Developing a Professional Counseling Identity
As a police officer, I was using basic conflict resolution counseling skills on a daily basis. Motivational interviewing became second nature as I questioned people involved in crimes, or in moments of crisis that they thought were normal; i.e, domestic violence. Moving into addictions counseling, I used those skills to help addicts and alcoholics bring about a positive change in their lives. In the residential communities where I have worked, I have always tried to be firm, fair, and consistent with residents to help them understand the consequences of their actions and the rewards of doing the next right thing. When I was promoted to senior counselor, I tried to pass this knowledge on to my counselors and I encouraged them to develop their own identity.
Part of establishing my professional identity also came when I was certified as a Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) in Florida. Becoming a CAP enabled me to be recognized as a qualified professional, similar to a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or other licensed professionals. Earning this credential and continuing to pursue licensure as a LMHC helps to further establish my professional identity and is considered fundamental to increasing recognition as a counselor (Woo, et al., 2014).
Problems arise in defining a unified professional identity with all of the counseling subspecialties. Similar to the ACA, I believe we can have a unified professional identity as counselors while maintaining the diversification of the many subspecialties (Woo, et al., 2014). Many different counseling theories are involved in counseling practice (CBT, Rogerian, Psychoanalytic, etc.) and each of these contribute to a professional identity as a counselor. While the many associations, licensing boards, colleges, accreditation bodies, etc. debate the definition of unified professional counseling identity, we cannot lose sight of our ultimate goal in helping our clients to establish a better life and overcome whatever condition they are suffering from. As a counselor educator, I would encourage my students to follow the same approach.
Woo, H., Henfield, M.S., & Choi, N. (2014). Developing a unified professional identity in counseling: A review of the literature. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 1(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/2326716x.2014.895452
Part of establishing my professional identity also came when I was certified as a Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) in Florida. Becoming a CAP enabled me to be recognized as a qualified professional, similar to a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or other licensed professionals. Earning this credential and continuing to pursue licensure as a LMHC helps to further establish my professional identity and is considered fundamental to increasing recognition as a counselor (Woo, et al., 2014).
Problems arise in defining a unified professional identity with all of the counseling subspecialties. Similar to the ACA, I believe we can have a unified professional identity as counselors while maintaining the diversification of the many subspecialties (Woo, et al., 2014). Many different counseling theories are involved in counseling practice (CBT, Rogerian, Psychoanalytic, etc.) and each of these contribute to a professional identity as a counselor. While the many associations, licensing boards, colleges, accreditation bodies, etc. debate the definition of unified professional counseling identity, we cannot lose sight of our ultimate goal in helping our clients to establish a better life and overcome whatever condition they are suffering from. As a counselor educator, I would encourage my students to follow the same approach.
Reference
Woo, H., Henfield, M.S., & Choi, N. (2014). Developing a unified professional identity in counseling: A review of the literature. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 1(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/2326716x.2014.895452
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