Palmo, Weikel, and Boros (2006) discussed mental health counseling emergence dealing with moral treatment and vocational guidance. It was known that in the beginning those with mental health problems were seen to have a spiritual disorder and were sent to asylums with horrible conditions. Palmo, Weikel and Boros (2006) discussed the change in attitude that allowed those with mental illness to be viewed as people with serious problems. Instead of locking the people away, they were treated with various therapy methods to help them acclimate back in to society. There was also a need for counseling after the Civil War and institutions change dramatically. “State asylums were required to accept a broader range of patients, including alcoholics, the criminally insane and apparently deranged immigrant paupers” (p. 7).
Vocational guidance was also introduced to help society with its employment problems. Post World War II, guidance was given to soldiers that were returning home from the war. This was to integrate them back into society as useful members. They had spent so much time fighting they needed help on how to return to the work force. Also with the world becoming more industrialized society needed help on how to use their current skills to be an active member in the work force. Frank Parson founded the Boston Vocational Bureau to help men match their skills and interest with the appropriate job (p. 8). This assisted those with job placement to find a career that suited their needs.
Several events occurred that promoted growth in the mental health field. Changes in testing and assessment technologies, nonmedical approaches to psychotherapy, theories to normal human development, innovations in group counseling and the development of psychoeducation approaches to treatment helped advance the profession as a whole. Learning how to appropriately assess