South African counselling psychology at the crossroads: lessons to be learned from around the world

Abstract

Despite a four-decade history, the professional identity of counselling psychology in South Africa remains nebulous. Recent debates surrounding the revised scope of practice for counselling psychology bring the unresolved issue of professional identity back into focus. Rather than developing an idiosyncratic definition of counselling psychology, it is instructive to look at the ways in which the profession is conceptualised internationally. This article analyses the national definitions of counselling psychology in countries in North America, Europe, Australasia, and Asia, where the profession is both formally recognised and established. A thematic analysis reveals two superordinate themes: the different domains of practice that are considered to fall within the ambit of counselling psychology and the values of counselling psychology that are meant to inform this practice. Common domains of practice are development, prevention, and remediation. Prominent values of counselling psychology emphasise strengths, well-being, and the therapeutic relationship, recognise sociocultural and developmental contexts, value diversity and multiculturalism, and promote social justice. While there is an inevitable overlap with other specialities within psychology, counselling psychology is best distinguished not by the clients that are seen but rather by the values that inform practice. Implications for the practice of counselling psychology and mental health service delivery in South Africa are briefly discussed.