Integrating professional identities: Counselling psychologist, scientist-practitioner and undergraduate educator

Abstract

The scientist-practitioner model is a critical element of counselling psychology's identity, but its relevance and the effectiveness of its implementation in graduate programs have been questioned in recent years. A counselling psychologist who works as an undergraduate educator describes relatively recent training as a scientist-practitioner and efforts to maintain that identity in her professional work. These efforts are considered within the context of the professional literature, concerns about the model, and recommendations for improved execution of the training philosophy. Specific strategies for developing and thriving as a scientist-practitioner are reviewed.

*This article is based on a symposium paper entitled “A bridge between science and practice: Conducting counseling center research,” presented at the 112th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, Hawaii (July 2004).

Keywords:

• Scientist-practitioner
• counselling psychology
• undergraduate teaching

Acknowledgments

The author expresses her gratitude to the scientist-practitioners who have served as her professional mentors: Gerald L. Stone, Carolyn Zerbe Enns, Douglas H. Lamb, and the late Ursula Delworth.

Notes

*This article is based on a symposium paper entitled “A bridge between science and practice: Conducting counseling center research,” presented at the 112th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, Hawaii (July 2004).