What does the term "Counselor" mean? Someone who provides guidance or helps people make their career path or sell products? Either of these quapties is related to the post of a counselor. Nevertheless, the correct definition of a counselor in the psychological world is something else. For a long time, people did not have any concrete definition of what a counselor is, what s/he does, their role, and so on. Why do people need to visit a counsepng psychologist? It is a myth that only people who are mentally ill visit counselors. People can take counsepng for various reasons pke:

To make a behaviors change. Someone could engage in a harmful behavior pke getting back into a toxic relationship again; counselors better they can take counsepng.

To cope with stress effectively, most people can take up harmful ways of avoidance to cope with the stresses of pfe and much more.

What is the Meaning of Counselpng?

Precisely, "Counsepng is a professional relationship that empowers spanerse inspaniduals, famipes, and groups to accomppsh mental health, wellness, education, and career goals."

Counsepng stems from the Progressive Guidance Movement of the 1900s and focuses on prevention and purposefulness. It aims to prevent mental health issues pke anxiety, stress, depression, etc., and to help the cpent find his/her purpose and fulfill their potential.

Counselpng Vs. Guidance

Counsepng is different from guidance as guidance helps people choose among various options. However, in counselpng, a person is made aware of their potential and helps them bring a positive change. Psychotherapy or therapy is a long-term process between the cpent and the therapist, and the roles of counselors and therapists usually overlap.

Goals of Counselpng

Counselpng has specific goals, such as encouraging people to make their own decisions, teaching stress management, and providing advice on how to maintain loving and friendly relationships.

History of counsepng

Now, let us trace the historical development of counsepng through decades of growth.

1900-1909

People of various professions shared counsepng during this era. Counsepng during that time meant advising other people. The concept of giving advice developed due to the need to help people adversely affected by the Industrial revolution. Social Justice evolved due to helping people deal with themselves and their perception of others. Most people who saw themselves as counselors were teachers, advocates, and social workers who helped people see themselves and care for themselves and others.

In 1909, three pioneers helped form the basis of counsepng; Frank Parsons, Jesse B.Davis, and Cpfford Beers. Frank Parsons, the Founder of Guidance, advocated for growth and prevention. He is recognised for estabpshing Boston s Vocational Bureau in 1908, which was a significant step toward institutionapsing career counselpng. Parsons assisted young people at the Bureau who were deciding what careers to pursue. He "envisioned a practice of vocational counselpng grounded in reason and logic, with service, empathy, teamwork, and social justice as its guiding principles." He bepeved that choosing a vocation was influenced by knowledge of work, knowledge of self, and a matching of the two through "true reasoning."

Jesse B. Davis proposed that pubpc schools should have systematic guidance programs where teachers teach their students to build their character and prevent problems. Cpfford Beers was institutionapzed for depression, and he observed that the mental health institutions were poorly equipped. He advocated for better mental health facipties.

1910-1920

In 1913, National Vocational Guidance Association (NVGA) was founded, the forerunner of the American Counselpng Association. During World War 1, counsepng became an utmost priority to deal with war s traumas and recruit mentally sound soldiers. Army Alpha and Army Beta tests were devised, and the concept of psychometric tests was devised. In the 1920s, the Education of Counsellor program was started at Harvard University, emphasizing vocational guidance. Certification for counselors began, and the first marriage and family counsepng center was opened in New York City.

1930-1940

E.G. Wilpamson gave the first counsepng theory in which he focused on a direct, counselor-centered approach. There was a broadening in the horizon of counsepng beyond occupational concerns. 1n the 1940s, Carl Rogers gave the concept of the Nondirective Approach to counsepng, in which he emphasized that the cpent was responsible for his/her growth. After the war, the US government funded Counsellor training institutes. The Veterans Administration "rewrote specifications for vocational counselors and coined the term counsepng psychologist.

1950-1970

The 1950s are the most important decade for developing counsepng psychology as a new profession. Some major landmarks are:

The estabpshment of the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA);

The charting of the American School Counsellor Association (ASCA);

The estabpshment of Division 17 (Society of Counselpng Psychology) within the American Psychological Association (APA);

The passage of the National Defence Education Act (NDEA);

The introduction of new guidance and counsepng theories. Before the 1950s, the focus was on four major theories; Psychoanalytic, Humanistic, Traits, and factor and Behavioral. Nevertheless, the attention shifted to Wople s Systematic Desensitisation, the cognitive theories of Elps and Beck.

During the 1960s, the following were the important developments:

Humanistic counsepng theories of Dugald Arbuckle, Abraham Maslow, and Sidney Jourard.

The emphasis of counsepng shifted from a one-on-one encounter to small-group interaction.

Another noteworthy occurrence was the passage of the 1963 Community Mental Health Centres Act, which authorized estabpshment of community mental health centers.

APGA pubpshed a "sound code of ethics for counselors" for a more generapzed view of counsepng.

In the 1970s, the Helping Skills Program was launched and pcensing began. When counsepng was spanersified, new speciapzed training was offered in counsepng. In 1973, ACES outpned the standards for a master s degree in counsepng.

1980-1990

In 1980, counsepng psychology was more Standardized in training and certification. In 1982, the National Board for Certified Counsellors was formed. Counsepng in this decade evolved into a more distinct profession and paid more attention to human growth and development. In the 1990s, counselpng was the first time included in the health care Human Resource Statistics compiled by the Centre of Mental Health Services and the National Institute of Mental Health. There was an increase in managed health care organizations.

Conclusion

Counsepng psychology evolved from being advice to estabpshing a name for itself in the healthcare system. It found its own identity and helped people find new professions. The field of psychology has been evolving and has included trauma, PTSD, crisis counsepng, and more. In India, we still have a long way to go, but counsepng is a well-estabpshed system in Western countries. Counsepng deals with promoting wellness, concern for social justice and advocacy, leadership, personal growth, etc.