Professional Identity and the Future of Rehabilitation Counseling

Abstract

This article describes a vision of rehabilitation counseling, wherein both the profession of rehabilitation counseling and the diverse roles of rehabilitation counselors are recognized and valued by rehabilitation counselors, the general public, and other professionals in promoting social justice and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. Using parallels with psychology, this article describes opportunities and challenges related to the visibility and centrality of rehabilitation counseling in society. Marketing is a key element in moving rehabilitation counseling from a fringe activity to a central, wellknown profession. Recommendations to make rehabilitation counseling central to society include rehabilitation professional associations and other constituencies (a) working together to market the profession, which can capitalize on the everexpanding number of career opportunities for rehabilitation counselors and (b) leveraging resources for the common good while respecting our differences.

Counselor Professional Identity: Findings and Implications for Counseling and Interprofessional Collaboration

“…Recent differences between the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) surrounding whether school counselors should identify as professional counselors who work in schools or educators with specialized training in school counseling (Cashwell et al, 2009) provide a key example of specialization challenges related to professional identity. Literature within rehabilitation (Patterson, 2009) and mental health counseling (Pistole & Roberts, 2002) also describes professional identities based on specialization. With attempts to establish a professional counseling identity also occurring within specific areas of specialization (Lambie & Williamson, 2004;Patterson, 2009) and conflicting opinions surrounding what should be emphasized (specialization or the counseling profession), a unified professional counseling identity remains elusive.…”

“…Literature within rehabilitation (Patterson, 2009) and mental health counseling (Pistole & Roberts, 2002) also describes professional identities based on specialization. With attempts to establish a professional counseling identity also occurring within specific areas of specialization (Lambie & Williamson, 2004;Patterson, 2009) and conflicting opinions surrounding what should be emphasized (specialization or the counseling profession), a unified professional counseling identity remains elusive. Whether the counseling profession is viewed as a unified profession with a singular professional identity or as a group of independent professions with separate identities that are linked under ACA (Sweeney, 1995) seems to be a historic and still unresolved philosophical difference underlying discussions of specialization and professional identity.…”

Advocacy to Invigorate Rehabilitation Counseling Professional Associations: A Reflective Inquiry and Suggested Action Goals

“…Two particularly worthwhile articles for understanding the multifaceted costs and benefits of professional association membership are Phillips and Leahy (2012) and Skarlicki, Lucas, Prociuk, and Latham (2000). Articles that will inform readers who are specifically interested in the backstory of the continuing controversies concerning RC's professional identity development and organizational proliferation include Brubaker (1981), Emener and Cottone (1989), Irons (1989), Matkin (1984), Myers (1995), and Patterson (2008).…”

Understanding Differences between CORE and CACREP Counselors-in-Training Perceptions of Self-Efficacy

“…The job functions of rehabilitation counselors consist of providing vocational counseling services, performing counseling intervention, performing community based rehabilitation activities, and conducting case management services (Leahy, Muenzen, Saunders, & Strauser, 1995). Rehabilitation counseling is known as "the best kept secret" within the counseling field due to the number of job positions with various job titles that do not include the title rehabilitation counseling (Patterson, 2009). Both mental health counselors and rehabilitation counselors serve similar populations such as veterans (Patterson, 2009;Leahy et al, 2009).…”

“…Rehabilitation counseling is known as "the best kept secret" within the counseling field due to the number of job positions with various job titles that do not include the title rehabilitation counseling (Patterson, 2009). Both mental health counselors and rehabilitation counselors serve similar populations such as veterans (Patterson, 2009;Leahy et al, 2009). Government programs such as Tricare have significantly impacted the field of counseling.…”