Professionalism and professionalization are two issues important to the field of counseling. A basic definition of a profession is necessary in order to understand the role of counseling as a profession. One theory on the development of professions in the western world begins with the priest as the prototypical professional. Professions then secularized, differentiated, liberalized, and rationalized. The rise of technique and the emergence of new professions encouraged institutional growth and an increased development of professionalism. Counseling developed as a means by which people could help each other to meet the challenges of the future. Various disciplines have contributed to the field of counseling, including psychology, sociology, cultural anthropology, education, economics, and philosophy. Counseling began with the vocational guidance movement. The mental health movement merged with earlier developments in counseling to form the present concept of counseling. Counseling as a profession can be analyzed using the six characteristics of American professions, as adapted from Wilensky's (1964) study: (1) strong level of commitment; (2) long and disciplined education process; (3) unique body of knowleldge and skill; (4) discretionary authority and judgment; (5) active and cohesive professional organization; and (6) acknowledged social worth and contribution. Despite its growth, counseling must maintain and increase its level of professionalization in order to become a fully recognized profession. (ABL)