Mental Health Counselor

He has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of West Florida, a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from Troy State University and is pursuing a Doctorate of Philosophy degree, in Social Psychology from Walden University. He is a registered

When Ms. M initially entered the counseling field she did so with the intent of obtaining an associate degree in psychology. During her studies she found that she needed to work while she attended school; professor suggested she investigate becoming an LCDC, something that Ms. M took to quite naturally. Her initial position was in conjunction with a program in the women’s prison. Her time began as a Counselor Intern for 2.5 years before becoming a Licensed Counselor I. She then spent 3 years as a Counselor I before progressing to the level of Counselor

A doctoral degree combining both supervisory professional mental health counseling skills and counselor education has always been at the forefront of both my personal and professional goals. Being afforded the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision will allow me the ability to enhance my professional competencies and achieve my set goals. My primary desire is to obtain a position as a college professor that will allow me to nurture the professional growth and maturity of future mental health professionals. Pursuing the doctoral degree will simultaneously assist in developing skillsets that will further prepare me for advanced opportunities in not only teaching but supervision and research. Additionally, I desire to devote time and research to small rural communities to establish prevention based programs that will bridge communities as it relates to mental health challenges. A PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Capella University will afford me the opportunities to positively impact change in future professionals and the communities for which I serve.

A mental health counselor is a counseling professional, whose duties involves helping individuals cope with difficult life events, managing mental illnesses, and referring patients to additional resources that can help them. Before they can start counseling, they need to follow their states specific requires. For instance, in Louisiana, one has to obtain a master’s degree from an accredited program, have the required hours of supervised practice and coursework, and pass the National Counselor Examination to be licensed and certified. In addition to receiving a license in this field, an individual has to complete an addition 40 hours of continuing education every year to renew their license. The Mental Health Counseling program, offered at Capella, would satisfy most, if not all, of the licensure requirements in Louisiana.

My pursuit of becoming a School Counselor led me to apply to the School Counseling Master’s Program at University of Maryland, College Park. I am a former student at University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. After graduating and teaching for two years in Prince George’s County Public Schools, I discovered my true passion lies not only in the classroom and students’ academics, but playing a pivotal role in the growth of their career, social, and personal development. Although I am no longer teaching full-time at the moment, my interaction with students from diverse backgrounds left an indelible responsibility to continue making a difference in our students. The objectives and mission of the School Counseling Master’s Program at University of Maryland can best help my goal of becoming an effective counselor and leader who is an agent of change to students and service the mental and emotional well-being of the younger generation.

Steve’s journey to the mental health field began indirectly many years ago as he was completing college with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies. He originally wanted to be a Seminary instructor, but hated his student teaching experience. As he discussed his interests to a career advisor, he expressed his enjoyment in his job as a tutor, and preferred the one-on-one setting as opposed to teaching an entire class. His advisor suggested becoming a counselor, which sounded appealing to Steve. He enrolled in BYU and earned his master’s degree in Marriage and

The purpose of this paper is for me to present a summary of a personal interview had with Heather Smith, a clinical mental health counselor. It will further explore a day to day basis on how working as a clinical mental health counselor, may be. Lastly, it will also reflect my personal reflections about my future as a counselor based on information learned in this course.

As a mental health counselor in training, I look forward to continuing the process of being aware of my own beliefs and biases. I also recognize that I am human and anticipate some life issues presented by clients will present challenges that I encounter.

Select and describe one issue of interest. Describe advocacy processes needed to address institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success for clients. Identify public policies on the local, state, and national levels that affect the quality and accessibility of mental health services.

Dr. Edward told me he was a Licensed Professional Counselor, but now he is retired and is the Director and Owner of Restore Joy. Most of his experience in the field comes from New York, where he used to practice. He works out of his home and in the office where the interview was performed. He told me that he chose the counseling profession because he saw how being ostracized affects people. Dr. Edward wanted to make a change in peoples’ lives. He described counseling as combined approach that allows for the resolution of inner conflicts.

My five-year hiatus from college has allowed me to discover which direction I want to steer my life toward, and I have ascertained that it is within the realm of educational counseling. My efforts to obtain a Master’s of Educational Counseling will help me to develop and hone tangible counseling skills, and to promote and inspire under-served youth to utilize education for their own personal achievement.

I recently completed a Master’s degree in Counseling psychology through a mentored low residency program at the American International College in Springfield, MA. As such, I was able to improve my academic skills and obtained practical experience from my clinical internship. My inherent enthusiasm to help others and be a positive difference maker in their lives predisposes me to seek doctoral pursuit as I aim is to develop a more robust understanding of the nuances and complexities surrounding behavior and cognition of human beings. More specifically, I aspire to develop a more

Mental and emotional health can have interpersonal, and social impacts; I want to provide evidenced-based mental, emotional and behavioral health interventions within the context of families, communities and larger systems, to children and adolescents. My goal as a licensed counselor will be to develop a collaborative relationship where each client feels empowered to act as an expert in developing effective coping skills, manage anxiety, depression, navigate difficult life transitions, and enhance communication skills and relationships. Reflective practice and self-evaluation will be an integral part of my practice. This also means being able to set my experiences, values, privilege, beliefs and biases aside during counseling sessions and allowing the clients goals and needs to take precedence. In order to be well-rounded in my profession, my day-to-day functions will include, assessments, psychological testing, counseling, personality testing, teaching, treatment plans, referrals, coordinate services, case-management, client-family- community education, documentation,

As a DSP, I supported complex range of people, from those with mental health diagnoses like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to those who needed additional assistance due to greater cognitive needs. Working in this area meant that

When I first started my college journey I initially majored in Biology. Not knowing what I wanted to do, I was influenced by my advisor to enter the biology field. After my third year, I decided not to pursue biology anymore, and that’s when I discovered my passion for the Psychology field. After receiving my undergrad in psychology, I knew that I wanted to get my masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, but I had no idea of how broad this area is. This week assignment granted me the opportunity to interview someone who has been in this profession for 25 plus years who has worked in all sectors when it comes to mental health counseling. It allowed me to learn the pros and cons of this field and it even gave me more insight and clarity on exactly what I wanted to do. I found this week assignment to be very informative and I believe it is necessary for anyone that’s interesting in entering in this field. I am grateful for the knowledge and advice that I received during this week assignment.