Counseling Is A Relatively New Profession
Counseling Specializations and Multidisciplinary Teams
Counseling is a relatively new profession (Aubrey, 1977, 1982). It developed in the late 1890s and early 1900s, and was interdisciplinary from its inception. “Some of the functions of counselors were and are shared by persons in other professions” (Herr & Fabian, 1993, p. 3). Before the 1900s, most counseling was in the form of advice or information. In the United States, counseling developed out of a humanitarian concern to improve the lives of those adversely affected by the Industrial Revolution of the mid- to late 1800s (Aubrey, 1983) (S. T. Gladding, 1978). Overall, “counseling emerged during a socially turbulent period that straddled the ending of one century and the beginning of another, a period marked by great change that caused a major shift in the way individuals viewed themselves and others” (Ginter, 2002, p. 220) (S. T. Gladding, 1978) .In recent years, the idea of promoting wellness within the counseling profession has grown (Lawson, Venart, Hazler, & Kottler, 2007; Myers & Sweeney, 2005, 2008). Wellness involves many aspects of life including the physical, intellectual, social, psychological, emotional, and environmental. Myers, Sweeney, and Witmer (2000) define wellness as a way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live life more fully within the human and natural community. “Ideally, it is the optimum state of health and well-being that each individual is capable of achieving” (p. 252). A model for promoting wellness has been developed by Myers et al. (2000) (S. T. Gladding, 1978). It revolves around five life tasks: spirituality, self-direction, work and leisure, friendship, and love. More and more, “professional counselors seek to encourage wellness, a positive state of well-being, through developmental, preventive, and wellness-enhancing interventions” (Myers & Sweeney, 2008, p. 482). There is still
Counseling is a relatively new profession (Aubrey, 1977, 1982). It developed in the late 1890s and early 1900s, and was interdisciplinary from its inception. “Some of the functions of counselors were and are shared by persons in other professions” (Herr & Fabian, 1993, p. 3). Before the 1900s, most counseling was in the form of advice or information. In the United States, counseling developed out of a humanitarian concern to improve the lives of those adversely affected by the Industrial Revolution of the mid- to late 1800s (Aubrey, 1983) (S. T. Gladding, 1978). Overall, “counseling emerged during a socially turbulent period that straddled the ending of one century and the beginning of another, a period marked by great change that caused a major shift in the way individuals viewed themselves and others” (Ginter, 2002, p. 220) (S. T. Gladding, 1978) .In recent years, the idea of promoting wellness within the counseling profession has grown (Lawson, Venart, Hazler, & Kottler, 2007; Myers & Sweeney, 2005, 2008). Wellness involves many aspects of life including the physical, intellectual, social, psychological, emotional, and environmental. Myers, Sweeney, and Witmer (2000) define wellness as a way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live life more fully within the human and natural community. “Ideally, it is the optimum state of health and well-being that each individual is capable of achieving” (p. 252). A model for promoting wellness has been developed by Myers et al. (2000) (S. T. Gladding, 1978). It revolves around five life tasks: spirituality, self-direction, work and leisure, friendship, and love. More and more, “professional counselors seek to encourage wellness, a positive state of well-being, through developmental, preventive, and wellness-enhancing interventions” (Myers & Sweeney, 2008, p. 482). There is still