Counselor’s Professional Identity and Credential

Introduction

Over recent years, professional identity and development counseling has become crucial in contemporary society. This paper summarizes studies and podcasts highlighting professional identity’s importance, relevant components, and associated challenges. Additionally, it has a chart outlining the essential statutory requirements relating to my subject of study as well as an outline of my professional identity development strategy. Practicing counselors’ ethical behavior and basic values are encouraged by their professional identity. This concept is also instrumental in enhancing counselor wellness and establishing a precise (accurate) understanding of the required practice scope.

Normal development and prevention represent the vital components associated with professional identity. The typical challenges linked to professional identity in the U.S include; limitations in licensure portability, lack of proper credential requirement standards, the need for additional fees, and varying educational requirements. My primary motivators include the need to fulfill a life-long dream, my passion for humanity and societal development, and the prestige and financial benefits that come along with this career. I intend to join the relevant professional bodies linked to professional counseling in my state and region.

Professional Identity and Credential Paper

Over recent years, professional identity and development counseling have become crucial in contemporary society. Numerous research papers and expert podcasts have articulated this practice’s significance and its associated drawbacks. One of the primary concerns in achieving a standard and acceptable form of professional identity is the variation in professional counselors’ qualification standards in different states (Burns & Cruikshanks, 2017). This paper summarizes studies and podcasts highlighting professional identity’s importance, relevant components, and associated challenges. It also includes an overview of my professional identity development plan and a table detailing vital state-related requirements linked to this study field.

Summary

The Significance of Professional Identity

Professional identity helps promote ethical behavior and core values among practicing counselors. When these experts acquire a true identity in their specialty field, they often feel the need to act ethically and value the counseling profession. Indeed, ethical conduct plays an instrumental role in shaping the career path and prospects for growth of the professional counselor (Burns & Cruikshanks, 2017). For instance, a professional counselor with an appropriate professional identity will treat their clients with dignity, respect their privacy, and reinforce mutual understanding and honesty during practice (Shook, 2017). It is an approach to keeping up with the ethical demands of the professional identity.

This concept helps enhance counselor wellness; it enables them to develop a proper attitude and approach to professional practice and develop core values related to one’s profession. A professional counselor’s wellness is a primary element that impacts the delivery of quality services (Elliott et al., 2019). The acquisition of a professional identity helps create a sense of self-awareness by developing their attitude and a unique approach to work (Shook, 2019). The strategy promotes the delivery of exemplary services to clients or patients.

Furthermore, it helps experts establish a precise (accurate) understanding of the required scope of practice in their respective professions. A professional counselor’s ability to clearly understand the particular demands stipulated in the practice scope fosters high job satisfaction and clarity during service delivery (Lawson et al., 2017). When counselors have vast knowledge regarding the scope of practice, they are well-positioned to offer their clients outstanding services (Shook, 2019). It is due to the adherence to the ethical demands, values, and standards established for the profession.

The Necessary Components for Professional Identity

Regular development and prevention represent the vital components associated with professional identity. Normal development focuses on the need for a professional counselor to strive to promote human development. As such, the professional is geared towards maintaining stable human development and growth in the client’s life (McKinney et al., 2018). The component of normal development is a crucial (core) value for the practice of professional counseling. Further, prevention is a fundamental core value for professional identity in counseling (Shook, 2017). Indeed, prevention deals with the delivery of prevention-oriented services that touch on psychoeducation provision that helps boost the client’s potential for resilience while promoting appropriate (healthy) client development.

Advocacy and wellness represent the third and fourth components linked to the attainment of professional identity. Advocacy is a crucial element of the quest for professional identity since its objective is to provide a defense mechanism for the rights and privileges of the clients together with those of the professionals within the sphere of an oppressive (unfair) regime or system (Burns & Cruikshanks, 2017). The professional counselors’ advocacy initiatives undertake at the societal, institutional, group, or individual levels. The wellness component highlights the need for counseling professionals to promote their well-being (Shook, 2019). It is through engaging in the creation of comprehensive self-care strategies, the establishment of proper (affirmative) attitudes, and in the design or preparation of life-balance programs

Empowerment is a critical and fundamental component of the professional identity. Indeed, empowerment emerges when a professional counselor motivates or encourages a given client to develop independence or autonomy through actions such as self-determination, self-validation, and self-advocacy (Elliott et al., 2019). The agenda of empowerment as a fundamental value for professional counselors seeks to advance the need for ethical conduct by showing and demonstrating respect for clients’ socio-cultural dynamics (Shook, 2019). The focus on achieving social justice and gender equality in the delivery of professional counseling services enhances empowerment.

The Challenges to Professional Identity

There are several barriers associated with developing one’s professional identity. These hurdles often limit one’s contributions and success within one’s specialty field. The typical challenges linked to professional identity in the U.S include; limitations in licensure portability, lack of proper standards in the credential requirements, the need for additional fees, and varying educational requirements (McKinney et al., 2018). The portability of licensure materials experiences immense difficulty based on the variations in each of the states’ demands in America. Therefore, professional counselors cannot move from state to state due to the new stipulations set out in each jurisdiction (Shook, 2017). Thus, the journey to professional identity faces barriers due to the lack of proper laws and procedures that regulate the adoption of licensures in new states.

Educational requirements per individual state for accreditation based on the set credit hours have created a considerable obstacle to the path of professional identity. Some professional counselors from other states are denied licenses for practice due to the strict educational benchmarks and standards outlined in neighboring states (Shook, 2019). It is fundamental for the interstate authorities to reconsider their approach to the promotion of strategic licensure portability. The matter of additional fees presents an enormous challenge to counseling professionals since the funds required for licensure in new states may be unavailable due to economic difficulties that cause financial constraints (Lawson et al., 2017). It is paramount for state authorities concerned with professional development and identity in various states to consider a downward review of the fee requirements established for professional counseling identity.

Professional Identity Development Plan

My Motivators to Become a Professional Counsellor

My motivators in the journey to becoming a professional counselor include the need to fulfill a life-long dream, my passion for humanity and societal development, the prestige and financial benefits that come along with this career. Since my time in elementary school, I have desired to pursue a career in mental health. My mother’s psychiatric issues fueled this passion further. Moreover, I have an undying desire to help people distinguish goals and solutions to their respective problems, foster behavioral change in clients, and promote optimal mental health. I am always intrigued by the world of counseling and its associated societal benefits. The financial services linked with the profession and acquiring a new title (status) also serve as primary motivators for pursuing a professional counseling career. Therefore, advancing my career in the field mentioned above will help me achieve my dreams and my lifelong learning goal.

Strategies for Developing my Professional Counselor Career

I intend to join the relevant professional bodies linked to professional counseling in my state and region; this includes the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). Enrolling for membership in these professional organizations will enhance my knowledge and skills level in my expertise field. Furthermore, I am determined to learn new skills, including applying psychotherapeutic techniques and counseling interventions to distinguish and remediate emotional, mental, and cognitive issues. These strategies will help me keep up with the ever-evolving therapeutic advancements and practices in the mental health field.

Potential Barriers and Ways to Overcome Them

Potential challenges likely to hinder my professional counseling success include the limitation of funds and the educational and licensure requirements for my new state. Until recently, I was not aware of the additional fees required to establish myself in my expertise field. I plan on enrolling in a work-study program that will help me raise the needed funds. For the challenge on the licensure portability, I intend to present my case to the new interstate authority to iron out the concerns that have emerged.

Conclusion

Professional identity and development counseling have become crucial practices in contemporary society. Professional identity helps promote ethical behavior and core values among professional counselors. It also enables experts to establish a precise (accurate) understanding of the required scope of practice in the counseling profession. Limitations on the mobility of licenses, inadequate standards for credentials, the need for extra payments, and disparate educational requirements are some of the common obstacles to professional identification in the United States. The developed professional identity plan will be instrumental in my success journey within my expertise field.

Requirements for the State of California

State and website:
What are the academic training requirements: (include the number of hours in the program; specific course content/titles, and number of hours in practicum/internship)	A doctoral or master’s degree in “psychotherapy or counseling in content” acquired from an approved or accredited institution as delineated in Section 4999.12 (“LPCC,” n.d.). The degree or certification must be a single integrated program comprising not less than ninety graduate quarter unit instruction or sixty graduate semester units (“LPCC,” n.d.). This includes a minimum of four-quarter graduate study units or three-semester units in vital content areas listed below: (“LPCC,” n.d.) Psychotherapeutic and counseling techniques and theories Human development and growth throughout the lifespan Career development techniques and theories. Group counseling techniques and theories. Testing, appraisal, and assessment of individuals Multicultural counseling techniques and theories. Diagnostic process’ precepts. Evaluation and research. Professional law, ethics, and orientation in counseling Psychopharmacology Addiction counseling. Trauma or crisis counseling Advanced psychotherapeutic and counseling techniques and theories The expert should also complete 22.5 quarter advanced coursework units or 15-semester units to develop cognizance of specific therapeutic problems or special populaces (“LPCC,” n.d.). They must complete a minimum of nine quarter or six-semester units of supervised field study or practicum experience, involving direct contact with clients in clinical settings (“LPCC,” n.d.). They should also complete not less than 280 hours of vis-à-vis supervised clinical experience providing counseling services to groups, families, or people (“LPCC,” n.d.).
What are the requirements for post-master’s supervised clinical experience: (i.e., number of client contact hours, or MFT, number of relational hours); the number of total hours; the number of supervision hours; specific requirements of supervisor)	A minimum of 3,000 aggregate supervised hours within 104 weeks, over a minimum period of two years (“LPCC,” n.d.) The supervisor should be a licensed expert in mental health. They should be: In possession of an active and current California license (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, LEP, etc.) not under probation or suspension (“LPCC,” n.d.). Licensed in any other state or California for a minimum of 2 years out of the past five years before beginning supervision (“LPCC,” n.d.). Have practiced psychotherapy within the above-mentioned period. Sign and adhere to the Supervisor Responsibility Statement (“LPCC,” n.d.).
What examination(s) are required:	LPCC Law and Ethics Examination (“LPCC,” n.d.) National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) (“LPCC,” n.d.)
What is licensure title: (e.g., LPC, LCPC, LMHC, LMFT, etc. – please write out the full title as well as initials):	Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
Is license tiered, and if so, what are titles and requirements (e.g., LPC, LPC-S):	The license is not tiered.
What is the scope of practice (i.e., what can and cannot be done by a licensed professional):	LPCCs are allowed to apply psychotherapeutic techniques and counseling interventions to distinguish and remediate emotional, mental, and cognitive issues such as environmental and psychosocial issues, crisis intervention, disability adjustment, and personal growth (Scope of practice, n.d.). They are not authorized to treat or assess families or couples unless the professional has undergone additional education and training above the minimum academic licensure requirements (“Scope of practice,” n.d.). They are not sanctioned to utilize projective approaches in the use of a battery of three or more evaluations, neuropsychological testing, individually administered intelligence assessments, and personality tests to ascertain criminal behavior, cognitive impairment, amnesia, dementia, and psychosis’ presence (“Scope of practice,” n.d.).
Identify two counseling organizations you wish to join.	American Counselling Association (ACA) American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)

References

Burns, S., & Cruikshanks, D. R. (2017). Evaluating independently licensed counselors’ articulation of professional identity using structural coding. The Professional Counselor, 7(2), 185-207. Web.

Elliott, A., Boecker, L., Elliott, G. M., Townsend, B. J., Johnson, V., Lopez, A.,… Roach, K. (2019). Interstate licensure portability: Logistics and barriers for professional counselors. The Professional Counselor, 9(3), 252–266. Web.

Lawson, G., Trepal, H.C, Lee, R. W., Kress, V. E. (2017). Advocating for educational standards in counselor licensure laws. Counselor Education and Supervision, 56, 162–176. Web.

Licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC). (n.d.). CALPCC. Web.

McKinney, R., West, E., Fye, M., Bradley, R., & Storlie, C. A. (2018). Chi Sigma Iota chapter faculty advisors’ experiences of professional counselor identity. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 5(1), 56–70. Web.

Scope of practice for LPCCs. (n.d.) CALPCC. Web.

Shook, M. (Executive Producer). (2017). What makes a counselor a counselor? Professional identity and other musings with Carl Sheperis [Audio Podcast]. The Thoughtful Counselor.

Shook, M. (Executive Producer). (2019). EP137: What on earth shall we call ourselves? Challenging the NCC/LPC/LMHC acronym soup with Donna Sheperis [Audio Podcast]. The Thoughtful Counselor. Web.

Shook, M. (Producer). (2019). EP143: developing a professional identity – a reflection with Robyn Trippany Simmons, Meagan Thompson, and Hayley Rose [Audio Podcast]. The Thoughtful Counselor. Web.