Intro to Counseling and the Role and Function of Counselor Essays

The Profession of Counseling: An Introduction Ebone T. Johnson, Ph.D. REHB 510 Counseling versus Psychotherapy: Is there a difference? Counseling Psychotherapy Distinction between 2 terms ambiguous Some debate: counseling is more popular in educational and human service settings psychotherapy is more popular in medical settings (Sharf, 2012) Some debate: psychotherapy: Has greater depth and intensity Has longer duration Addresses personality organization and reconstruction Provides services to persons with more severe pathology Counseling: More reality based problems More problems of living, decision making, personal growth (Tyler, 1958; Gelso & Fretz, 1992) Brief History of Counseling and Specialty Areas of Practice Counseling: The Early Years Many attribute to Frank Parsons father of the guidance movement 1st career counseling center in Boston in 1909 Book: Choosing a Vocation(1909) Jesse Davis Principal Introduced vocational guidance into public education Idea of Call to a vocation Clifford Beers Patient Advocate for reform of mental health facilities Book A Mind that Found Itself (1908) 19th century-1960s- Dominant influence of Psychoanalysis and its derivatives Freud Alder Jung Horney Sullivan Counseling: The Middle Years Known as professionalization of the counseling practice Continuance of psychoanalysis (Freud) Emergence of behaviorism (Skinner, Bandura, Lazarus) Emergence of humanistic view of counseling beyond vocation Rogers: client-centered approach Counseling and Psychotherapy published in 1942 50s-70s Major strides towards the professionalization of counseling Specialty areas of counseling practice emerged Rehabilitation counseling, mental health counseling, etc. Contemporary Years Issue of professional identity and professional unification Professional associations American Counseling Association Education and training CORE and CACREP Practitioner credentials NCC, CRC, Licensure (varies by state) New Approaches based on: Social constructivism Narrative therapy SFBT Mindfulness and Acceptance Mindfulness based CBT Mindfulness based stress reduction Acceptance and commitment therapy Dialectical behavior therapy CACREP Accredits 10 Masters Level Program Categories Addition counseling Community counseling College counseling Career counseling Gerontological counseling Marital, couple, and family counseling Clinical mental health counseling Student affairs and college counseling Student affairs practice in higher education College counseling emphasis Professional practice emphasis School counseling CORE/CACREP Affiliation: Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling CORE/CACREP Merger Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling http://www.cacrep.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2016-CACREP-Standards.pdf Page 24 Role and Function of Professional Counselors Theories of Counseling Psychological Sociocultural Systemic Do we work with... Patients Clients Customers Consumers Counselor Role assist clients in reaching their optimal level of psychosocial functioning through resolving negative patterns prevention rehabilitation and Improving quality of life (QoL) (Hershenson p. 16) Counselor Role apply mental health, psychological, or human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral, or systemic intervention strategies , that address wellness, personal growth, or career development, as well as pathology Counselor Function: NBCC 5 major work behavior dimensions Fundamental counseling practice Counseling for career development Counseling groups Counseling families Professional practices 7 Counselor Functions: CRCC Counseling (individual, group, marriage, family)and psychotherapy Guidance and consultation Appraisal Diagnostic and treatment planning for persons with psychological disorders or disabilities Functional assessments and career counseling for persons adjusting to a disability Referrals Research Additional Functions from CRCC Advocacy Case Management Crisis Management Outreach Importance knowledge areas of rehabilitation counselors Job placement, consultation, and assessment Case management and community resources Individual, group, and family counseling Medical, functional, and psychosocial aspects of disability (Leahy, Chan, Sung, Kim, 2013) Licensure 49 states with licensure laws Licensed Professional Counselor Others have specialty licenses Marriage and family Mental health Rehabilitation counseling No state portability Counselor as a Therapeutic Person Authentic Genuine practice what you preach Model appropriate behavior Honesty Personality of therapist vs. Techniques used (Lambert, 2011) Effective Counselors.... Have an identity Respect and appreciate themselves Are open to change Make choices that are life oriented Are authentic, sincere, and honest Have a sense of humor Make mistakes and are willing to admit hem Live in the present Appreciate the influence of culture Have a sincere interest in the welfare of others Possess effective interpersonal skills Become deeply involved in their work and derive meaning from it Are passionate Are able to maintain healthy boundaries Effective services by Rehabilitation Health Professionals Establishing a therapeutic working relationship Communicating in a facilitative and helpful way Obtaining information in a comprehensive and thorough manner Helping clients tell their stories and explain their problems and needs Understanding and conceptualizing behavior and problems in a way to facilitate treatment and service planning Facilitating follow-through, commitments, and compliance with treatment and service plans Is Personal Therapy Needed or Required? Self-exploration to increase self-awareness Understanding of how personal issues impact work healing the healer Contributions of personal therapy (Orlinsky et al., 2005) Models the helping relationship Enhances interpersonal skills Helps deal with stressors of clinical work Values Core beliefs that influence behavior Can we be 100% objective? Respect Exposing values vs. imposing values Value imposition: directly attempting to define a clients values attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors(p. 23) See ACA Ethics Code (A.4.b) Becoming an Effective Multicultural Counselor actively in the process of becoming aware of his or her own assumptions about human behavior, values, biases, preconceived notions, personal limitations, and so forth.