ABSTRACT
If one assumes that counseling is advising, counselors have existed since people appeared on earth. Mothers, fathers, friends, lovers, clergy, and social leaders all provide such counsel-whether sought after or not. The idea of professional counseling, defi ned by the American Counseling Association (ACA, 2010a), as “a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals” is relatively new. This idea did not, however, emerge because of the recognition of a “deep need within human development” (Stripling, 1983 , p. 206). The counseling profession evolved in response to the demands made by the industrialization and urbanization of the United States. At the turn of the 20th century, America faced a confl uence of social and economic problems, such as the proper distribution of a growing workforce, an increasingly educated population, the needs of immigrants, and the preservation of social values as family connections were weakened (Aubrey, 1982 ; Herr, 1985 ).
