Peer-to-peer counseling has long been a cornerstone of counselor education, serving both as a pedagogical tool and a developmental rite of passage for counselor-in-training (CIT) students. While the benefits of this approach are well-supported in the literature—fostering empathy, skill development, and reflective practice—its continued use is often uncritically accepted. As digital technology becomes more embedded in CIT programs, the ethical landscape surrounding peer-to-peer simulations grows increasingly complex.

This presentation will explore the often-overlooked ethical considerations associated with peer counseling in training settings, particularly when sessions are recorded for supervision or evaluation. Issues such as informed consent, confidentiality, data security, and power dynamics between student counselors and their peers will be discussed. Additionally, the presentation will highlight the limitations of existing accreditation guidelines, which tend to reflect outdated assumptions about analog recording and data storage.

Participants will walk away with practical strategies for ethically managing peer-to-peer counseling exercises, ensuring student safety, protecting institutional integrity, and aligning with evolving best practices in counselor education.

Keywords: Counselor-in-Training (CIT), Peer-to-Peer Counseling, Real-Play, Pedagogy in Counseling, Ethical Considerations.