What Is Counseling Psychology?

Counseling psychology is a branch of psychology that studies the processes, principles, techniques, and methods of psychological counseling. It is an important field that uses theories of psychology to guide life practice. It has obvious practicability and multidisciplinary interdisciplinarity, and belongs to applied science. The scope and basic functions of consulting psychology are extensive. It is not only closely related to educational psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, and medical psychology, but also crosses with pedagogy, sociology, cultural anthropology, and medicine.

Counseling psychology

(Branch of psychology)

The research object of counseling psychology is mainly normal people, not patients. It solves the problems that people have in learning, working, living, health, and preventing diseases.

• Academic Conditions of Counseling Psychology Before Its Formation

1. Galton: The study of individual differences in mental activity by measurement and the establishment of a "free association" method (1882)

2. Cartel: published a paper on "Psychological Tests and Measurements" (1890)

3. Wetmer: Opening a Child Behavior Correction Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania (1896);

4. Benet-Simon : Compiling intelligence measures for helping mentally handicapped children (1904);

5. David: In order to prevent students' behavior problems, conduct behavior guidance (1907);

6. Parsons: The Rise of the Vocational Guidance Movement (1908)

• The origin of psychological counseling

1. Psychological counseling originated in Weitmer's "Clinical Psychology" in 1896.

2. After the 1930s, research on psychological tests and individual differences was the main foundation and promoting factor for the development of clinical psychology, and it was also an important means of psychological counseling.

3. In 1953 , the American Psychological Association's Counseling Psychology Branch set a formal training standard for psychological counseling experts . This "training standard" later became the certification standard for the Doctoral Program of the Graduate School of Education and Training Commission. The Benchmark Committee published the APA Ethics Program.

4. In 1954, more than 20 psychologists initiated and founded the Journal of Counseling Psychology, which became a professional magazine for psychological counseling.

5. In 1955, the American Psychological Association began to officially issue the license of counseling experts

6. In 1956, the "Defination Committee" of the APA Consulting Psychology Branch published a report entitled "Consulting Psychology as a Professional Branch".

• Development of American Counseling Psychology

Counseling psychology first emerged in the United States. In the early twentieth century, the United States accelerated industrialization, and the urban population increased rapidly. People in all walks of life were needed.

I. Psychoanalytic Theory and Methods

Theory and Technology of Behavior Therapy

3. The theory and process of human-centered therapy

The theory and methods of rational emotion therapy

V. Theory and Methods of Communication Analysis

6. Theories and methods of realistic treatment

The theory and method of Morita therapy

The theory of consulting psychology mainly uses theories and methods of related disciplines from the beginning, and gradually builds its own theoretical system, skills and methods through long-term practical activities and experience summary. Initially, its theoretical model was mainly a career counseling model; at present, it has developed into a decision-making model and a social impact model.

The decision-making model refers to providing decision-making opinions in education, social life, and disease prevention, and in the decision-making process, it cooperates closely with problem solving and highlights the cognitive component. The social impact model was first proposed by Strong. The development of counseling psychology today is very influential.