Consultation: Who needs psychological expertise around the world and why?

Abstract

C onsulting psychology is a broad field of practice, including the application of psychological principles or processes to achieve a wide range of objectives with individuals, groups, organizations, systems, and communities (American Psychological Association [APA], 2017b). Psychologists within any subbranch of psychology, and even nonpsychologists, may provide psychological consultation in an array of fields. This perspective is congruent with the broader vision of the APA (2019) to be "a strong, diverse, and unified psychology that enhances knowledge and improves the human condition" (p. 4).Despite a commitment by the consulting psychology field to diverse populations and needs, limited published literature is related specifically to international consulting psychology. These contributions are increasing, however, as globalization of businesses, increased interconnectedness between governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and an overall rise in the number of psychologists consulting internationally may prompt research and publications regarding international consultation. In the past several years, publications focused on issues related to international consultation have appeared more frequently. For example, the March 2020 special issue of the Consulting Psychology Journal featured five articles exploring the business application of consulting psychology. In one of these articles, Eyring (2020) described key lessons for a global consulting business: become fluent in multicultural interactions, balance cultural adaptation with personal and company values, embrace a global mindset, define your why, define your perfect client, find the right level of simplicity, learn how to scale yourself and your business, and pace yourself.