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Psychological Counseling and Guidance

What is the specialty of  Psychological Counseling and Guidance Specialization:

Counseling psychology is a broad discipline within occupational psychology concerned with using psychological principles to promote and enhance the positive growth, well-being, and mental health of individuals, families, groups, and the broader community. Consulting psychologists bring a collaborative, developmental, multicultural, and wellness perspective to their research and practice. They work with many types of individuals, including those experiencing distress and difficulties related to life events and transitions, decision-making, work/career/education, family and social relationships, and mental health and physical health concerns. In addition to treatment, counseling psychologists are involved in prevention, psychoeducation, and advocacy. The research and professional field of counseling psychology overlaps with that of other professions such as clinical psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, and mental health counseling.

History of Psychological Counseling and Guidance Specialization:

Counseling psychology emerged as an applied discipline within the American Psychological Association (APA) in the 1940s. It has been recognized as a major by the APA since 1946, and this recognition was reaffirmed in 1998 when the APA began a new period of application to recognize the major. Milestones in the history of counseling psychology include the establishment of the specialization in connection with the general profession of psychology, the establishment of major professional journals, and important conferences that have been held over the years. Two organizations are central to the formation and development of counseling psychology: the APA's Society for Counseling Psychology (SCP) and the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs (CCPTP), an organization of counseling psychology training program administrators. Prior to 2004, the SCP was commonly referred to as "Section 17," so reviewers of original historical materials should note this reference. In the current entry, the terms SCP and Division 17 will be used as they appear historically appropriate.

John Whiteley, renowned historian of counseling psychology, identifies the farthest seeds of counseling psychology in occupational guidance, mental health, and psychometrics/individual difference movements along with the emergence of non-medical and non-psychoanalytic forms of counseling interventions such as Carl Rogers personality-centered therapy. Later, the growth of counseling psychology was driven by the demand for psychological services established by veterans returning from World War II. Negotiations between representatives from the Departments of APA 12 (Clinical Psychology) and 17 (then called Counseling and Mentoring) and what were then the staff of the Veterans Administration's Central Office of Clinical Psychology led to the creation of a new position for psychologists in the VA system, "consulting science Self (Professional)” in 1952 to assist veterans in their readjustment to civilian life. Because helping veterans obtain employment and education requires knowledge and skills different from treating psychopathology and neurological injury, this new position helped advise psychologists to differentiate themselves from psychiatry and clinical psychology and led to the growth of the career guidance movement.

In 1946, the APA recognized Section 17, Counseling and Guidance. Counseling psychology topics are beginning to be reviewed regularly in the annual Journal of Psychology under this title. The Annual Review of Psychology has helped to further legitimize the discipline by creating a place for routine assessment of the literature. In the 1950s, the explosion of higher education enrollment and the needs of returning World War II veterans led to significant research in the areas of career development and extension directions. Theories of human development and human behavior grew out of these economic and social forces during this time period, and theories that centered on client, mentoring, learning, psychodynamics, humanism, and existentialism developed.

Consulting psychologists held the first major conference on counseling psychology, the Northwestern Conference, in 1951. T.C. Gilbert Wrenn, chair of department 17 at the time of the conference, addressed the circumstances he considered critical prior to the conference, focusing primarily on the content of counseling psychologists training on PhD level, including practical training. The Northwestern Conference resulted in the first set of standards for doctoral training in Counseling Psychology and the formation of the Section 17 Committee on Induction. In 1956, the commission's report, Counseling Psychology as a Discipline, was an attempt to create a more comprehensive statement defining counseling psychology. Donald Soper, the next head of Division 17 after Wren, expanded on the statements made at the Northwestern Conference. Help clarify the functions of the department by assigning the induction committee the task of developing a formal statement on the boundaries and focus of the specialty and discussing the need to differentiate between counseling and clinical psychology.

The importance of studying Psychological Counseling and Guidance courses:

The main objective of Counseling Services is to encourage the academic, social, emotional and personal development of students. To reach this goal, Counseling Services help students get to know themselves better and find effective solutions to their everyday problems. It also helps students to improve themselves in all areas and to be fully functional individuals. Counselors monitor the development of students and according to their needs, they provide students with necessary support such as helping them understand themselves and their needs, solve their problems, make realistic decisions, improve their abilities and skills, and adjust themselves and their environment. in a healthy way.

While implementing guidance counseling services, it is essential to show respect for individual differences. Continuity and desire are vital in guidance and secrecy is essential in psychological counseling.

In guidance and counseling services, the student and his needs are at the center. While supporting him, counselors collaborate with administrators, teachers, parents, and other staff if needed.

Working with teachers and administrators is another service that counselors provide. preparing handouts and training courses for faculty members or contacting external experts for consulting and training; The preparation of handouts/training for parents on parenting-related topics or external experts may be invited to carry out training under these services.

The programs run by the Guidance and Counseling Services are as follows:

  • orientation program
  • Growth and Development Program
  • How to deal with bullying
  • How to deal with peer pressure
  • How can I improve my organizational skills?
  • Effective Learning Strategies
  • Move to Higher Degrees/Departments
  • career counseling
  • Social Skills Program

Subjects for the Psychological Counseling and Guidance Specialization:

  • Introduction to psychological counseling
  • general psychology
  • developmental psychology
  • general sociology
  • educational psychology
  • Education and its theories
  • Social Psychology
  • physiological psychology

Fields  of work for the specialization in psychological counseling and guidance:

  • school counselor
  • pastoral guidance
  • mental health counselor
  • Rehabilitation Consultant
  • community advisor

Best universities to study Psychological Counseling and Guidance in Turkey:

  • Istanbul Okan Universtiy 
  • Istanbul Aydin University
  • Istanbul Bahcesehir University
  • Istanbul Kültür University
  • Baskent University