Counseling Psychology

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Counseling Psychology
What do counseling psychologist do? Counseling psychology as a psychological specialty facilitates personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span with a focus on emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, developmental, and organizational concerns. Through the integration of theory, research, and practice, and with a sensitivity to multicultural issues, this specialty encompasses a broad range of practices that help people improve their well-being, alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to live more highly functioning lives. Counseling psychology is unique in its attention both to normal developmental issues and to problems associated with physical, emotional, and mental disorders, the specialization holds a unique perspective in the broader practice-based areas of psychology. Counseling Psychologists serve persons of all ages and cultural backgrounds in both individual and group settings. They also consult regularly with organizations seeking to enhance their effectiveness or the well-being of their members. Interventions used by Counseling Psychologists may be either brief or long-term; they are often problem-specific and goal-directed. These activities are guided by a philosophy that values individual differences and diversity and a focus on prevention, development, and adjustment across the life-span. Counseling Psychology is a specific field of psychology that focuses on a wide variety of mental health issues. Although counseling psychologists mainly deal with clients suffering from depression, anxiety, family or social problems, or vocational problems, counseling psychologists are also trained to treat mental problems that would be considered more severe such as schizophrenia. Counseling psychologists differ from other branches in psychology because of their approach to mental illness. They focus on wellness and strengths of individuals rather than mental deficiencies. Counseling psychologists also set themselves apart from clinical psychologists because they stress preventative care with individuals and communities. Whereas clinical psychologists focus on treating the problems and or symptoms, counseling psychologists want to prevent the problems from occurring in the first place. Counselling psychologists examine a person's experience and explore underlying issues. They use an active, collaborative relationship with patients to empower people to change a certain behaviour, and use a holistic stance, which involves examining the issues a person is facing, within the wider context of what has given rise to them. What is the difference between counseling and clinical psychology? Traditionally, the main difference between counseling and clinical psychology is their perspective and training. Counseling psychologists focus more on the psychologically healthy individual where clinical focuses on individuals with serious mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia). Counseling psychology has grown out of vocational psychology and has a strong educational component. CP programs are also typically housed in a school of education (though not all of them are). Clinical programs are more medically orientated in nature focusing on treatment of disease, in this case mental illness. Counseling psychologists are considered to be the generalists, they are trained in a wide variety of basic therapeutic skills. Clinical psychologists are typically focused in one or a few areas (e.g. depression, substance abuse). Counseling psychologists can and do specialize, but their training is focused on a general repertoire of skills. Counseling and clinical psychologists can

generally treat the same kind of patients and the overlap between the two fields continues to grow. What is the difference between a clinical psychologist and a counseling psychologist? (combine with earlier para) Counseling and clinical psychologists often perform similar work as researchers and/or practitioners and may work side by side in any number of settings, including academic institutions, hospitals, community mental health centers, independent practice, and college counseling centers, where they may have overlapping roles and functions. The differences between counseling and clinical psychologists are rooted in the history of each specialty, which has influenced the focus and emphasis of the training they receive. Both counseling and clinical psychologists are trained to provide counseling and psychotherapy. These differences reflect the earliest focus of each field. Clinical psychologists have traditionally studied disturbances in mental health, while counseling psychologists’ earliest role was to provide vocational guidance and advice. Today, though, the differences between psychologists from each specialty are more nuanced, and there are perhaps more similarities than differences among individual psychologists from each field. Counseling psychology’s reliance on a developmental perspective to focus on the strengths and adaptive strategies of an individual across the life span. Counseling psychologists are employed in a wide range of settings including college and university counseling centers, university research and teaching positions, independent practice, health care settings, hospitals, organizational consulting groups, and many others. History Vocational psychology also played a vital role in the development or counseling psychology. After World War II, people needed help with training and job placement in order to support their families. One of the government agencies, the Veterans Administration, communicated with universities concerning the need for additional career counselors which created an influx of psychology students in university programs. This led to the creation of a new psychology specialty, counseling psychology. Where do counseling psychologists work? Counseling Psychologists do so many things it is hard to give a synopsis. Generally speaking, a counseling psychologist can consult with a variety of agencies (e.g. schools, government, private organizations), teach at the college level (undergrad and graduate levels), do research, therapy (e.g. group, individual, family), hold academic administrative positions (e.g. dean of a college), etc. Counseling psychologists study and work in a variety of settings. Some areas that counseling psychologists work in and study are: substance abuse vocational psychology child development adolescent development adult development/aging health psychology (e.g. including long term care, AIDS, cancer, etc) mental illness (e.g. anxiety disorders) forensic psychology sport psychology

neuropsychology aggression/anger control anxiety disorders interpersonal relationships assessment rehabilitation community psychology counseling process/outcome group processes crisis intervention developmental disabilities eating disorders supervision multiculturalism Counseling psychologists can work in a variety of settings as well. Many of them include: college counseling centers, private practice, hospitals, private organizations, and government.

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