New directions for graduate training in consulting psychology.

Abstract

This article develops the theme that the field of consulting psychology needs its own doctoral training programs. The work of Division 13 (Consulting Psychology) of the American Psychological Association in identifying model doctoral training programs in consulting psychology is described. Alternative training models to reach the same core competencies are also discussed.

A competency-based assessment of school-based consultants’ implementation of consultation.

“…Defining consultation competence has been challenging because each psychology specialty has its own standards for consulting (Lowman, 1998). As a result, there are unique consulting competencies for each specialty.…”

The consultation and education competency.

“…They conceded that there may be multiple pathways to competency in consulting psychology, even allowing that graduates of clinical or counseling psychology programs might add specialty training at the doctoral or postdoctoral levels, yet advocated for consulting psychology to transcend its status as a subspecialty of other fields. Lowman (1998a) noted that the "large influx of mental health practitioners into managerial consultative roles" (p. 263) demands appropriate training of such individuals.…”

“…Discussions about consulting psychology as a "special proficiency" under clinical, counseling, or school psychology, or as a separate specialty began in Division 13 ofthe American Psychological Association (APA), the Society of Consulting Psychology (see Lowman, 1998a). The Society of Consulting Psychology hypothesized that organizational consulting psychology is more than a proficiency, yet standards did not exist for consultation competencies at the individual, group, and organization levels, and few doctoral programs existed that prepared students in consulting psychology.…”

Content analysis of Consulting psychology journal: Practice and research (Volumes 44-59).

“…A guiding question has been whether consulting psychology is a substantive branch of the discipline or not (Hellkamp, 1993;O'Roark, 1999). Discussion focused on whether consulting psychology is a separate profession or a "special proficiency" (Lowman, 1998;Merrell & Weigel, 1998). This debate is perhaps most evident in the 2002 CPJ special issue discussing the education and training of consulting psychology at the doctoral level (Cooper, 2002).…”