Teaching Psychology and Counseling Through Service-Learning Initiatives

The Psychology Unit of the Athens Institute is organizing a Microsymposium on “Teaching Psychology and Counseling Through Service-Learning Initiatives” as part of the 20^th Annual International Conference on Psychology, 25-29 May 2026, Athens, Greece

This microsymposium explores the integration of service-learning initiatives into the teaching of psychology and counseling to enhance student learning, professional identity, and community impact. Service-learning connects academic instruction with meaningful community engagement, allowing students to apply theory to real-world contexts while developing ethical awareness, cultural humility, and reflective practice.

The session will examine pedagogical models, supervision strategies, curriculum design, assessment methods, and ethical considerations when embedding service-learning into psychology and counseling education. Topics include partnerships with community agencies, trauma-informed service work, multicultural competence development, reflective practice, risk management, and evaluating student and community outcomes.

Presenters are encouraged to share empirical research, program descriptions, case studies, and innovative classroom practices that demonstrate how service-learning strengthens experiential education in counseling, psychology, social work, and related helping professions. This microsymposium aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on preparing students for professional practice while simultaneously supporting community needs through engaged scholarship.

Please submit an abstract (email only) to: atiner@atiner.gr, using the abstract submission form by 7 April 2026 to: Dr. Michael Slavkin, Director of the Master’s of Counseling Program, Department of Psychological Science and Counseling, Marian University, USA.

Abstracts should include the following: Title of Paper, Full Name (s), Affiliation, Current Position, an email address, and at least 3 keywords that best describe the subject of your submission. Decisions are reached within 4 weeks.