In 1978 the Division of Counseling Psychology of the American Psychological Association (APA) approved the Principles Concerning the Counseling and Psychotherapy of Women as an official policy statement for the Division. These Principles, subsequently endorsed by Divisions 16,29, and 35, have also served as a general resource document for the APA, and are cited as a resource in the Guidelines for the Provision of Counseling Psychological Services (APA, 1983).
Almost from the inception of the Principles, the Division 17 Committee on Women, which authored them, had anticipated the need for an extensive exposition of each principle, to guide psychologists seeking to implement both their spirit and their content. Thus, the present document, which presents the background and rationale for each principle as well as suggestions for implementation, was born. The result of over 5 years of work, the document has been extensively reviewed, revised, and again reviewed-not only by the committee and its various resource and support persons but also by psychologists from all across the country, both within and without Division 17. The process of cooperation, incorporation, and revision has been both frustrating and inspiring, as we worked to produce a document that could stand as a guide to our science and our profession for at least a decade. The final version was approved by the Division 17 Executive Committee at its 1984 midyear meeting.
This document is the product of literally hundreds of women (and men) who have contributed time, thought, and effort over nearly half a decade to bring this project to fruition, and thus, to contribute to the welfare of women everywhere. Although it bears our names, we are intensely aware that it is truly a cooperative product of the committee, the division, and ultimately, our profession as a whole.
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