Primary Prevention: A New Direction for Counseling Psychologists

This paper presents the Primary Prevention Model for Counselors, a model which can be used in counseling interventions and in training programs in counseling psychology. The model is based on three dimensions of critical importance to primary prevention--prevention type, method, and ecological focus. Units within each dimension are described as interactions which yield classifications of primary prevention strategies and subsequently generate concrete primary prevention interventions. The utility of the model is demonstrated by applying the model to five actual case examples of interventions: (1) a prevention program preparing patients for the stress of surgery: (2) a preventive intervention program for university freshmen: (3) an environmental consultation intervention project in a university residence hall: ( 4) a mental health consultation technique used in an Israeli army base; and (5)