It Takes a Village: The Role of Counselling Psychology in Advancing Health and Wellness in a Faculty of Education

Abstract
Counselling psychology departments have historically been situated within Faculties of Education rather than Departments of Psychology. These placements within Faculties of Education have often led to confusion as to what the role of counselling psychology is, and how it relates to education. In this paper, we argue that there is an opportunity for counselling psychologists to impact and be impacted by their location in Faculties of Education. This paper offers an exemplar of how a counselling psychology department informed and impacted a culture of wellness within a Faculty of Education and also within the greater university culture, at the University of Calgary. Through partnership with other faculties and community partners, the efforts of counselling psychology began to impact other systems, which in turn influenced Bachelor of Education teacher preparation at the post-secondary level. Through collaboration with multiple partners and with the support of the Faculty of Education, a mandatory course on health and wellness was introduced to the Bachelor of Education curriculum. Perspectives of a counselling psychologist, faculty of education administrator, a community partner, and former counselling psychology graduate student are highlighted in this paper, with the intention of demonstrating how collaborations between two seemingly distinct disciplines can be mutually beneficial to the university, students, faculty, and also the greater community.
Description
Keywords
counselling psychology, faculties of education, comprehensive school health, teacher education
Citation
Williams, E.P., Russell-Mayhew, S.K., Gereluk, D., Murray, K., & Ireland, A.D. (2019). It takes a village: The role of counselling psychology in advancing health and wellness in a Faculty of Education. Proceedings from the 2018 Canadian Counselling Psychology Conference, 176-183.