Self-actualization profiles of counselors: Private practice vs. mental health agencies

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the employment setting in which effective counselors were most likely to be employed. Because the effective counselor matches one-for-one with the personal characteristics of the self-actualized person, it was hypothesized that if self-actualized counselors could be identified at a significant level in either the agency or private practice setting, clients would have an improved probability of being counseled by an effective counselor by choosing a counselor in that setting. Thirty-one counselors returned completed research materials which included the Personal Orientation Inventory and Demographics form. The results indicated that counselors in agencies differ significantly from counselors in private practice in the number of questions left unanswered. No other differences were significant, although differences were noted between counselors who combined both agency and private practice when compared to counselors who worked exclusively in either agencies or private practice. Recommendations for further study based on the results were proposed.