What’s the difference between Clinical and Counseling Psychology?

Historical Differences: Traditionally, clinical and counseling psychology had somewhat different emphases. Clinical counseling focused on more severe psychopathology, whereas counseling psychology finds its roots in career counseling of veterans following WW II. Thus counseling psychology focused more on adjustment issues rather than serious mental health problems. Clinical programs typically provided better training in psychological assessment and in treatment of severely mentally ill populations, whereas counseling psychology programs provided training that was oriented more toward counseling individuals with less severe difficulties.

The differences between these two types of programs have grown smaller and smaller over the years. Now, there are few reliable differences in curriculum or career goals/interests of enrolled students. Different schools in both of these areas may differ in emphases, so it is important to review the curriculum of any particular school to see the extent to which it matches the type of emphasis that you are seeking. Clinical psychology programs typically have lower admission rates, and are harder to get into than some medical schools. Admission to counseling programs is competitive, but somewhat less so than is true for clinical programs.

Graduates of both clinical and counseling programs can be licensed to provide mental health services in mental health agencies, mental hospitals, private practices or any other settings where licensed psychologists work.


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