Clinical Versus Counseling Psychology

Clinical Versus Counseling Psychology: What's the Diff? by John C. Norcross - University of Scranton, Fields of Psychology Graduate School The majority of psychology students applying to graduate school are interested in clinical work, and approximately half of all graduate degrees in psychology are awarded in the subfields of clinical and counseling psychology (Mayne, Norcross, & Sayette, 2000). But deciding on a health care specialization in psychology gets complicated. The urgent question facing each student--and the question frequently posed to academic advisors--is "What are the differences between clinical psychology and counseling psychology?" Or, as I am asked in graduate school workshops, "What's the diff?" This article seeks to summarize the considerable similarities and salient differences between these two psychology subfields on the basis of several recent research studies. The results can facilitate your informed choice in the application process, enhance matching between the specialization and your interests, and sharpen the respective identities of psychology training programs. Considerable Similarities The distinctions between clinical psychology and counseling psychology have steadily faded in recent years, leading many to recommend a merger of the two. Graduates of doctorallevel clinical and counseling psychology programs are generally eligible for the same professional benefits, such as psychology licensure, independent practice, and insurance reimbursement. The American Psychological Association (APA) ceased distinguishing many years ago between clinical and counseling psychology internships: there is one list of accredited internships for both clinical and counseling psychology students. Both types of programs prepare doctoral-level psychologists who provide health care services and, judging from various studies of their respective professional activities, there are only a few meaningful differences between them (e.g., Gaddy, Charlot-Swilley,

References: American Psychological Association Research Office. (1997). Demographic characteristics of Division 12 members by membership status: 1997. Washington, DC: Author. American Psychological Association Research Office. (1997). Demographic characteristics of Division 17 members by membership status: 1997. Washington, DC: Author. Bechtoldt, H., Wyckoff, L. A., Pokrywa, M. L., Campbell, L. F., & Norcross, J. C. (2000, March). Theoretical orientations and employment settings of clinical and counseling psychologists: A comparative study. Poster presented at the 71st annual convention of the Eastern Psychological Association, Baltimore, MD. Brems, C., & Johnson, M. E. (1997). Comparison of recent graduates of clinical versus counseling psychology programs. Journal of Psychology, 131, 91-99. Fitzgerald, L. F., & Osipow, S. H. (1986). An occupational analysis of counseling psychology: How special is the specialty? American Psychologist, 41, 535-544. Gaddy, C. D., Charlot-Swilley, D., Nelson, P. D., & Reich, J. N. (1995). Selected outcomes of accredited programs. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 26, 507-513. Mayne, T. J., Norcross, J. C., & Sayette, M. A. (2000). Insider 's guide to graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology (2000-2001 ed). New York: Guilford. Norcross, J. C., Hanych, J. M., & Terranova, R. D. (1996). Graduate study in psychology: 19921993. American Psychologist, 51, 631-643. Norcross, J. C., Karg, R., & Prochaska, J. O. (1997). Clinical psychologists in the 1990 's. II. The Clinical Psychologist, 50, 4-11. Norcross, J. C., Sayette, M. A., Mayne, T. J., Karg, R. S., & Turkson, M. A. (1998). Selecting a doctoral program in professional psychology: Some comparisons among PhD counseling, PhD clinical, and PsyD clinical psychology programs. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 29, 609-614. Watkins, C. E., Lopez, F. G., Campbell, V. L., & Himmell, C. D. (1986). Counseling psychology and clinical psychology: Some preliminary comparative data. American Psychologist, 41, 581-582. Woerheide, K. (1996). 1995 summary of characteristics and outcomes of university-based, clinical doctoral programs. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation. John C. Norcross (image)ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John C. Norcross, PhD, is professor of psychology at the University of Scranton, where he has served as the Psi Chi faculty advisor for 15 years, and the current president of the APA Division of Psychotherapy. He presents and publishes regularly on applying to graduate school and is the coauthor of the Insider 's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford Press). Among his dozen books are Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis and the Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Resources in Mental Health. ____________________________________________ Fall 2000 issue of Eye on Psi Chi (Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 20-22), published by Psi Chi, The National Honor Society in Psychology (Chattanooga, TN). Copyright, 2000, Psi Chi, The National Honor Society in Psychology. All rights reserved.