Applications of Positive Psychology in Counseling Psychology: Current Status and Future Directions

A distinctive feature and unifying theme of the work of counseling psychologists is a focus on client strengths, assets, and potentialities regardless of the degree of psychopathology. As such, positive psychology appears to have a natural home within counseling psychology. Evidence from content analyses of flagship journals of the field as well as from surveys of Members and Student Affiliates from the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17) of the American Psychological Association suggests, however, that a distinctive disconnect exists between the philosophical stance taken by many counseling psychologists toward strength-based approaches and knowledge and use of specific positive psychology theories and practices. The goals for the creation of this special issue are reported, and the articles that comprise the special issue are introduced.