Counseling

Counseling (from American English, in British English: Counseling ) is the professional psychosocial counseling of individuals or groups with the aim of initiating and evaluating problem-solving or change processes within a comparatively short period of time. The cognitive-emotional intervention methods used in counseling are intended to promote the ability to self-control and self-help, counselors therefore work with conversation and intervention techniques that can only partly be compared with those of psychotherapists . As a rule, the depth of the intervention is less and the approach holistic , that is, the entire social environment of the clients and their support systems come more into focus (so-called “contextual paradigm” of counseling). Psychological training is not absolutely necessary; in the US, training often takes place in educational science departments. However, z. B. Field knowledge and professional experience from related areas are an advantage - e.g. B. in career counseling .

Peer-to-peer counseling is a special case , the mutual counseling of people (mostly lay people) with the same interests or similar experiences.

history

The concept of counseling in the educational system goes back to the book "Choosing a Vocation" by the engineer, lawyer and social reformer Frank Parsons (1854–1908), who founded the Boston Covational Bureau for professional advice and support. At that time this activity was mostly called Guidance ; but it saw itself as non-directive. Its aim was that the students should acquire sufficient knowledge about themselves, their skills and the demands of the job. In 1907, Jesse B. Davis, influenced by John Dewey , established a weekly consultation hour in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for students as part of their English lessons. In 1913 the first counseling society in the USA ( NVGA National Vocational Guidance Association - multiprofessional - knowledge of work, knowledge of self, matching the two = vocational guidance ) was founded. Similar trends arose in the field of health care; one of the pioneers of health or mental health counseling was Clifford Beers .

Since the 1920s, counseling has developed as part of the establishment of professional forms of help in the areas of education, work and health. The first counselors were certified in Boston and New York. In 1928 Edward Strong published the Strong Vocational Interest Inventory (SVII), an interest test on career choices. In 1931 the term counseling first appeared in this context. It was shaped by the influences of cognition, motivation, behavior and learning theory, but largely independent of (non-medical) psychotherapy. The American government's interest in specialist counseling also grew in the 1930s when the US Employment Service was founded. In 1951, Carl Rogers used the term for forms of support for clients in need, which, however, leave them with full responsibility and freedom of choice.

Today, the training of counselors is mostly anchored in the subjects of pedagogy, social pedagogy or counseling psychology.

Situation in Germany

In June 2003, 35 German consulting associations, which are now part of the German Society for Consulting - DGfB - agreed on a common consulting understanding. As a result, minimum standards for further training to become a counselor were set. As a consequence of the handbook “Career Guidance and Public Policy: Bridging the Gap” published by the OECD and the European Commission, the German Federal Government initiated and promoted the National Forum for Advice in Education, Work and Employment (nfb), which has established standards for Advice in lifelong support in education, work and employment developed and published in 2014. Numerous advisors in this area of ​​counseling are united in the nfb. However, unlike in the USA, the term is not protected in Germany.

Situation in the USA

In March 2010, on the basis of an initiative of the American Counseling Association (ACA), leading professional groups in the USA agreed in a one-year discussion on a common definition of counseling: The organizations involved in this process undertake to actively represent this definition in their work: "Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education and career goals;" The German translation of the NBCC Germany reads: “Counseling is a professional relationship that enables individuals, families or groups with diverse backgrounds to set goals for their mental health, well-being, education and career path to reach."

Job profile

The term was made famous through the work of Carl R. Rogers , but modern counseling is not limited to the methods of the Rogers School. Although the theory of psychological counseling (American-English Counseling Psychology , British-English Counseling Psychology ) forms an important basis for counseling, the broad inventory of methods also comes from American pragmatic , interactionist , system-theoretical or life-world-oriented pedagogy and social work , d. H. from working with (relatively) healthy people who are, however, disoriented and cannot solve certain problems on their own and sometimes delegate their solution to experts. To the extent that traditional social models (e.g. the "normal biography" or the "healthy family") prove to be too idealistic, the need for advice arises and the dependency on outside knowledge increases in the search for solutions.

Counselors often work with members of disadvantaged groups to solve specific everyday problems or are active in prevention. Diversity has therefore become an important topic in training. Goals are e.g. B. the acquisition of social skills, the increase in decision-making ability and personal responsibility for professional success or health or poverty prevention. The transition to coaching is fluid because of the clear emphasis in counseling on helping people to help themselves. While coaching focuses more on eliminating deficits, counseling is often strength-oriented.

Variants of counseling

There are various specializations in counseling (family counseling, family planning counseling, health counseling, school and education counseling, career counseling, employment counseling, adventure-based counseling / experiential education , gerontological counseling, behavioral health counseling, domestic violence counseling, Drug Addiction and Chemical Dependency counseling, community counseling, household, credit or debt-counseling / debt , Retreat counseling, marriage counseling / marriage counseling / marriage counseling , pastoral counseling in the church environment, etc.).

The professional association for counseling, education & psychotherapy names nine areas of application and has recognized 25 methods for membership. The (...) the American Counseling Association has 19 specialized departments ( divisions ).

Numerous American universities offer z. Sometimes they offer extremely specialized training and short training courses for these professions, which often calls into question the holistic claim and the theoretical foundation of the profession.

The difference between therapy and counseling can be illustrated using the example of group counseling, which is helpful for healthy people with "difficulties they wish to resolve that are of a personal, educational, social, or vocational nature". Peer Counseling - d. H. advice from people in similar life situations, e.g. B. by other people who also live with a disability - is usually an institution of qualified lay aid . Co-counseling is closer to group psychotherapy, but gets by without a therapist. Other forms of lay help using counseling methods exist in the health sector, such as: B. the Mental Health Facilitator . Group-related counseling often uses methods from the repertoire of the empowerment movement.

So-called e-counseling or online counseling is in rapid development, especially in the USA , for which ethical guidelines have existed since 2001 and certifications since 2011. The term distance counseling has now established itself . A further development is the combination of face-to-face and online counseling as blended counseling , e.g. B. in the form of app-based addiction counseling.

Professional organizations and training

The professional association for counseling, education and psychotherapy - Professional Association for Counseling, Education & Psychotherapy is a cross-method representation of German counselors. Based on the DGfB's consulting understanding, it has summarized the standards that entitle membership in a guideline. There are also some method-bound organizations that are members of the DGfB.

In the USA, counseling training is mostly anchored in the educational sciences (in the Departments of Education ). Licensed Professional Counselor is a protected professional title and requires an academic master's degree , clinical experience and experience in supervision . The final exam or admission is governed by federal and state laws - such as B. in Colorado , Iowa and South Carolina - regulated. Usual exams are e.g. B. National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) or the National Certified Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE). In the USA, the discipline is clearly distinguished from psychotherapists by its own professional associations ( American Counseling Association - ACA, National Board for Certified Counselors - NBCC, Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs - CACREP, Chi Sigma Iota - CSI). The associations ensure compliance with their code of ethics.

In Great Britain the work of counselor is closer to that of psychotherapist than in the USA, while in Germany clinical psychologists are employed in many professions in which counselors with an educational background work in the USA .

The American counseling models are being adapted in different ways in Europe, Asia and Latin America, and recently also in parts of Africa, which also has to do with the different levels of competition from professional associations. NBCC international , based in Greensboro, North Carolina , has branches in many countries around the world. The strong ties to the American counseling tradition occasionally lead to the criticism that the methodology of the subject is subject to a cultural bias and cannot be transferred to Asian and other countries. The transcultural adaptation of the methods developed in the USA and Europe therefore represents a massive challenge for the discipline, which does not detract from its increasing importance, especially in Asia.

Study and further education offers in Germany

The German Society for Advice / DGfB has published a synopsis of the numerous further training offers of its member associations to become counselors.

Increasingly, universities are also offering the option of in-service training as part of a master’s degree. The Evangelical University for Social Work Dresden offers a further education course for "Master of Counseling". The Münster University since 2014 offers a fee-inclusive Master Program "counseling Mediation Coaching". The Theological University Friedensau has been offering an MA in counseling, especially for family and marriage counseling, both as a full-time and part-time study program since 2004, while the BayTech Academy offers an MA in "Counseling - Theory and Practice of Counseling in Economics and Social Affairs" and the technical Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences offers a master’s course of further education. The Global Career Development Facilitator , which is offered in Germany by the IUK Institute in Dortmund, is an internationally introduced and certified further training in the field of career counseling .

As a rule, counseling training is not tied to a specific theoretical school. Methods of client-centered conversation are used as well as supervision techniques, methods of systemic counseling or reflective social research .

labour market

The labor market for counselors, which is only gradually developing in Germany, overlaps with the labor markets for social pedagogues , social workers , pedagogues , case managers , health education and z. Sometimes also clinical psychologists . Counselors are trained as specialists u. a. in the family support , youth services , rehabilitation , substance abuse counseling , career counseling , job placement and unemployment assistance, child guidance or supervision - as a self-employed - engaged.

literature

• Gerard Egan : The Skilled Helper: a problem management and opportunity development approach to helping. 10th edition, Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks Cole, 2014 (first 1975).
• Carl R. Rogers: Counseling and Psychotherapy. Houghton Mifflin, Boston 1943. (German: Carl R. Rogers: The non-directive advice. Kindler, Munich 1972 and Fischer Taschenbuch, Frankfurt 1985)
• John D. West, Cynthia J. Osborn, Donald L. Bubenzer (Eds.): Leaders and Legacies: Contributions to the Profession of Counseling. Brunner-Routledge, 2003.
• F. Nestmann, F. Engel, U. Sickendiek (Hrsg.): The manual of advice 1: Disciplines and approaches. 2nd Edition. DGVT, 2007.
• F. Nestmann, F. Engel, U. Sickendiek (Hrsg.): The manual of advice 2: Approaches and methods. 2nd Edition. DGVT, 2007.
• F. Nestmann, F. Engel, U. Sickendiek (eds.): The handbook of advice 3: New worlds of advice - progress and controversies . DGVT, 2013.

Web links

• Website of the professional association for counseling, education and psychotherapy eV
• Website of the National Education, Career and Employment Advice Forum
• Website of the European Board for Certified Counselors
• German Association for Counseling (DGfB)
• Association of university professors for the promotion of counseling in research and teaching

Individual evidence

1. ^ Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1909 (posthumous).
2. ↑ bvppt.de
3. ^ Samuel T. Gladding: Counseling. A comprehensive profession. 2nd edition New York, Toronto etc. 1992, p. 9 f.
4. ^ Frank Nestmann: Counseling Psychology. In: Frank Nestmann, Frank Engel, Ursula Sickendiek (ed.): The handbook of advice. Volume 1: Disciplines and Approaches. Tübingen 2004, p. 63.
5. ^ Carl R. Rogers: Client-centered therapy: Its current practice, implications, and theory. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1951, p. 13.
6. ↑ DGfB website
7. ^ OECD Paris, RG Sultana: Guidance Policies in the Knowledge Society. (= Cedefop Panorama Series 85). Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg 2004.
8. ↑ OECD calls for reforms in vocational guidance. OECD, February 16, 2014, accessed September 20, 2015 . 
9. ^ Forum website
10. ^ National Career Development Association (NCDA): Career Convergence Web Magazine. August 2011, http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/46430/_PARENT/layout_details_cc/true , accessed on August 2, 2011.
11. ^ Robert L. Smith, Patricia Stevens-Smith (Eds.): Family Counseling and Therapy. ERIC, Ann Arbor 1992, p. 6 ff.
12. ↑ Career counseling B. about finding and developing transferable skills, some of which clients are not even aware of; see e.g. http://www.job-promotor.de/dokumente/LeistungsbeschreibungJP.pdf p. 3.
13. ↑ Alexander Parether: Career Counseling / career advice: A literature comparison between English and German-speaking countries with the case study Austria. Diplomica, Hamburg 2009.
14. ↑ jugendherberge.de
15. ^ Ronald W. Wall, Financial Counseling in Practice: A Practical Guide for Leading Others to Financial Wellness. Financial Wellness Associates, Honolulu 2002.
16. ^ Robert L. Smith, Patricia Stevens-Smith (Eds.): Family Counseling and Therapy. ERIC, Ann Arbor 1992.
17. ↑ See e.g. B. Archive link ( Memento from May 27, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
18. ↑ bvppt.de
19. ↑ http://www.counseling.org/AboutUs/DivisionsBranchesAndRegions/TP/Divisions/CT2.aspx Accessed January 25, 2013.
20. ^ Samuel T. Gladding: Effective Group Counseling. ERIC, Greensboro, NC 1994, p. 18.
21. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from January 13, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. as an example of peer counseling in self-help for the disabled 
22. ↑ Wolfgang Beiglböck, Senta Feselmayer, Elisabeth Honemann: Manual of clinical-psychological treatment. Springer, Vienna 2006.
23. ↑ Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC), see [1]  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
24. ↑ See e.g. B. Archive link ( Memento of the original from January 27, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
25. ↑ Such as smoke alarms.BAC
26. ↑ bvppt.de
27. ↑ [2]
28. ↑ http://www.guidetopsychology.com/cln_cns.htm - the various regulations can be found at http://www.counseling.org/
29. ^ Allen E. Ivey, Mary Bradford Ivey, Carlos P. Zalaquett: Intentional interviewing and counseling: facilitating client development in a multicultural society. Ingram 2009. In this volume Weijun Zhang refers to the low social relevance of individual feelings in Asia, in view of which typical councelor or therapist questions such as: "How do you feel about this?" run empty (p. 183).
30. ↑ See e.g. B. Teresa D. LaFromboise, Joseph E. Trimble, Gerald V. Mohatt: Counseling Intervention and American Indian Tradition: An Integrative Approach. In: The Counseling Psychologist. vol. 18, no. 4, October 1990, pp. 628-654.
31. ↑ dachverband-beratung.de
32. ↑ http://www.ehs-dresden.de/index.php?id=923 Master Counseling (Master of Counseling)
33. ↑ www.fh-muenster.de
34. ↑ baytech.de  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.