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Counselling as a Speciality within Psychology
Many experts in the field consider counselling to be a speciality within psychology. According to this view, counsellors would be labelled as counselling psychologists, would possess doctoral level training that is primarily psychological in nature and that emphasizes applied and research
orientation, and would be affiliated with other psychological specialities.

However, many professional counsellors in a variety of setting do not possess a doctoral degree, were trained in programs that were not primarily psychological in nature {e.g. education), call themselves counsellors rather than counselling psychologists. The differences between these two groups can be illustrated by membership in professional organisation. In the United States, counselling psychologists usually belong to the American Psychological Association (APA) whereas counsellors often belong to the American Association for Counselling and Development (AACD, formerly the American Personnel and Guidance Association). The American Psychological Association takes the position that only those persons with doctoral training in a programme that is primarily psychological in nature are qualified to provide professional services, which include prevention, assessment, and therapy. The American Association for Counselling and Development is supporting licensure for master's degree level counsellors so that can also provide these services.