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Identity Exploration and Credentials
Professional Identity Exploration and State of Colorado Credentials
Mary M Roach
School of Clinical Mental Health, Liberty University
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mary MargaretRoach.
Email:
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
Abstract
The role professional identity plays within a career field is undeniably crucial to the
development of that profession. This paper explores the importance of professional identity, the
necessary components of it, and the challenges to professional identity within professional
counseling. Through this paper, academic articles and professional sources are reviewed and
integrated to provide understanding of professional identity. For professional counselors, the
importance of a professional identity aids in developing a more unified profession through
standardizing connectivity seen in the ethical practices and core values (Simmons, Lilley, &
Kuhnley, 2019). There are many necessary components of a professional identity including
requirements for professional licensure and certification which allows for controlled
competencies within the field of professional counseling. Many challenges have arisen which
test the professional identity of the counseling profession stemming from blurred distinction of
mental health fields and other individualized trials. Lastly, my personal aspirations to become a
professional counselor are explored through identifying potential personal, professional, and
academic barriers to success and strategies to manage those struggles.
Keywords: Professional Identity, Counseling, Barriers
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
Professional Identity Exploration and State of Colorado Credentials
Through reading the assigned chapters in the textbook “Introduction to Counseling:
Integration of Faith, Professional Identity, and Clinical Practice” and reading the articles I
selected: “Professional Identity Development Among Counselor Educators In-Training: The
Impact of Privilege Awareness and the Intersectionality of Social Identities” and “Interstate
Licensure Portability: Logistics and Barriers for Professional Counselors" I was able to form a
better personal understanding of Professional Identity and my potential role as a future
professional counselor. Creating a personal connection with the profession of counseling is so
important as I decide how best to further my education and future career plans. Continuing to
educate myself and better my understanding of the role professional counselors occupy in the
mental health field is essential for choosing a path for my personal life.
Reading and studying aids me in identifying potential barriers to my success within the
counseling profession and creating strategies to overcome any struggles I may encounter.
Realizing the importance of professional identity, developing a professional identity plan, and
understanding the licensure requirements within my state are explored in the following paper.
Professional Identity
Identity as a whole constitutes how one understands, explains, and presents themselves.
More specifically, professional identity connects the individual and the profession in which they
practice. This connection between the person and the profession is essential in promoting
universal connectivity resulting in ethical practice and core values amongst professional
counselors (Elliott et al., 2019). On top of universal benefits, equating professional counselors
under one professional identity strengthens holistic wellness for counselors through a better
understanding of the role the profession occupies. Relating with the professional identity of the
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
counseling profession aids individuals with embracing their unique roles within the mental health
field.
Simmons et al. (2019) states that “developing a unified professional identity allows for a
sense of belonging, enhances allegiance, fosters competency, and provides a schematic
framework for the profession and professional community”. There are plenty of benefits for a
professional to utilize their career’s professional identity both personally and within the field.
Whether within personal life or professional settings, understanding one’s professional identity
aids in introducing and communicating about the profession and goals within the profession
boldly. Professional identity can actively help create goals leading to growth opportunities within
a career path. Specifically for young professionals, connecting with a professional identity can
ground and create confidence within the counseling profession (McKenzie, 2023).
There are several necessary components that a professional identity must adhere to.
Firstly, within the profession there must be professional associations. The counseling profession
contains many professional associations, most well know the American Counseling Association
(ACA). This association provides other necessities for a professional identity and “stands as one
of the major unifying voices in the counseling profession, providing guidance to the field
through its Code of Ethics, support to its members through development and training, and direct
advocacy for counseling...” (Simmons et al. 2019, p. 57). Within the ACA, there are 18 divisions
for counselors with special interests to be culturally and spiritually inclusive of each professional
counselor. The importance of finding a calling which adheres to individual God-given talents and
gifts is essential hence identifying with a professional identity that is intentionally inclusive is
paramount.
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
Another necessary aspect of a professional identity includes requirements for professional
licensure and certifications. The requirement for professional licensure and certification aids in
the ability to regulate practice within the counseling profession. Placing levels of training and
supervision allows the profession to monitor the accreditation of a counselor which protects both
the professional counselor and the people who they are serving (Simmons et al., 2019).
The field of professional counseling presents many challenges to its professional identity
including a lack of uniformity related to the overall view of the profession. Within the profession
of counseling, there is disparity due to varying views on counselor professional title, scope of
practice, and educational requirements leading to an inconsistent professional identity. These
disparities result in difficulty defining the professional identity of the counseling profession
because of a lack of collaboration. In efforts to create a single professional identity under which
all individuals within the counseling profession can operate under, an initiative was launched
between the ACA and the American Association of State Counseling Boards. “This initiative
focused on the importance of defining a professional identity and promoting licensure
portability” (Elliott, Bohecker, Elliott, Townsend, Johnson, Lopez, Horn, Roach, 2019). Moving
forward as a counseling profession, continuing to educate and promote consistency within
licensure, professional title, educational requirements, and scope of practice is essential for
growth.
Another challenge to professional identity stems from the fact that counseling is a
relatively new and constantly growing profession comparatively. The evolution of counseling
from psychology and overlap of both disciplines led to blurred development of a specific
professional identity for the counseling profession. Regarding distinguishing the counseling
profession from other helping professions, “researchers found five themes: case management,
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
personal growth, testing and assessment, global vs. individual, and no difference” (McKenzie,
2023, p. 17). Creating this distinction between counseling and other helping professions is
essential to the solidarity of the profession and the cohesion of professional identity. Specifically,
individuals who are continuing education in hopes to become future professional counselors
must “be intentionally reflective as you learn more about what it means to be a counselor,
including how you explain your professional goals...” (Simmons et al., 2019, p 50).
Professional Identity Plan
Personally, as a woman of color, I am motivated to become a professional counselor to
offer services to people of color who feel that there are no counselors that can relate to their
specific experiences as a person of color in the United States of America. As a young adult, I
found it difficult to find a professional counselor of color in my geographical location which
deterred me from attending professional counseling. My goal is to become a professional
counselor to lessen the burden for people of color seeking professional counseling. I am
motivated by the God-given gifts and talents I was bestowed. A love of learning and a passion
for mental health also serve as motivators for becoming a professional counselor.
To establish my identity as a professional counselor, I will continue to assess and
evaluate my skills and passions. Working at a non-profit that helps people experiencing
homelessness, I have already begun networking within my community and developing the
communication skills necessary to create my identity as a future professional counselor.
Personally, a barrier to success that I struggle with is comparison which causes me to
constantly evaluate where I am in life compared to my siblings, friends, and colleagues. Learning
to pray and trust God’s individualized plan for me has become imperative in striving to
overcome this barrier in my personal life. Another barrier to success is limited resources. I am
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
struggling with being able to fund my education and often feel as if there are no resources to aid
me in this struggle to become financially stable and educated simultaneously. As stated above,
praying, and trusting God’s plan is essential for overcoming this barrier. On top of prayer, I have
put efforts towards researching grants that can aid in paying for my education and beginning
budgeting courses to further myself through this struggle.
State
and
website:
Colorado
and
coloradocounselingassociation.org
What
are
the
academic
training
requirements:
(include
the
number
of
hours
in
program;
specific
course
content/
titles,
and
number
of
hours
in
practicum/internship)
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)
What
examination(s)
are
required:
What
is
licensure
title:
(e.g.,
LPC,
LCPC, LMHC,
LMFT,
etc.
-
please
write
out
the
full
title
as
well
as
initials):
Is
license
tiered
and
if
so,
what
are
titles
and
requirements
(e.g.,
LPC,
LPC-S):
What
is
the
scope
of
practice
(i.e.,
what
can
and
cannot
be
done
by
a
licensed
professional):
Identify
two
counseling
organizations
you
wish
to
join.
To
become
a
LPC
in
Colorado,
you
must
graduate
from
a
Council
for
Accreditation
of
Counseling
and
Related
Educational
Programs
(CACREP)
or
equivalent
program.
This
includes
completing
60
credit
hours
and
a
practicum
of
at
least
700
hours.
Completed
as
an
LPCC
you
must
have
at
least
2,000
hours
of
post-master’s
counseling experience
over 2
years.
This
must
include
100
hours
of
supervision
and
70 of
those
hours
must
be
face-to-face
supervision.
National
Counselor
Examination
(NCE)
Colorado’s
licensure
title
is
Licensed
Professional
Counselor
(LPC).
There
is
an
option
for
those
seeking
their
LPC
to
be
LPCC
or
Licensed
Professional
Counselor
Candidate.
In
Colorado,
as
an
LPC,
an
individual
can
provide
intervention
and
assessment
services
to
individuals,
groups,
and
families
using
psychotherapy,
cognitive,
and
behavioral
theories
and
strategies
After
reading
the
textbook,
I
am
interested
in
joining
the
American
Counseling
Association
(ACA)
and
the
American
Mental
Health
Counselors
Association
(AMHCA).
Within
the
ACA,
I
would
like
to
join
the
Association
for
Humanistic
Counseling
and
the
Association
for
Multicultural
Counseling
and
Development,
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
State Credential Plan
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Identity Exploration and Credentials
References
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
McKenzie, T. K. (2023). Professional Identity Development Among Counselor Educators In-
Training: The Impact of Privilege Awareness and the Intersectionality of Social Identities
(Order No. 30573176). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
(2846752390).
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/
dissertations-theses/professional-identity-development-among-counselor/docview/
2846752390/se-2
Simmons, R. T., Lilley, S. C., & Kuhnley, A. (2019). Chapter 2. In Introduction to counseling:
Integration of Faith Professional Identity and Clinical Practice (pp. 48–91). essay,
Kendall Hunt.
