Introduction to the Special Section on Relational‐Cultural Theory

20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling was a task force of 31 member organizations sponsored by the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association of State Counseling Boards designed to address the needs of the counseling profession. The task force focused on issues that would move the profession of counseling forward, including consensus around the definition of counseling (Kaplan, Tarvydas, & Gladding, 2014). Through this work, counseling was defined as "a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals" (Kaplan et al., 2014, p. 366). This definition is distinctive to professional counselors and salient in that the relationship is also empirically identified as integral to counseling success (Norcross & Wampold, 2011). In forums across the profession of counseling, counselors working in diverse settings and across all populations are encouraged to be mindful of the professional relationship and to ethically develop these relationships in their work with clients. Therefore, identifying theories that guide professional counselors in forming professional relationships is particularly significant. Relational-cultural theory (RCT), a theory whose focus is on developing growth-fostering relationships, is the focus of this special section of the Journal of Counseling & Development (JCD). RCT pioneers Jean Baker Miller, Irene Stiver, Jan Surrey, and Judith Jordan created a clinical study group in the 1970s in which they shared their thoughts and experiences related to how people grow. Over time, they developed RCT as a model of human development and established the Stone Center at Wellesley College, where scholars continue to study, train, and practice RCT today (Jordan, 2010). Although RCT's initial and primary focus was on women and members of marginalized populations, it now includes men. Central to this theory is the premise that human growth develops in connection with others rather than through separation and individuation (Comstock et al., 2008; Duffey & Somody, 2011; Jordan, 2001, 2010). RCT (a) challenges traditional models of development with respect to the definition of growth, (b) speaks to ways that people respond to relational and cultural adversity, and (c) illustrates the impact that chronic loss and disconnection can have on people's lives and relationships (Jordan, 2010). Furthermore, RCT provides context for counselors when discussing multicultural and gender issues or when conceptualizing and humanizing challenging clinical cases. Its depathologizing perspective affords a framework for the many issues that clients bring to counseling, including issues of power, privilege, marginalization, stigmatization, belonging, and acceptance. Although this introduction to the special section cannot provide an in-depth discussion on RCT, included is a brief discourse on some of the approach's salient principles. Readers may consult other works (Jordan, 2010; Miller, 1976) for more nuanced and comprehensive coverage of RCT's development, evolution, and implementation. The Self: What Determines Growth Traditional models of mental health often focus on the concept of the self, or a part of a person that is first developed and nurtured, usually through socialization by the family of origin, and then through early social, cognitive, and emotional learning experiences (Jordan, 2010). This construct supports the primacy of self-sufficiency. From this premise, the separate self is developed and then protected until it reaches maturation and can thrive autonomously on its own (Jordan, 2010). Following this framework, a person's achievements, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are all framed from the perspective of the self (Jordan, 2010). Alternatively, RCT posits that growth occurs within relationships and identifies connection as the center point for growth (Jordan, 2010). …