Counselors-in-training (CITs) display shifting levels of autonomy, motivation, and engagement as they move through their program and various stages of professional development (Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987). Primarily used in health-education programs, Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is designed to foster a student's sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as a means of initiating learning and long-term psychological growth (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Silva et al., 2011). This presentation will connect these two theoretical platforms and provide CEs with practical pedagogical interventions to increase student collaboration, personal ownership of the learning process, and interconnectedness in the classroom.
