Developing a Unified Professional Identity in Counseling: A Review of the Literature

The rationale behind establishing a strong professional identity in counseling includes increasing the likelihood of ethical performances, an advanced awareness of counseling roles, and, ultimately, a better chance for the profession to survive. Scholars have underscored the importance of developing a unified professional identity, but have yet to do so in a way that has generated widespread support. This article presents a review of the literature detailing efforts to define professional identity and its components.