Counseling Psychology
Formal Specialty Definition:
Counseling Psychology as a psychological specialty facilitates personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan with a focus on emotional, social, work related, educational, health-related, developmental and organizational concerns. As one of the general practice health service provider specialties, counseling psychology focuses on both typical or normal developmental issues and atypical, dysfunctional, or disordered development and cultural context as it applies to human experience from individual, family, group, systems, and organizational perspectives. Counseling Psychology focuses on helping people with physical, emotional, and mental disorders improve their well-being, prevent and alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to live more highly functioning lives. In addition, practitioners in this professional specialty provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of psychopathology.
Levels of Specialty Training:
Education, Training, and Supervision in Counseling Psychology is available at the doctoral and postdoctoral level.
Specialty Board Certification:
Board Certification in Counseling Psychology is available through the American Board of Counseling Psychology, which is a Specialty Board of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).
Sources of Specialty Recognition:
- APA/CRSPPP recognition
- ABPP recognition
Synarchy Membership:
- Society of Counseling Psychology (17) of the American Psychological Association
- Student Affiliate Group of Society of Counseling Psychology (17)
- Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs
- American Board of Professional Psychology, Counseling Psychology Board
- Academy of Counseling Psychology
- Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors, AUCCCD
- Association of Counseling Center Training Agents, ACCTA
- Commission of Counseling and Psychological Service, CCAPS
- American College of Personnel Association, ACPA
- Several Divisions with APA with related interests (e.g. Divisions 29, 35, 44, 45, 51, 52)
- Several organized groups within the American Counseling Association with related interests (e.g. Association of Mental Health Counselors)
Specialty Related Web Links:
Education and Training Guidelines:
Representative: