A-Level Essay On Counseling For Free Use

Spurgeon, S.L. (2012) Counselor Identity – A National Imperative. Journal of Professional Counseling, vol 39 (1)
The article at stake was written by Dr. Shawn L. Spurgeon and published in the Journal of Professional Counseling in 2012. The article is named “Counselor Identity – A National Imperative”. The latter explores the basics of the profession and its necessity in the contemporary world. Moreover, the author clearly defines the qualifications a counselor has to possess, whereas otherwise the professional identity is merely absent. Proceeding with this issue, Dr. Spurgeon emphasizes on the necessary components of the professional identity of a counselor. As the article is substantiated by a literature overview and empirical evidence, the author’s conclusions as to the challenges of the profession are also trustworthy.
“Counselor Identity” is by and large a clearly expressed author’s point of view regarding, inter alia, his profession. The latter is logically structured and comprehensively substantiated by the evidence. The author starts with the definition of the counseling and ends up with the future problems, having, thus, covered the scope of the whole profession. Though the Dr. Spurgeon concentrates too much on the definition and other theoretical concepts, finally, the author advises how to apply the theoretical knowledge in practice, what kind of suggestions can be made based on this evidence, and how an average person can implement the national counselor identity on a daily basis (Spurgeon, p.15). Thus, the work is of high quality and is ‘a must’ to understand what is to be achieved if the one wants to find what the counseling as a phenomenon and profession is.
As for me, I have paid much attention to the correlation between the term identity and counseling as well as the prospective of the profession, since previously this issue has not arisen in my conscious. Being aware of the APA standards, I was interested in the more detailed requirements, competences, and ruled existing in the counseling field, namely , a common training curriculum, an established code of ethics, the development of national and regional associations, licensure, and federal recognition. (p.8). The article has broadened my mind as regards counseling and, perhaps, certain insights from there will be used in practice soon.