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Counseling Psychology in Australia, 2007 |
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Pryor, R. G. & Bright, J. E. (2007). The Current State and Future Direction of Counseling Psychology in Australia. Applied Psychology, Volume 56 Issue 1, Pages 7 - 19.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00272.x
This article outlines the current state of counseling psychology in Australia in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths identified include a vibrant field of professional activity, a wide range of activities, increasing levels of public acceptance, successful peer-reviewed journals, and significant research activity that underlies a widespread commitment to an evidence-based approach to counseling. Weaknesses include the inequitable access to counseling services both in terms of cost and the geographic remoteness of parts of the Australian population. Technology provides an opportunity to address access, cost, and delivery challenges. Furthermore, the rapidly changing economic landscape provides opportunities for counselors to work proactively with clients who are confronted by rapid and unplanned change. Clearly differentiating counseling psychology as a field of theory, research, and practice while at the same time being able to integrate the skills of counseling psychologists within cross-disciplinary investigations and applications constitute the greatest challenges for Australian counseling psychologists. A vision of the future development of counseling psychology in Australia is proffered.
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