1. Counseling Psychology
An Introduction
Welcome to Psych 540

2. Archival Description of Counseling Psychology APA (TCP, 1999)
Within the focus of lifespan development, we focus on:
Healthy aspects and strengths of the client (individual, couple, family, group, system, organization), environmental/situational influences (context of culture, gender, and lifestyle issues), and the role of career and vocation on individual development and functioning.
We help people with:
Physical, emotional, and mental disorders improve well-being, alleviate distress and maladjustment, and resolve crises
Intervene in emotions, behaviors, cognitions
Interventions may be preventative, skill-enhancing, or remedial; short-term or longer-term
Base our core knowledge on general psychology; doctoral or postdoctoral training required

3. Three Central Roles Remedial Preventative Educative-Developmental
Most activities of counseling psychologists combine all three.

4. UNIFYING THEMES of Counseling Psychology
Focus on intact personalities
Focus on people’s strengths, assets, and positive mental health
Relatively brief interventions
Emphasis on person-environment interactions
Emphasis on educational & career development

5. Intact Personalities Focus on Strengths
Closer to continuum of higher functioning-neurotic than psychotic.
However, increase in working with clients with more severe mental illness.
Focus on Strengths
Emphasis on HYGIOLOGY rather than PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Regardless of degree of disturbance
Emphasis on optimism, assets, positive mental health, coping mechanisms, and belief in positive change.

6. Person-Environment Interactions
Brief Interventions
12 – 15 sessions is considered brief
Counseling and psychotherapy exist on a continuum:
Counseling end: Educative, addresses situational problems, problem-solving at a conscious level.
Psychotherapy end: Personality reconstruction, subconscious processes
Person-Environment Interactions
Considers the role of context on people’s lives.
Important in considering multicultural and diversity issues with clients.

7. Educational and Career Development
For some, this is the heart of counseling psychology, and one of its foundations.
Training in career counseling and vocational psychology is part of graduate programs in counseling psychology.

8. Counseling Psychology Identity
Has been “plagued or blessed” by reoccurring identity crises (Richardson & Patton, 1992):
Considered plagued by those who wish the field had a more fixed or immutable identity
Considered blessed by those that are appreciative of the enormous changes that have occurred in the history of counseling psychology.
Roles and themes of Counseling Psychology are central tendencies, but there is great variability.

9. Training in Counseling Psychology
5-6 years graduate study (Master’s & Ph.D.)
Full-time, one-year internship in practice
Doctoral dissertation
Programs located in Colleges of Education and Departments of Psychology
Scientist-practitioner model of training
Best to seek APA-accredited programs

10. Why APA-Accredited Programs?
Easier to become licensed as a psychologist.
Increase range of eligible employment opportunities.
Determines membership in some professional organizations.
May determine if clients’ insurance company will reimburse for services.

11. Site: http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/ccptp/
Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs Survey (CCPTP; 2002):
Site:
Internship Placements for :
College Counseling Centers 54%
Veteran’s Administration
Medical Centers (VAMC) 13%
General Hospitals 11%
Community Mental Health Centers 10%

12. Employment Settings of Recent Graduates
Educational Settings:
University Counseling Centers 29%
University Psychology Dept. 11%
University Education Dept. 4%
Medical School 4%
University Administration 2%

13. Human Service Settings:
Group Medical/Psychiatric Practice 9%
VAMC %
Psychiatric Hospital 5%
Private Practice 3%
General Hospital 3%
Other Settings:
Military 3%
Private Research Organization 2%
Consulting Firm 1%
Criminal Justice 1%

14. Changes in Employment Patterns
Steady decline in percentage of CP’s in VA medical centers, which had historically been a major employer.
Increase in CP’s in independent practice
Greater percentage in variety of counseling internventions
Substantial increase of CP’s calling their work “psychotherapy.”
Centrality of vocational/career counseling has come into question.
Research is as strong as ever.

15. Distinctiveness and Overlap
Applied Psychology: Counseling, Clinical, Industrial/Organizational, School, & Community
Each seeks to “apply” principles of psychology to human behavior.
Rely on similar training and education
Use similar assessments and interventions
Have distinctive emphases or foci

16. Industrial/ Organizational
Counseling
Psychology
Community
School
Clinical

17. Areas of Overlap with Counseling Psychology
Clinical: Counseling and therapy
Community: Person-environment interactions
School: Occurs if counseling psychologists work in school settings
I/O: Area of career and vocational development.

18. Other Related Fields Outside of Psychology
All can conduct counseling or therapy
Psychiatric Social Workers
MSW: 2 year Master’s degree
Psychiatrists
MD’s; medical school, prescribe medication
Counseling Professionals
2 year Master’s degree to become licensed
Very similar in values to counseling psychology

19. Resources for More Career Information about Counseling Psychology
Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology) of APA:
Student Affiliate Group (SAG) of Div. 17
Accredited Programs in Counseling Psychology:
The Counseling Psychologist journal: