History of the Counseling Profession

History of Counseling

While it would be conjecture to state which events in the history of the counseling profession had the greatest impact on its development, two major events within the timeline stand out for this learner as milestones in the development of the counseling profession. These are the Mental Health Reforms of the early 20th Century, and the Community Mental Health Centers Act. These two developments are important because of their contributions to the shaping of the profession’s philosophical values, which include wellness, resiliency, empowerment, advocacy, development and prevention. (Healy & Hayes, 2011)

The relevance of the Mental Health Reforms owes to the efforts of Clifford Beers's A Mind That Found Itself (1908), written from the author’s personal experience on the deplorable conditions in mental health institutions. It is regarded by many in the profession as a seminal work on prevention in the United States (Bloom, 1984; Long, 1989). Clifford Beers was a Yale student who had been hospitalized several times throughout his life for mental illness, and as a result of his experience, he advocated for better mental health facilities and reform in the treatment of the mentally ill. His work is largely considered to be “the impetus for the mental health movement in the United States”, one of the major milestones in the development of the counseling profession (Gladding, 1996).

The Mental Health Study Act was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1955, leading to a 5-year study of the human and economic problems of mental illness. It concluded with the Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health Report of 1960. The Commission ultimately recommended that despite the importance of prevention, emphasis was needed on early, community-based treatment (Keist & White, 1997, p. 3).

These events in the timeline helped turn the tide in human social services from the traditional application of the medical model perspective, which is clinically focused on the individual as source of the problem, to a focus on education, solution-focused and preventative methods for dealing with mental health issues.

The following professional associations were explored in depth:

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC®), is an independent not-for-profit credentialing body incorporated in 1982 to establish and monitor a national certification system, to identify those counselors who have voluntarily sought and obtained certification, and to maintain a register of those counselors. Currently, its membership includes over 36,000 certified counselors. (from the website: http://www.nbcc.org/)

The American Counseling Association (ACA) founded in 1952, is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. It is the world's largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings. (from the website: http://www.counseling.org )

International Association of Counseling Services (IACS) encourages and aids counseling services throughout the United States and internationally in meeting high professional standards, by improving its visibility and quality of services. It informs the public about competence and reliability, and fosters communication among counseling services operating in a variety of settings. Accreditation is open to University and College Counseling Centers and Public and Private Counseling Agencies. (from the website: http://iacsinc.org )

The Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW), a division of the ACA, was founded to promote quality in group work training, practice, and research both nationally and internationally. (from the website: http://www.asgw.org )

Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) is one of the oldest interdisciplinary organizations in the field of dying, death and bereavement. Its nearly 2000 members consist of an array of mental and medical health personnel, educators, clergy, funeral directors, and volunteers. ADEC offers numerous educational opportunities through annual conference, courses and workshops, its certification program, and via its journal, The Forum. (from the website: http://www.adec.org )

Analysis of the historical and philosophical relevance of one specialized area to the practice of counseling:

American Mental Health Counseling Association

AMHCA is a growing community of nearly 7,000 clinical mental health counselors, making a critical impact on the lives of Americans and give a voice to our profession nationwide. It has served the professional needs of mental health counselors for more than 30 years. It assists its membership in career development, and assists providers in the field by working toward recognition for mental health counselors under Medicare, and in general, advocates for greater acceptance of mental health counselors currently recognized by other federal programs and private health care insurance plans. It expands professional knowledge and builds networks among professional peers for the ultimate purpose of improving service to clients. (from the website: http://www.amhca.org)

References

Feldmen, S. (2003) Reflections on the 40th anniversary of the US Community Mental Health Centers Act. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry; 37:662-667

Gladding, S. T. (1996) Counseling: A comprehensive profession (3rd edition). Macmillan Pub Co.

Healey, A. C., & Hays, D. G. (2011). Defining counseling professional identity from a gendered perspective: Role conflict and development. Professional Issues in Counseling Journal, Spring. Retrieved on March 11, 2013 from http://www.shsu.edu/~piic/DefiningCounselingProfessionalIdentityfromaGenderedPerspective.htm

Kleist, D. M., & White, L. J. (1997). The values of counseling: A disparity between a philosophy of prevention in counseling and counselor practice and training. 41(2), 128