Counseling psychology in clinical health psychology: The impact of specialty perspective.

Abstract

Not all clinical health psychologists are trained as clinical psychologists. A significant minority is trained and identifies as counseling psychologists. As a field, it is important to understand how the specialtyspecific values, training context, scholarship, and parameters of practice of counseling psychology contribute to clinical health psychology. In this article, we (a) identify the core values and training context of counseling psychology, (b) review the scholarly history of clinical health psychology by counseling psychologists, (c) present the parameters of practice of clinical health psychology as identified from the extant counseling psychology literature, and (d) examine American Psychological Association membership status to investigate joint membership in the Division of Health Psychology and the Society of Counseling Psychology. Conclusions indicate that (a) an identifiable set of core values guides the training of counseling psychologists, (b) scholarly literature by counseling psychologists has contributed . to the growth and development of clinical health psychology, and (c) parameters of practice refiect the specialty-specific perspective of counseling psychology. As professional psychology continues to grow as a health care profession, clinical health psychology will benefit from the knowledge, values, attitudes, competencies, and practice parameters of counseling psychology, and counseling psychology will benefit from recognizing what it brings to the practice of clinical health psychology.

Counseling Psychology Model Training Program

“…Although counseling psychologists focus primarily on objective personality assessment (see “Petition for the Recognition of a Specialty in Professional Psychology” [Lichtenberg et al, 2012]), they are attuned to the historical and social significance of projective measures. Training programs integrate developments in health service psychology (i.e., health-related measures), and attend to developments regarding the frequency of administering specific assessments, measures, and evaluations in professional practice (Nicholas & Stern, 2011). Additionally, counseling psychology has a unique history of practice in the field of vocational guidance and assessment (see Delgado-Romero et al, 2012, for a review of the specialty’s involvement).…”

Counseling Health Psychology

“…According to Nicholas (2010), approximately 12% of APA-accredited doctoral programs in counseling psychology offer clinical health psychology coursework or practicum training (as cited in Nicholas & Stern, 2011). According to Nicholas (2010), approximately 12% of APA-accredited doctoral programs in counseling psychology offer clinical health psychology coursework or practicum training (as cited in Nicholas & Stern, 2011).…”

“…6% in 19956% in -19966% in to 9.0% in 20046% in -20056% in (CCPTP, 2005. With regard to research, a survey of 53 of the 66 APA-accredited doctoral programs in counseling psychology revealed that 68% of the programs' online websites described faculty research involvement in health psychology (Nicholas, 2010, as cited in Nicholas & Stern, 2011). With regard to research, a survey of 53 of the 66 APA-accredited doctoral programs in counseling psychology revealed that 68% of the programs' online websites described faculty research involvement in health psychology (Nicholas, 2010, as cited in Nicholas & Stern, 2011).…”

“…The biopsychosocial model of health and illness acknowledges the importance of contextual forces, disease prevention, and health promotion, and health psychologists have attempted to implement this model within biomedical establishments with uncertain success (Suls & Rothman, 2004). Yet in spite of these implementation challenges (Suls & Rothman, 2004), the application of the biopsychosocial model holds the potential to create opportunities for counseling psychologists to utilize their specialized expertise (Chwalisz & Obasi, 2008; Nicholas & Stern, 2011). For instance, counseling psychology’s commitment to multiculturalism, social justice, and vocational development provides counseling psychologists with a unique position from which they can help improve the quality of life of those with chronic health issues, such as HIV (Chwalisz, 2008).…”

“…Furthermore, clinical training, practice, and research conducted by counseling psychologists indicate an interest in counseling health psychology. According to Nicholas (2010), approximately 12% of APA-accredited doctoral programs in counseling psychology offer clinical health psychology coursework or practicum training (as cited in Nicholas & Stern, 2011). Most recent data from the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs (CCPTP) indicates that the percentage of counseling graduates employed in Veterans Administration medical centers has nearly tripled from 4.7% in 1995–1996 to 14.0% in 2004–2005, and the percentage of counseling psychology graduates employed in general hospitals rose from 5.6% in 1995–1996 to 9.0% in 2004–2005 (CCPTP, 2005).…”