TPC-Digests-V1-Issues-123

Currently, several professional matters regarding counseling are taking place in Venezuela, one being the status of counseling as an independent profession. TPC Digest and views of the counseling profession in the 1970s and 1980s were fused with Venezuela’s view of counseling and guidance. Between the 1970s and 1980s professionalism in counseling was embraced because counseling and guidance related organizational movements emerged. Currently, several professional matters regarding counseling are taking place in Venezuela, one being the status of counseling as an independent profession. The Venezuela Counseling Associations Federation, FAVO, will soon introduce a legislative proposal concerning professional counseling practice. A proposed National Counseling Training Program will be at the bachelor’s level and four semesters long. A unique prerequisite of this program is that applicants must hold one of these bachelors’ degrees: education, psychology, social work, sociology, industrial engineering, philosophy, pedagogy, and physician. The proposed Venezuelan national counselor training program will be organized into core areas. A current concern is professional counselor certification, supervision, and continuing education. FAVO has worked on these matters since 2004 in collaboration with NBCC International. FAVO is developing Venezuela’s first National Counselor Certification System as well as conceptualizing a national supervision model and continuing education. FAVO granted the first group of national certified counselors in 2010 and is planning for the first group of trained and certified counselor supervisors in 2011. According to experiences in different parts of the world, it can be concluded that not only in Venezuela, but worldwide, the profession of counseling is an emerging phenomenon; therefore, international counseling institutions and organizations need to begin acting on how to face the worldwide challenges for professional counselors.