Abstract:

The history of the psychological counseling and guidance movement in Turkey, began more than 50 years ago. This movement began under the leadership of American experts who first came to Turkey under the auspieces of the Marshall Plan. The concept of psychological counseling and guidance became integrated in the Turkish educational system in the 1970‟s when counselors were first put into practice in high schools. Because psychological counseling and guidance services in the schools was often performed by individuals without specific training and experience in the field, misunderstandings about the concepts applications, roles, functions, responsibilities and ethical guidelines often occurred. This misunderstanding has frequently frustrated and limited the development and full acceptance of school counseling. Efforts to create specific university training programs in counselor education first began in 1966–67 when the first graduate program was introduced. Undergraduate preparation programs were introduced in 1981–82. Until the 1990‟s the field of psychological counseling and guidance was regarded as being primarily crisis oriented and/or seen as “a planning tool for human labor” and used only for “orientation”. In 1989 the Psychological Counseling and Guidance Association was founded in Turkey (Türk PDR-DER). The demographic and socio-economic changes resulting from increasing globalization will place increasing demands for highly competent counseling and guidance services. As the scope and importance of this field increases Türk PDR-DER will continue to play a significant role in promoting the highest quality in counselor preparation, in-service and continuing education training and professional services within the area of Psychological Counseling and Guidance. Turkey has developed undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees in counseling and the emphases in these programs has been the preparation of professionals to work in public and private education. In recent years there have been discussion and some movement toward standardization of preparation curricula, accreditation and counseling related legislation but progress has been slow and incomplete. Perhaps the greatest task is to insure that such movements toward professionalism effectively reflect Turkey‟s realities, needs and goals. This article presents some basic information about the psychological and guidance systems along with a discussion of how and understanding of these systems can be used to further promote and enhance the profession of counseling in Turkey in the coming years. The article concludes with suggestions for the future developments of counseling and guidance services in Turkey

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