TPC Journal V7, Issue 2 - FULL ISSUE

190 The Professional Counselor | Volume 7, Issue 2 In comparison, the NASW Code of Ethics (2008) states that: Social workers promote clients’ socially responsible self-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients’ capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients’ interests and the broader society’s interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession (Ethical Principles Section). Although both professions empower clients, counselors focus on empowering the client (individual, couple or family) while social workers additionally consider how an individual’s empowerment impacts society. Lastly, the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2010) states: “Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people, and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination” (p. 3). In psychology, empowerment of clients includes the right to make their own decisions, respecting cultural differences and safeguarding their welfare. This section has demonstrated that no mental health profession exclusively owns the rights to the words human development , prevention , advocacy , wellness and empowerment . At the same time, this section has clearly outlined how the profession of counseling views these five values differently from psychologists and social workers. It becomes imperative that counselors understand how the profession of counseling views these five values in order to create a counselor professional identity. Creating a Counselor Professional Identity A strong counselor professional identity reportedly increases ethical behavior, counselor wellness and an accurate understanding of the counselor’s scope of practice (Brott & Myers, 1999; Grimmit & Paisley, 2008; Ponton & Duba, 2009). Many authors have discussed ways counselors can establish their professional identity. Puglia (2008) suggested behaving in harmony with the philosophy of counseling, becoming licensed and or certified as a counselor, and engaging in professional counseling associations. Calley and Hawley (2008) recommended counselors identify with the distinct values of the counseling profession, engage in professional counseling associations, disseminate scholarship for and about the profession of counseling, utilize theoretical orientations that align with the values of the counseling profession, understand the history of the counseling profession and obtain training, licensure and certifications in the profession of counseling. Remley and Herlihy (2014) identified familiarity with current and historical contexts of the profession of counseling, knowledge of the unique philosophy of counseling, understanding counselors’ roles and functions, utilizing counselor ethical codes, and obtaining memberships in professional counseling associations as six ways counselors could establish their professional identity. Even with these recommendations, membership in ACA and being licensed as a counselor do not guarantee the ability to articulate a strong counselor professional identity (Cashwell, Kleist, & Scofield, 2009; Mascari & Webber, 2006). Several other factors also could impact counselor professional identity development. Contact with other professional counselors who have a strong counselor professional identity (such as supervisors, contemporaries and counselor educators) increases the development of an appropriate counselor professional identity (Luke & Goodrich, 2010; Puglia, 2008). Additionally, a mixture of self-reflection and connection to the unique philosophies and values of the profession of counseling drives counselor professional identity (Brott & Myers, 1999). Further, holding the counseling profession in high regard combined with a connection between