held during the ACA Convention in San Francisco, CA provides CSI chapter members the ability to meet other members from across the country and attend meetings, workshops, training sessions, etc. for personal and professional development
• Access to Professional Publications & CSI Exemplar
• CSI E-News
• Excellence in Counseling Leadership
• Books and Professional Resources endorsed by CSI