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What is Counseling?
Focus on growth and wellness and the remediation of

mental disorders.
Grew out of the guidance movement, in opposition to

traditional psychotherapy

Lecture 1
Prepared By : N.A

History of Counseling
Counseling profession can be categorized as helping

profession.
Professionals have been trained specifically

(registered and licensed) to provide the unique

services that required by others.

Counseling was began in the US as a career guidance

services. This services given to youth who are facing
problems in choosing their career

Besides counseling the others helping professions

such as social works, educations, medical and law.

Before 1900

Before 1900, counseling was in the form of advice or

information.
Counseling developed in the late 1890s and early

1900s. Sigmund Freuds ideas were known at this time.

His approach to therapy is where many lay people get
their ideas of psychology

Some of the functions of counselor were and are

shared by persons in other professions.

In the US, counseling developed out of humanitarian

concern to improve lives of the Industrial Revolution

of the mid to late 1800s.
Also, counseling was influenced by the social welfare

reform movement (child labor), public education, and

various changes in population makeup (immigration).

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Three leaders in counseling emerged: Frank

Parsons, Jesse B. Davis, and Clifford Beers.
( 1900-1901)
Most counselors were teachers and social reformers:

most were involved in child welfare, educational or

vocational guidance, and legal reform.

1. Frank Parsons: Father of Guidance

Focused on growth and prevention, multiple

disciplines being a lawyer, engineer, college teacher,

and social worker before he became a social reformer
and worked with youth.
Best known for founding Bostons Vocational Bureau

in 1908, beginning of the institutionalization of

vocational guidance.

Theorized that choosing a vocation was a matter of

2. Jesse B. Davis

relating three factors: knowledge of work, knowledge

of self, and a matching of the two.

first to set up a system for guidance programs in the

public schools.

Book Choosing a Vocation (1909) published a year after

Superintendent of the Grand Rapids, Michigan school

system, suggested in 1907 that English teacher teach
lessons in guidance once a week to build character and
prevent problems. He believed that proper guidance
would help cure ill of American society.

Hence, school guidance was developed: a preventive

educational means of teaching students how to deal
effectively with life events.

his death was influential in the designation of

vocational counselors in Boston and spread to 35 cities
by 1910.

1910s three events impacted development of

counseling :

3. Clifford Beers A Mind That found Itself (1908)

1913, founding of the National Vocational Guidance

Beers wrote a book about his hospitalizations for

depression. He found the conditions in the mental

institution unacceptable and exposed them in his
book.
Beers used his book to make a platform to reform the
treatment of the mentally ill. He also solicited funds
from well-known people such as the Fords and
Rockefellers to encourage the reform.
His work was also forerunner of mental counseling

Association (NVGA) and bulletin began in 1915 and has run

regularly since 1921
1917, passage of the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 provided

funding for public schools to support vocational education.

During World War I the military began to use testing and

placement practices to categorize military personnel. Army

commisioned the development of numerous psychological
instruments among them the the Army Alpha and Army
Beta intelligence tests. Psychometrics (psychological
testing) became popular through this era.

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1920s era for counseling

Education courses focused on vocational guidance which

has begun at Harvard University(1911)

First certification of counselors in Boston and New York.

First stands for the preparation and evaluation of

occupational materials. Publication of new psychological

instruments such as Strong Vocational Interest Inventory
in 1927.

Abraham and Hannah Stones 1929 establishment of the

first marriage and family counseling Center in New York

City (NYC) marked the beginning of marriage and family
counseling.

Edward Thorndike (Known for Law of Effect) and other

psychologists challenged the vocational emphasis of the

guidance movement. John Brewer completed the
challenge and published his book titled Education as
Guidance in 1932 proposing that every teacher be a
counselor and that guidance be incorporated in the school
curriculum as a subject. He believed that focus should be
on preparing students to live outside the school
environment.

1938, Congress passed the George-Dean Act that created

the Vocational Education Division of the US Office of

Education and an Occupational Information and Guidance
Service.

Further, evolved the creation of state supervisors of

guidance positions in state departments of education. Also,

the US Employment Service was established and published
the first Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) in 1939 (a
source of career information coded occupations).

1930s
Great Depression influenced the need for helping

strategies and counseling methods that related to

employment.
First theory of counseling, E.G. Williamson, John Darley,

Donald Paterson, et al., at the University of Minnesota.

Williamson modified Parsons theory and used it with
students and the unemployed. Was a counselor-centered
approach, known as the Minnesota point of view and traitfactor counseling.
Counseling was a problem-solving, scientific method

tailored to each client helping him/her to stop obstructive

thinking/behavior and become a better decision maker.

1940s (three major events)

Carl Rogers (1942) publication of Counseling and Psychotherapy

emphasized the importance of client-centered counseling He

believed if right conditions (unconditional acceptance, active
listening, and genuineness and congruency) were available to the
client, the client would become more congruent and know
him/herself better.
WWII brought about the need for counselors and psychologists

to train specialists for the military and for industry.

George-Barden Act of 1946 provided vocational education funds

through the US Office of Education for counselor training

institutes. The Veteran Administration funded the training of
counselors and psychologists by granting stipends and paid
internships for students engaged in graduate study.

1950s (four events)

a. American Personnel and Guidance Association
(APGA) :
The APGA grew out of the Council of Guidance and

Personnel Associations (CGPA) operating from 1934 to

1951, laced power to commit its members. APGA
formed in 1952 organized groups interested in
guidance, counseling, and personnel matters.

b. American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

ASCA was chartered in 1953 and joined APGA as the
fifth member.
c. Division 17 (Counseling Psychology) within the
American Psychological Association (APA)
These groups desired to work with the normal
population rather than clinical population and focused
on both vocational counseling and humanistic
psychotherapy.

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d. National Defense Education Act (NDEA), 1958

The purpose was to identify scientifically and
academically talented students and promote their
development.
- It provided funds for upgrading school counseling
programs and to establish counseling and guidance
institutes.

1960s
At the beginning of the 60s the focus was on counseling as

a developmental profession. Gilbert Wren (1962) set the

tone with his book The Counselor in a Changing World.
The impact of Wrens book lessened with other influences
of the 60s: The Vietnam War, civil rights movement, and
the womens movement all influenced the focus of
counseling and issues in counseling.
Humanistic counseling became prominent due to

individuals like Abraham Maslow, Dugald Arbuckle, and

Sidney Jourard. Counseling shifted from one-on-one
counseling to group therapy. Also behavioral counseling
also became influential.

1970s
a. Diversity in Counseling Setting
Mental health centers and community agencies began to

employ counselors following the decline and need of

counselors in the educational setting.
Specialized training began to be offered in counselor

education programs.
The term community counselor was coined to describe

this type of counselor.

Formation of the Mental Health Counseling Association

e. New guidance and counseling theories

The shift to applied behavioral theories, e.g. Joseph

Wolpes systematic desensitization, became

influential.
Cognitive theories, e.g. Albert Elliss rational emotive
therapy (RET or REBT; B = behavioral)
Eric Bernes transactional analysis as well as learning
theory, and self-concept theory.

1963 Community Mental Health Centers Act opened

up job opportunities for counselors to focus on alcohol

abuse and addiction and marriage and family
counseling by putting mental health centers into
communities.
APGA published a code of ethics for counselors in 1961

and began publishing a professional journal in 1969,

The Counseling Psychologist.
Also influential was the establishment of ERIC

clearinghouse on Counseling and Personnel Services

(CAPS) in 1966.

b. Helping Skills Programs

Development of helping skills programs focused on
basic counseling skills to professionals and nonprofessionals.
c. State Licensure
Virginia was the first state to adopt a professional
counselor licensure law in 1976. Arkansas and Alabama
followed in the 70s.
d. A Strong APGA
The APGA built its headquarters in Alexandria,
Virginia

(AMHCA) within the APGA had begun

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1980s
A division of APGA, Association of Counselor

Educators and Supervisors (ACES), outlined the

standards for a masters degree in counseling.
ACES approved guidelines for the doctorate in
counseling in 1977.

a. Standardization of Training and Certification

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related

Educational Programs (CACREP) was formed in 1981 as

an affiliate organization of APGA. In 1987, CACREP
achieved membership in the Council on Postsecondary
Accreditation (COPA), bringing it into a position of
power equal to the APA. CACREP standardized
graduate programs in counseling.
In 1983 the National Board for Certified Counselors

(NBCC) began to certify counselors on the national

level.

Eight subject areas were included in a standardized exam:

1) human growth and development,
2) social and cultural foundations,
3) helping relationships,
4) groups,
5) lifestyle and career development,
6) appraisal,
7) research and evaluation, and
8) professional orientation.
To become a national certified counselor (NCC), the exam must

be passed and experiential and character references must be

ascertained

c. More Diversification of Counseling

As counselors in educational settings continued,

community/agency counselors increased dramatically.
Thus, the Association for Adult Development and
Aging (AADA) and the International Association for
Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC) were
formed. Many other groups developed.

b. Counseling as a Distinct Profession

In 1983, APGA changed its name to the American
Association for Counseling and Development (AACD)
to replace its outdated name referring to personnel
and guidance.
Chi Sigma Iota was formed in 1985 by Thomas J.

Sweeney to promote excellence in the counseling

profession by setting up an international academic and
professional honor society.
American Association for Counseling and

Development (AACD) made membership services

such as liability insurance policies available.

d. Increased Emphasis on Human Growth and

Development
New emphasis on Erik Eriksons stages of development

began.
Increased emphasis on the elderly resulted in the

Association for Adult Aging and Development

(AAAD).
Attention began being given to gender issues. Carol

Gilligan emphasized the moral values in females and

introduced the feminist theory into counseling forcing
the examination of gender differences.

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1990s
Emphasis on moral values developed, e.g., Lawrence

Kohlbergs theory of moral development

Multicultural issues became an additional focus and

resulted in the development of the Association of

Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD).

The American Association for Counseling and

Development (AACD) changed its name in 1992 to the

American Counseling Association (ACA) to fully
encompass its mission.
Counseling was recognized by the Center for Mental

Health Services and by the National Institute of

Mental Health as a primary mental health profession.
Writing of the multicultural counseling standards by

Sue, Arredondo, and McDavis (1992) set the stage for

multicultural counseling.

Current Trends in the New Millennium Over 50

years of service under ACA
Emphasis on social factors became more important to

the development of mental health and prevention.

The National Academy of Clinical Mental Health

Counselors merged with National Board of Certified

Counselor. ( NBCC)
Growth was apparent in Council for Accreditation of

Counseling and Related Educational Programs

(CACREP) and APA accredited programs

b) The Challenge of Managed Care

Managed care companies determine how health care
providers including counselor deliver services and
what rights and sources of help consumers have to
receive regarding treatment.
Ethical concerns under managed care exists.

c) Promoting Wellness
Emphasis of wellness in counseling has increased

including: physical, intellectual, social, psychological,

emotional, and environmental wellness.

a) Dealing with Violence, Trauma, and Crises

New emphasis began in training counselors to respond
to trauma and tragedies due to school shootings, the
Oklahoma City bombing, and 9/11s terrorist attack.
Focus has been on the treatment of ASD (acute stress
disorder) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
ASD lasts for about a month and PTSD includes
flashbacks and may last for years.

d) Concern for Social Justice

Counselors drawn to social justice due to the interest

in welfare of people in society by early pioneers in

what evolved into counseling. Major elements of a
social justice approach include the identification and
challenge of environmental limits, challenging
oppression through counseling, and freeing clients
from oppressive actions.
Counselors are taking an active role in social justice

by advocating for the profession and for client, along

with community outreach, and public policy making

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Counselors must possess skills and have commitment

to social issues to be effective as advocates.

e. Greater Emphasis on the Use of

Technology
Technology use has grown rapidly in counseling.

Leading advocacy groups within the ACA include

Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) and ACES. Outside

the ACA leading groups include Chi Sigma Iota
(Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society
International) and NBCC.

Counseling services are offered across the Internet

(e.g., suicide prevention) and through the telephone

(e.g., crisis counseling).
Clients who may be well served through the use of

online counseling are those who are geographically

isolated, the physically disabled, those who would not
ordinarily seek counseling, and those who are more
prone to writing than speaking (Shaw & Shaw, 2006).
However, the Internet, telephone, and other

technologies will never fully replace face-to-face

counseling.

List servers and bulletins board systems promote dialogue

between counselors, as well as email and with clients.

Websites are utilized with counseling organizations,
counselor education programs, and individual counselors.
Internet counseling is controversial. Ethical and legal risks
include problems with confidentiality, the handling of
emergencies, the lack of nonverbal information, crossing
state judicial lines, the lack of outcome research,
technology failures, and difficulties with rapport.

f) Leadership
A need exists for counselors to develop their
leadership, planning, and advocacy skills. Counselors
are challenged in agencies and schools to move beyond
clinical supervision and into managerial leadership
roles.

g) Identity
The American Counseling Association become
stronger and all counselor stand to benefit it. Nineteen
divisions and affiliate operate under ACAs structure .

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