Voices of Early Career Psychologists in Division 17, the Society of Counseling Psychology

Nathan Grant Smith, McGill University
Briana K. Keller, University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Debra Mollen, Texas Woman's University
Meredith L. Bledsoe, Lakeside Upper School
Larisa Buhin, American College of Management and Technology
Lisa Edwards, Marquette University
Jacob J. Levy, University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Jeana L. Magyar-Moe, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Oksana Yakushko, Pacifica Graduate Institute

The Counseling Psychologist, online, (November, 2011). DOI: 10.1177/0011000011417145

Abstract

This article reports on a survey of early career members of the Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP). Seventy early career psychologists completed a survey assessing the usefulness and climate of SCP, barriers to and facilitative factors for involvement in SCP, inclusiveness of SCP regarding cultural diversity and professional interests, degree of involvement in various aspects of SCP, and their areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with SCP membership. In general, participants were split on the degree to which they were satisfied with SCP, with participants in faculty positions reporting significantly more positive views of SCP than their practitioner counterparts did. Faculty members viewed SCP as more useful to their careers and reported more positive social interactions within SCP than did non–faculty members. Open-ended responses suggested that satisfaction with SCP was related to availability of mentorship and opportunities for involvement in SCP. Suggestions for engaging new professionals in SCP are offered.