Counseling Psychology - Ohio State University
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Transcript Counseling Psychology - Ohio State University
Counseling Psychology
An Introduction
Welcome to Psych 540
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
Three Central Roles
Remedial
Preventative
Educative-Developmental
Most activities of counseling
psychologists combine all three.
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
Intact Personalities
– Closer to continuum of higher functioningneurotic 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Council of Counseling Psychology
Training Programs Survey (CCPTP; 2002):
Site:
http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/ccptp/
Internship Placements for 2001-2002:
– College Counseling Centers
– Veteran’s Administration
Medical Centers (VAMC)
– General Hospitals
– Community Mental Health Centers
54%
13%
11%
10%
Employment Settings of Recent
Graduates
Educational Settings:
– University Counseling Centers
– University Psychology Dept.
– University Education Dept.
– Medical School
– University Administration
29%
11%
4%
4%
2%
Human Service Settings:
– Group Medical/Psychiatric Practice
– VAMC
– Psychiatric Hospital
– Private Practice
– General Hospital
9%
6%
5%
3%
3%
Other Settings:
– Military
– Private Research Organization
– Consulting Firm
– Criminal Justice
3%
2%
1%
1%
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.
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
Industrial/
Organizational
Community
Counseling
Psychology
Clinical
School
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.
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
Resources for More Career Information
about Counseling Psychology
Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology) of
APA:
– http://www.div17.org/
Student Affiliate Group (SAG) of Div. 17
– http://www3.uakron.edu/sagweb/
Accredited Programs in Counseling Psychology:
– http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/doctoral.html
The Counseling Psychologist journal:
– http://www.div17.org/tcp/