Graduates in psychology often choose to join professional organizations ascribed to psychologists with the aim of building connections that are strong and fostering networking with other professionals in similar fields. By so doing, these candidates increase their chances of landing job opportunities in the current complex and competitive world. The different associations discussed in this paper look at the organization’s mission and benefits of each with regard to their different stakeholders. Training opportunities are also accorded to the members of different professional psychological associations to enlighten them on the current changes and happenings in the field of psychology. The impact of this type of training as received by students is tremendous because their focus is on competencies that include relationship, intervention, education and assessment, consultation, research and development, diversity, management and supervision. Practitioners and scholars of psychology have numerous avenues that help them in the development, researching, networking, and involvement to community well-being and welfare by joining professional psychological associations that match their fields.
American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association (APA) is an organization in the United States that represents the field of psychology in terms of scientific and professionalism with more than 115,700 members comprising of consultants, researchers, clinicians, educators, and students. APA is a charitable science and education organization with aspirations geared towards advancing the science of psychology to excel as a valuable, influential and effective body by looking at its application process to promote education, health, and human welfare. All this is achievable through their strategic goal that emphasizes on the expansion of psychology’s role when it comes to advancing health and well-being of their patients and increasing the recognition of psychology as a science.
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The mission of the organization is to serve human welfare and not the profession. Thus, it ensures that their psychological knowledge is advanced by looking at their communication, creation, and application process to benefit the people’s lives and society. The organization manages to accomplish their mission through various ways: by encouraging psychology development and application; research in psychology is promoted by looking at facets such as improving their methods of research and conditions and the application of their findings; psychological knowledge is increased and disseminated through fostering professional contacts, holding meetings, discussions, reports, papers, and publications; psychologists qualifications and usefulness is also improved through the establishment of high standards of conduct, ethics, achievement, and education ( http://www.apa.org ).
APA’s mission is also achieved through the regulation of official titles for example, the use of the professional title ‘psychologists’ needs one to have a doctoral degree in psychology from any accredited learning institution. The benefits associated to APA membership range from discount programs on books, registration, and access to electronic database to participation on APA’s Annual Convention to gain more learning opportunities.
American Counseling Association
The American Counseling Association (ACA) is considered to be the world’s largest organization that represents professional counselors in the various settings of practice. Since it is a not-for-profit organization for professional and educational matters, it is dedicated to promoting growth and enhancement for counselors’ profession ( http://www.counseling.org ). The mission of ACA is to promote counselor’s professional development by advocating for professionalism, and ensuring the practice is ethical with practices that are culturally-inclusive in protecting individuals using counseling services. The mission of ACA is attained through its efforts of hard work that ensure counseling awareness and recognition is obtained by reflecting on the contributions made by members to the field of counseling and advancing their licensure of portability ( http://www.counseling.org ). ACA organization uses one powerful voice to advocate for more members to join and have managed to penetrate state legislatures, where they represent thousands of members yearly, fight for equality and access, reimbursement, and so much more.
ACA gives members the opportunity to become exclusive members and the benefits associated with being an exclusive card member includes the provision of a comprehensive insurance program covering professional liability insurance covered by Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO). For students who join ACA enjoy having access to flexible learning options ranging from webinars, podcasts, and online resources. Having such unparalleled professional resources also includes unique tools like an ethics private and hotline number and online community to help those using counseling services to be aware of what is happening in the field of counseling psychology. Life, disability, and dental insurance programs among other special plans are offered to ASCA members ( http://www.counseling.org ). For the Dental insurance cover, this is offered through MetLife. Liberty mutual insurance auto and home program receive membership discounts from a Fortune 100 company geared towards protecting the lives of millions across America. Long-term care insurance is an education program provided to ASCA members exclusively in an attempt to help them determine their long-term care solutions best for them and their families.
American School Counseling Association
American School Counseling Association (ASCA) is an organization that gives support to the efforts of school counselors’ who help students focus on their academic, career, and social or emotional development. The mission of ASCA is representing school counselors and promoting ethical practices and professionalism. The goals and objectives of the organization are on development opportunities for their professionals in critical areas of need to be availed to school counselors. Information that exists for school counselors is in a timely and relevant fashion enhancing their level of professionalism and skill. Furthermore, the code of conduct in the organization is articulated by the code of conduct that also looks at the counselor professional behavior. Change initiatives at the state, national, and local levels are championed by leaders. Strategic partnerships in the organizations exist with stakeholders to benefit the counselors and students. Through these efforts, the students are able to achieve success in their school and are prepared to lead lives that are fulfilling as they become responsible members of the society. Therefore, through ASCA, individuals are provided with professional development, and publications among other resources. On the other hand, school counselors around the globe are accorded with research and advocacy programs that help them in their paths to guiding students under their guidance and care.
The benefit of joining ASCA is that an individual is offered periodicals, professional development, and peer networking. Moreover, since ASCA is an organization dedicated towards furthering the needs and mission of school counselors, it also helps them in the development of their growth, both personally and professionally. The other benefit of being an ASCA member is that one benefits from other people experiences and research. Joining ASCA means that an individual will share a common vision with other professional school counselors in attempts of turning the youth of today to become leaders of tomorrow.
Students who subscribe to ASCA enjoy the full benefits of using counseling journals that touch on counseling theory, practice, research and techniques. Thereby, allowing them to stay on top of the latest theories and advances in the field of counseling. The counselor’s magazine is helpful for members because it offers them practical and how-to articles that address issues faced by school counselors on a daily basis. Learning and professional institutions can benefit by purchasing the discounted publications that target areas like career counseling, school violence, social development, and comprehensive guidance programs among others. ASCA members also benefit from training organized by the organization in collaboration with its partners that touch on areas like ethics and career counseling, and more. Members of ASCA have access to a surfeit of free resources that span from samples of lesson plans to job descriptions and checklists to back-to-school handouts.
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology
The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) is a foundation that advocates for scientific-practitioner model that applies psychology to all workplace and organizational settings. The settings include commercial enterprises, manufacturing, public agencies, and labor unions ( Landy & Conte, 2016 ).
The mission of SIOP is to “provide financial support for the advancement of the field of Industrial-Organization (I-O) psychology. Additionally, “the Foundation also offers strategic leadership through solicitation and use of funds.” Since the foundation is a structure, its members come from the Society for Industrial and Organization Psychology (SIOP) and other donors, who then express their support for the field by giving tangible tax-deductible favors. Resources of SIOP are intended for future outreach activities for both practice and science of I-O psychology to enable practitioners in those fields to play vital roles in fostering work productivity and prosperity ( http://www.siop.org ).
The mission of SIOP looks at enhancing the well-being of human beings and performance in both organizational and work settings. All this is done through the promoting of practice, science, and teaching of I-O psychology. Towards achieving this mission, SIOP ensures that it promotes the education of psychologists for their current and future I-O. Secondly, it gives its members support with regard to their study, application, and teaching of principles plus methods and findings related to I-O psychology. Thirdly, the activities that promote the successful implementation of their mission include identifying those opportunities geared towards the development and expansion of science and psychological practice of I-O psychology. Moreover, awareness of the public is also promoted to the field of I-O psychology.
The benefits associated to becoming a member include the subscription to continue being updated on the I-O profession by accessing news briefs, monthly e-newsletter, quarterly publications and affordable subscription rate. Networking is also emphasized by adding visibility geared towards expansion activities that ensure the psychologists reach and contacts other professionals through social media platforms, the Annual Conference and Leading-Edge Consortium. Lastly, members of al statutes benefit from incentives that further their career without having to break the bank for example students get a 20% off of all their books and Routledge accords them free global shipping among others.
American Psychology-Law Society
American Psychology and Law Society (AP-LS) is an organization that works in order to advance their psychological contributions when it comes to understanding law and the legal institutions through both applied and basic research. Therefore, AP-LS is seen to be a promoter of educational psychologists in matters relating to law and law by looking at legal personnel matters of the field of psychology ( http://www.ap-ls.org ). Moreover, emphasis is also laid on the appropriate use of psychologists in the country’s legal system as demand for such professionals has risen in delivering services to attorneys, courts, and law-makers. In addition, it is an organization that keeps its communities and general public informed of the available current research. Since AP-LS is an interdisciplinary organization that is devoted to scholarship, practice, and public service in the field of psychology and law, it is thus a free-standing organization and an affiliate of APA.
Issues pertaining to the criminal and juvenile justice are conducted on behalf of the offenders by using advocacy activities. The organization ensures that psychologists pursuing a number of specialties found within the field of psychology by looking at varied orientations such as cognitive, developmental, social and clinical. The professionals in the mental health and behavioral scientists engage with the legal system and have been able to witness the start of formalized interactions that include the establishment of programs in the psychology-law that maximizes on the available resources like interdisciplinary journal on Law and Human Behavior and book series on Perspectives in Law and Psychology . Forensic Psychology has also been incorporated into AP-LS and has a specialized set of ethical guidelines for the professionals and hold regular conference, which is in addition to the annual meetings conducted during the summer time at the APA convention. Moreover, the Forensic psychologists also file amicus briefs before the Supreme Court on issues related to psychology and law and have a presentation of regular workshops that has helped them grow and share ideas with others in the same field.
By becoming a member, one enjoys benefits of receiving publication geared to enlighten the society on new happenings in the field of psychology and the activities they have achieved so far with regard to human well-being. Law and Human Behavior, which is published six months in every year plus the American Psychology Law Newsletter that is published three times is at their disposal. Moreover, member is given a chance to attend annual meetings and thus, take advantage of the different educational opportunities at their disposal. When it comes to forensic psychologists, AP-LS also ensure its members benefit through the application of law and use of psychology in evaluating different cases. As such, AP-LS is an organization that looks at promoting quality and hence, is perfect for all networking purposes.
Professionals in psychology gain from joining various professional associations because of its plethora of benefits. By looking at expanding the networks of experienced professionals, students broaden their knowledge, and early career individuals are able to take control of their career by learning from the best in the industry. The missions of these psychological organizations steer their professionalism to greater heights and ensure ethical code of conduct is maintained at all times. Strategic goals and objectives are also seen to drive many of the organizations in meeting their missions. It is by joining such professional organizations that psychologists manage to astonish their future employers by providing them with an impressive resume. The benefits of joining such organizations means that psychologists are able to save more money and channel it to other areas of their lives therefore, promoting a comfortable life for all their members. In addition to working in their organizations or learning institutions, professional psychologists are also able to establish their own art-time practice or consultation business. For instance, clinical psychologists can do evaluations for courts while experimental social or cognitive psychologists can consult on legal cases. Therefore, clinical psychologists graduating yearly come from doctoral programs that are professionally oriented in psychology.
APA organization looks at psychology in the lenses of science and professionalism by promoting their patients’ health and well-being. ACA organization aims at promoting growth for the profession of counselors and also fosters their enhancement in several of their setting practice. ASCA organization looks at giving support to school counselors’ who help students focus on different areas of their lives. SIOP looks at workplace settings and organizations by applying psychology using the scientific-practitioner model. AP-LS organization advances their contributions of psychology in order to help people understand law and legal institutions using applied and basic research. In all the above organizations, it is evident that professionalism and ethical practices are promoted during the practice.
References
American Counseling Association (ACA). Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org
American Psychological Association (APA). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org
American Psychology and Law Society (AP-LS). Retrieved from http://www.ap-ls.org
American School Counseling Association (ASCA). Retrieved from www.schoolcounselor.org
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). Retrieved from http://www.siop.org
Landy, F. J., & Conte, J. M. (2016). Work in the 21st century, Binder ready version: An introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology . John Wiley & Sons.
