Counseling Personal Statement

Welcome to my counseling practice. The information provided to you will consist of my professional services, background, and business policies. If you have any questions about the information provided in this document or in regards to any other counseling services I provide, please feel free to ask me during our session.

I am applying to your Masters of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. I have earned my undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. During my time earning my undergraduate degree I also minored in psychology. I am motivated to earn this degree because of the experiences that I have had while growing up in a home with a workaholic father and a bed ridden mother. This childhood has inspired me to work with those who are struggling emotionally and are in need of guidance and assistance.

Some of my family norms are the love of many sports such as Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Golf. America norms are choices that are not demanded by specific cultures. I believe they are choices you can make but will not be reprimanded if you do not choose one. Some of the frequent Cultural foods that were eaten with my family growing up as a child were rice and pinto beans. I believe this comes from the different cultures rooted within my family. My culture experiences many misunderstandings of who we are and what we stand for in society. Some examples of police brutality, racial profiling, style of dress, and the slang used when speaking. Historically, racism existed and continues to exist in today’s

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA) website the organization’s mission is to help society by offering well trained professional counselors. In the process, assisting counselors develop into the contingent professional’s in which society can depend upon, at the same time stimulating human self-worth and diversity. When counselors are trained in graduate school the aspects that goes into becoming a professional counselor, is they equipped with a vast amount of knowledge. Some of the basics include how to work with diverse populations, acknowledging their own biases, how to advocate for the client who is among an oppressed population, congruency with their clients, empathic listening and communication skills, knowing when to refer a client to the appropriately trained counselor and many more. All of these elements and more are just some of the tools, professional counselors are required in order maintain the standards the American Counseling Association’s mission statement entails.

I have chosen to enter the field of Mental Health Counseling at this particular time in my life because I would like to learn the skills needed to help people with their life and mental health issues. While attending the University of Saint Joseph during my undergraduate years I took various courses that have led me to making my decision. The courses I took focused on business, biology, social work, and psychology. After graduation I decided to take a year off and gain work experience in customer service and health care. I wanted to experience working with the people in my community. I was hired as a pharmacy technician at a Walgreens in Vernon. Working as a pharmacy technician has been a very rewarding experience for me and I learned a lot about people and their unique needs. I also learned about patient care and how to be pacient and understanding under stressful situations.

Family values are ideals that are learned traditionally in a family and are reinforced within the familial unit. Family values can be very diverse between different cultures. Some of these family values are the way children are raised, discipline, gender roles in the family, and the way families choose to live.

In 2010, I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Human Services degree from University of Phoenix. I began the journey towards my Masters degree in Counseling in

My goal is to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. My dream is to provide counsel and guidance to individuals, families, couples or groups of people; who are dealing with issues that affect them physically, emotionally and mentally. I would like help clients determine why they are experiencing their life challenges, develop goals and actions to resolve their issues. I would like to provide life changing advice to support & help clients overcome outstanding life situations, collaborate assessment and maintain treatment. Family and friends has consulted with me about their problems. I enjoy giving them advice that allows them to think about the decisions resolving the circumstance. With this I’m inspired to work in the

Essentially, every culture has a specific basis, native language, religion and custom that reflects its history, values and beliefs. These conceptual constructs represents the total reality of life within the community of which is commonly known as “Culture”. Culture is not only a race, but is a way of life. In the United States, there are many different races that integrate with the American race and culture. However, these individuals often times may have difficulties adjusting, adapting or maintaining their heritage. How well they acculturate and adapt to the process can have an impact on how well the individual is able to integrate or engage to one or another culture.

Tell us something about how your undergraduate studies or other life experiences have prepared you for graduate study in counseling. What do you think are your academic strengths and what might be areas of struggle for you? My Bachelor’s degree was in Interdisciplinary studies with a concentration on Human Service. I chose the disciplines of nursing, education, and psychology.

To date my career has specialised primarily in child care, with particular interest in nannying.

I am honored to apply to Montana State University, Mental Health Counseling program. As an alumnus, I feel not only connected to the University, but to Montana itself. My experiences as a student, volunteer and intern at MSU has solidified my decision to pursue my life long aspiration of becoming a licensed counselor. Why have you chosen this career path?

All individuals have values, beliefs, and attitudes that develop throughout the course of life. Families, friends, and the community in addition to experiences all have significant contributions to how people view and sense the world. Ethnicity refers to the characteristics of a particular group of people including skin, hair, and eye color. On the other hand, culture refers to shared patterns of behavior, cognitive constructs, and interactions an individual in a particular society learns through socialization at a particular time. It includes religion, language, social habits, arts, and music. Since culture and ethnicity comprise of the most personal attributes of an individual, they affect one’s decision-making, actions, and values.

Most people do not think their family has a culture. They associate culture with countries and ethnic groups. But the family for most people is just a group of family people who do what they always do. Directly and subtly, children are shaped by the family culture in which they are born. At the stage of growth, their assumptions about what is right or wrong, good and bad, reflect the beliefs, values, and traditions of the family culture. Most take their family manners for granted and bring into adulthood numerous attitudes and behaviors acquired in childhood. Even those who later reject all or part of the family culture often find that they are not totally free of their early influences. 1

Family Values are derived from the fundamental beliefs of the parents, who use them to educate their children. These are the basic principles and guidelines of our original behavior in society, and are conveyed through our behaviors in the family, from the simplest to the most complex.