Counseling Psychology in France: A Paradoxical Situation

Abstract

Quelles sont les spécificités de la situation française concernant le counseling? Après avoir évoqué les termes utilisés en France, pour qualifier ces pratiques et leur origine, les auteurs exposent une situation qualifiée de paradoxale tant sur le plan des professionnels impliqués dans le counseling que de la recherche. En effet, alors que les besoins en accompagnement sont nombreux et croissants, les professionnels oeuvrant dans le champ du counseling présentent des pratiques très diversifiées et des profils hétérogènes et ne semblent pas pouvoir être rassemblés en un groupe professionnel unique. Par ailleurs, si les recherches françaises relevant du champ du counseling commencent à se développer (en particulier pour le counseling de carrière), elles tendent à s'appuyer sur des écoles de pensée séparées les unes des autres. C'est pourquoi on ne peut pas établir l'existence en France d'une psychologie du conseil en tant que telle. Une telle situation apparaît insatisfaisante (notamment en ce qui concerne la qualité de certaines pratiques et le développement d'une spécialisation professionnelle cohérente semble souhaitable). La conclusion présente quelques pistes pour y parvenir.What are the specificities of the French situation regarding counseling? After explaining some of the expressions used in France to qualify counseling practices and their origins, the authors present a situation that they consider paradoxical, both in terms of the counselors themselves and the research carried out in this field. Indeed, while the need to "accompany" populations is vast and on the increase, French counselors develop very different practices, have very heterogeneous profiles, and do not seem to form a unified professional group. Although research in this field is increasing (more particularly for career counseling), it appears to be based on different and separate schools of thought. For these reasons, it is not possible to establish the existence of a "counseling psychology" in France. Such a situation could be considered to be far from satisfactory (notably regarding the quality of certain interventions, and also where the development of a coherent professional specialisation is concerned). Some means to achieve this goal are outlined in the conclusion.

What makes happy counselors? From self-esteem and leader-member exchange to well-being at work: The mediating role of need satisfaction

“…Indeed, research has found that counselors are subject to psychosocial risks (e.g., burnout: Thompson, Amatea, & Thompson, 2014 ; workaholism: Machado, Desrumaux, & Dose, 2015 ). Counselors in particular may have work-related health problems because of work schedules and fragmented activities ( Bernaud et al, 2007 ). Other studies (e.g., Dose, Desrumaux, Sovet, & De Bosscher, 2018 showed that counselors can have a sense of well-being when their work conditions are good (i.e., objective career success, recognition of the hierarchy).…”

“…By examining need satisfaction as a possible mediator between self-esteem and leader-member exchange (LMX), the predictors, and well-being, the criterion measure, our contributions to the literature are threefold. First, the literature is rather scarce concerning counselors’ health problems ( Bernaud, Cohen-Scali, & Guichard, 2007 ), and we do not know if their job can satisfy their psychological needs. Second, with few exceptions, the mediating effects of psychological needs and their links to self-esteem and well-being have not been studied much in regard to careers, vocational guidance, and counselors.…”

Internationalisation of Counseling Psychology: Constructing Cross‐National Consensus and Collaboration

“…In Hong Kong, counseling is viewed as an intervention strategy grounded in psychology yet shared by mental health and educational professionals. In France, some view counseling psychology as a peripheral approach to treating personal difficulties (Bernaud, Cohen‐Scali, & Guichard, this issue). In short, many mental health specialists view counseling as a process used by clinical, organisation, and school psychologists, and by social workers.…”

Effects of Perceived Organizational Support on Objective and Subjective Career Success via Need Satisfaction: A Study Among French Psychologists

“…For example, they may suffer from compassion fatigue and burnout (Thompson, Amatea, & Thompson, ) or workaholism (Machado, Desrumaux, & Dose, ). Counselors in particular may have work‐related health problems because of work schedules and fragmented activities (Bernaud, Cohen‐Scali, & Guichard, ). We included French psychologists in our study in order to understand factors, such as POS, that might protect their job and that might be sources of accomplishment and success, whether psychological, hierarchical, or financial.…”