To Mental Health Counseling

Historical Event

According to the Counseling Resource (2011), "many modern approaches to counseling and psychotherapy are now much more firmly grounded in ...[ various] bodies of thought". However, the influence of Sigmund Freud and his psychodynamic theory is irrefutable. Many therapeutic approaches were developed from Freud's original contributions. His approach seemed to have sparked an innovative interest in the area of mental health that attracted many. These "immediate descendants of Freud" (Counseling Resource, 2011, π 3) became the force that shaped the fields of psychology and mental health counseling. "Gradually, many such as Ferenzi, Adler, Rank, Stekeland, and Reich began to develop their own theories and approaches, which sometimes differed from Freud" (Counseling Resource, 2011, π 3). Throughout the years, old theories were either elaborated on or refuted, while new ones were born. Eventually, "under the influence of Adler and Rank, a 'third way' was pioneered by the US psychologist Carl Rogers" (Counseling Resource, 2011, π 5). Dr. Greg Mulhauser (2011), defines Roger's 'client-centered' approach as focused on the experience of the person, neither adopting elaborate and empirically untestable theoretical construct of the type in psychodynamic traditions, nor neglecting the internal world of the client in the way of early behaviorist (π 5). Carl Roger's accomplishment distinguish him as one the most prominent figures in the history of MHC.

Historical Events Impact

One historical event that has had a major influence on where the counseling profession is today was the adoption of the term ' counseling' by Carl Rogers, as a "response to the US prejudice against lay therapists" (Counseling Resource, 2011, π 8). Differentiating the term 'counseling' led to a distinction in practice, development, and theories. As an author of a book uses its title to allow the ideas to flow and eventually become a story, given a title, the field of counseling was eventually able to separate their work away from the influences of psychotherapy, and others, to claim their vital position in the field of MHC.

Prediction about the Professions Future

As the counseling profession "matures," in context, many changes will take place that will propel the field towards "professional unity". I predict that many accomplishments will be made, coupled with findings based on research and tangible data derived from the study of the brain and its influence on psychopathology. In the words of Manivong J. Ratts (2012), I expect that we will develop a more sophisticated understanding of complex connections [between] mental health and a variety