Developing the professional identity of school counsellors in the Asia Pacific: Challenges and ways forward

Abstract

Background School counselling in the Asia Pacific region has experienced enormous development in the last few decades but faces many serious challenges as counsellors seek to respond to the needs of young people in a complex and fast-changing environment.

Aims This article aimed to explore the challenges school counsellors face in finding a clear identity and sense of purpose.

Discussion We outline the antecedents and consequences of a weak counsellor identity. We suggest that the future development of school counselling in the region rests on responding to the challenge of school counsellors finding a clear and robust identity by (1) adopting an ecological perspective and (2) developing culture-specific, indigenous ways of counselling.

Conclusion Given that the development of school counselling in this region has a long way to go, we briefly sketch some research priorities for the years ahead, which may contribute to the realisation and articulation of a stronger professional identity for school counsellors.