Counselor Interview

Licensed Counselor Interview

You are required to conduct a synchronous interview (the preference is for in person, but a video chat (zoom or google meet) is allowed) with a fully licensed counselor in your state. The individual must be licensed as a counselor and not a professional from another mental health discipline such as a social worker, marriage and family therapist (LMFT’s have a different degree) or a psychologist/counseling psychologist.

The interview should take you anywhere from 30-45 minutes.

After conducting your interview, you are asked to create a 5-7 page document in a narrative format that contains the information listed in the bullet points below.

You are free to ask the questions how you’d like, but you will need to be sure to inquire in a way where you will receive the necessary information.

The document should be structured in APA format (12 pt. Times New Roman Font or 11 pt. Calibri) and should include only a narrative summary of the interview - not a direct question and answer. Include a title page and citations/references were appropriate. No abstract is needed

You are being asked to inquire about the following information (you may use the bolded headings to help organize your paper):

Introduction

· Introduce the site and individual you interviewed, including location, if you were able to visit in person or just virtually etc.

· The counselor’s name, degree, the school where the degree was earned, and credentials.

Professional Identity

· Determine if the counselor has any additional training, specializations, certifications, etc. or if the counselor is a member of any professional organizations - why or why not?

· Ask how they define clinical mental health counseling and how is it different from other mental health fields

· What theoretical orientation do they hold and what theoretical approaches do they utilize with clients?

· Ask them what they do to maintain wellness and engage in self-care.

Counselor Roles and Functions

· Determine which types of populations the counselor currently works with. What other populations does their agency serve?

· Determine which types of populations the counselor has worked with in the past. What populations would they like to work with in the future?

· Inquire about the setting to determine what level of care the counselor is providing services.

· Discuss the typical tasks and requirements of their specific role within the agency (be sure to explore what the counselor does on a daily basis, in addition to their clinical counseling duties.) and what other roles and responsibilities counselors at their agency may hold.

· Does the agency utilize an integrative care approach? If so, how does the counselor fit into the team?

· How do you advocate at the individual, systemic, and professional levels? Why or Why not?

History and Development

· Ask what changes they’ve noticed in the development of the profession.

· Ask the counselor what they believe to be the most challenging thing about being a clinical mental health counselor. What could be done to resolve this issue?

· Ask what advice they could give you as a counselor-in-training.

Conclusion

· Overall impressions

· Anything that you disagreed with that the counselor said based on class discussions?

· What are the pros and cons of counseling that you personally want to address?

· What did you learn about counseling?