Professional Identity and the Future of Rehabilitation Counseling

Abstract

This article describes a vision of rehabilitation counseling, wherein both the profession of rehabilitation counseling and the diverse roles of rehabilitation counselors are recognized and valued by rehabilitation counselors, the general public, and other professionals in promoting social justice and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. Using parallels with psychology, this article describes opportunities and challenges related to the visibility and centrality of rehabilitation counseling in society. Marketing is a key element in moving rehabilitation counseling from a fringe activity to a central, well-known profession. Recommendations to make rehabilitation counseling central to society include rehabilitation professional associations and other constituencies (a) working together to market the profession, which can capitalize on the ever-expanding number of career opportunities for rehabilitation counselors and (b) leveraging resources for the common good while respecting our differences.