Most people could argue in support of the old saying that no one knows what the future holds. However, David Snyder has spent his entire profession trying to prove and discover that the prediction concerning the future can be calculated despite the predicament. Snyder, a futurist, based in Bethesda, reports with no fear of contradiction that his passion is based on determining the future of the counseling profession for the next coming decade, analyzing the long-term issues and trends.
Snyder, who is also a leading editor to The Futurist Paper, predicted in 2012 that by the year 2020, people would be chatting not only using their computers but also other advancements of technology on various platforms. He duly predicted that by the next decade, the significance of counselors would be that the computers will contain software that will handle and answer the users’ questions, which include the questions that people visit the counselor to discuss.
Snyder, an experienced practitioner in this field, says that individuals with mental issues, relationships, careers, or presumably other issues consult their counselor via an online system. They upload the issues into the system and wait for feedback and comprehensive advice. According to Snyder, the virtual counselor will be able to act the first line of defense of the client by offering constructive and helpful advice. In normal circumstances, the prediction sounds obnoxious since technological advancement threatens to make the counseling profession obsolete (Alfaiz, 2018). The Futurist suggests that advancement in technology will be vital to address the growing population in need of counseling services compared to the small number of counselors.
However, Snyder has an interesting prediction about the future of counseling which he strongly thinks will come to pass like his previous analogy made in 2012 that has come to pass over the last decade. He has also approached several leaders today and asked their views about their thoughts and ideas of the future of counseling. The American Counselling Association will be celebrating 70 years as an organization. They will be sharing the trends, issues, successes, and challenges that might impact the future of the counseling profession.
References
Alfaiz, A. (2018). Guidance and counseling profession: a philosophy and professional challenges in the future. COUNS-EDU: The International Journal of Counseling and Education, 3(1), 41-47.