Towards a New Profession: Counselor Professional Identity in Italy. A Delphi Study

Counseling is a profession that began only recently in Italy, when compared to other mental health related professions. A lack of consensus on professional counselor identity seems to represent a limiting factor in the growth of the profession, since it negatively impacts on its efficacy and it can lead to counselors being confused with other mental health professionals. Because of this, the future establishment of the counseling profession in Italy is closely linked to acquiring a stronger and clearer sense of professional identity. The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify a list of essential elements characterizing counselor professional identity through the opinions of a panel of Italian expert counselors who represent diverse perspectives, and to advocate for professional regulation and certification for Italian counselors.