Professional Identity
Abstract
There have been major topics in discussion regarding professional identity. The meaning
of professional identity in the field of counseling is the values, motives, attributes, and beliefs
that people define themselves in a professional role. Counselors with a strong foundation of
understanding professional identity understand their practice, roles, and functions to assist
clients better. The readings talk about professional identity and that individuals must be able to
communicate their professional identity to others. This paper will answer the following three
questions: the state requirements for professional licensure, membership in professional
counseling associations, and why professional identity is crucial for future counselors. The
issue of counselor identity has created problems when transferring the license to another state.
Counseling organizations like the American Counseling Association promote the counselor's
identity. The sharing of professional identity makes it easier for counselors to get licensures in
another state and provide services for payments.
Professional Identity
The professional identity of counselors begins with the state requirements for
professional licensure, membership in a professional counseling association, and why
professional identity is so crucial for future counselors. Other factors alter professional
identity, including having contact with other counselors "who have a strong counselor
professional identity (Burns, Cruikshanks 2017)." The reading mentioned that a strong
counselor identity benefits the counselor's ability to work with the client's population.
States have different licensure requirements, but to graduate from a counselor
program, one must meet the state's requirements that they are trying to get licensure.
For instance, Liberty University is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of
Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), while other states require
CACREP-equivalent coursework. Institutions that CACREP accredits require 60 credit
hours, and others that are not only 48 credit hours; this can cause problems when trying
to get licensure in another state. There are benefits for those who graduate from an
accredited college of CACREP because they have a higher National Counselor Exam
pass rate and are likely to retain students to graduate.
All states require students to take an examination to become a counselor in the
United States. The issue with this is that when someone wants to get licensure in
another state, they are more likely to take another exam. “Participants reported a lack of
uniformity between states regarding the required licensure exam” (Elliott, Bohecker,
Elliott, Townsend, Johnson, Lopez, Horn, and Roach, 2019 ). Another issue with this is
that the test information does not apply to the practice of counselors. Another
requirement issue is with examinations; some states require one exam over another. As
mentioned in the reading, the National Counselor Examination ( NCE) and the National
Professional Identity
Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) are required for some states.
Other states require the NCE exam. There is another benefit of an institution of
CACREP because the state board will need less documentation of academic
curriculum; those who do not graduate from an accredited university from CACREP
might need to send their transcript to an organization to evaluate their education.
Clinical hours are another difference between states because some states
require more than others, making it another relocating issue. States require 2000-4000
clinical hours for those who graduate. The problem is that those who want to relocate to
another state must have additional hours; sometimes, verifying hours from previous
supervisors takes a lot of work.
There are many counseling organizations, and it is the benefit of future
counselors to join them to enhance their professional identity. American Counseling
Association (ACA) was established in 1952 as one of the voices to counselors
“providing guidance to the field through its Code of Ethics” ; it lobbies crucial cases to
the legislature with the main goal of consistency among practices (Simmons, Lilley, and
Kuhnley 2020). Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) is the international honor society for counselors to
recognize academic achievement and leadership. Another organization is the National
Career Development Association. It aims to provide professional development to
counselors to achieve their career and life goals.
Each state has its laws regarding licensure, which has the consequences of
making it hard for counselors to become licensed in another state. As mentioned in the
reading, “lack of uniformity between states can significantly increase the time and effort
to provide documentation and evidence of competence to be issued a full license
Professional Identity
(Elliott, Bohecker, Elliott, Townsend, Johnson, Lopez, Horn and Roach 2019).” The
benefit of consistency between states is that it is easier to get a license, and there is
more access to care. The problem is that licensure in another state can take up to a
year to process. There are other issues with the differences in licensure titles one state
has with the license over another; in Indiana, the license is called a Licensed Mental
Health Counselor (LMHC), and in New Mexico, the conditional license is LMHC, and
when it becomes a full license, the title is an LPC this makes it hard when someone is
trying to apply for licensure in another state. Having one title for a counseling license is
crucial because it will be easier for practitioners to clarify the scope.
The impact of the ability to practice has a profound hardship on counselors
wanting to practice in another state. It begins with the application to be processed and
approved; this can take up to six weeks and six months, which makes it impossible for
counselors to earn an income. There is the other issue of paying additional fees to
relocate to another state while needing to be able to practice.
A counselor's professional identity can increase in growth by having contact
with professional counselors with more experience, such as supervisors, counselor
educators, and contemporaries. The benefit of graduating from a CACREP university is
that it speeds up getting a license. Students "who graduated from CACREP
accreditated programs described how their process was made easier because their
program was CACREP-accredited" (Elliott, Bohecker, Elliott, Townsend, Johnson,
Lopez, Horn and Roach 2019). Recommendations for counselors begin with
documenting all training hours so that if something is lost or requested by another state
trying to get a license.
Professional Identity
My motivator to become a professional counselor is that I want to assist the
community that is suffering from mental health counseling for those who are homeless
and have drug addiction issues. The reason why I like to help such a population is that
my ex-husband is one of them who is suffering from drug addiction. I have a mission to
assist the poverty population who are suffering from drug addiction. Ecclesiastes 9:10
(international standard Version) says, “Whatever the activity in which you engage, do it
with all your ability because there is no work, no planning, no learning, and no wisdom
in the next world where you’re going.” The verse assists me in my professional identity
because it means to me to love my future job and the people I will be working with. I am
going to be advocating for others who are suffering from addiction for treatment and
counseling. Each day that I do my job will be an adventure because I will be assisting
those who need help and are less vulnerable.
The challenge to this is that currently, there is no funding for assisting people in
my community who have drug addiction issues. The lack of funding creates lots of
homeless with mental health issues. I grew up with friends who had drug addiction
issues, and they never received any help. Another challenge is that I am scared to enter
the counseling field because I do not know that much about counseling. The last few
chapters of the readings have been challenging to understand. A strategy to manage
the barriers is that there needs to be an advocate of resources and that I need to read
my assignments to be more prepared for class.
Professional Identity
Reference
Elliott, A., Bohecker, L., Elliott, G. M., Townsend, B. J., Johnson, V., Lopez, A., Horn, E.
D., & Roach, K. (2019). Interstate Licensure Portability: Logistics and barriers for
professional counselors. The Professional Counselor,9(3), 252–266.
https://doi.org/10.15241/ae.9.3.252
Burns, S., & Cruikshanks, D. R. (2017). Evaluating independently licensed counselors’
articulation of professional identity using structural coding. The Professional Counselor,
7(2), 185–207. https://doi.org/10.15241/sb.7.2.185
Professional Identity
State and website:
Washington State
https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-
permits-and-certificates/prof
essions-new-renew-or-upda
te/mental-health-counselor/li
censing-information
What are the academic training
Requirements: (include the number of hours in program
specific course content/titles, and number
of hours in practicum/internship)
Washington LMHC
licensure
requires the completion of a
master’s or doctoral degree
in mental health counseling,
behavioral science or a field
relating to mental health
counseling.
What are requirements for post-master’s
supervised clinical experience:
(i.e., number of client contact hours, or MFT,
number of relational hours); number of total
hours; number of supervision hours; specific
requirements of supervisor)
Mental Health Counselor is
required to obtain 3,000
hours of experience. At
least 1,200 of those hours
must be in direct client
contact, and a minimum of
100 hours should be under
the immediate direction of
an approved supervisor.
What examination(s) are required:
The National Counselor
Examination (NCE) and the
National Clinical Mental Health
CounselorExamination
(NCMHCE) are accepted for
licensure in Washington State
What is licensure title:
(e.g., LPC, LCPC, LMHC, LMFT, etc. – please
write out the full title as well as initials):
counselors in Washington
who have obtained their
licensure are known as
licensed mental health
counselors
Is license tiered and if so, what are titles and
requirements (e.g., LPC, LPC-S):
License is not tiered
What is the scope of practice (i.e., what can and
cannot be done by a licensed professional):
A license professional can
not violate licensing law or
