Professional Identity and Credential 1
PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY AND CREDENTIAL PAPER
Christian Tzunux
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Author Note
Christian Tzunux
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Christian Tzunux.
Email: [email protected]
Professional Identity and Credential 2
Abstract
This paper will address the importance of being able to define the professional identity as a
licensed professional counselor and the steps needed to define professional identity as a
counselor. These steps consist of understanding the motivations of the desire to become a
professional counselor, knowing the values of counseling and the challenges of becoming a
professional counselor, as well as having an understanding of the American Counseling
Association Code of Ethics. This paper also addresses the steps to licensure and accreditation
according to the state of Virginia. It also explores how spiritual integration is a component of the
professional counseling identity.
Keywords:
Mental health counseling, professional identity, counseling, Spiritual integration
Professional Identity and Credential 3
BENCHMARK PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY AND CREDENTIAL PAPER
Established counselors as well as student counselors are faced with the issue of defining their
professional identity. Research shows that there are many ways in which professional counselors
can define their professional identity. In this paper I will address the necessary components for
professional identity, how spiritual integration is involved with the professional identity and
challenges that may arise. I will also explore my own motivations for becoming a professional
counselor and the unique challenges that I may face and how I can overcome those challenges. I
will also address the requirements to becoming a professional counselor in the state of Virginia.
As mentioned previously, counselors may develop a professional identity in many different
ways, this can include the work environment that they are in, who they work with, what their
primary focus is, and what certifications they may have. All of these aspects can sometimes
cause confusion when trying to develop a singular professional identity for counselors overall.
(McKinney et al., 2018)
Being able to identify professionally as a counselor is imperative when it comes to
successfully communicating with potential clients, other professions, employers and the public.
Although professional identity is important, it is only true to the extent that it is expressed by its
members. The counselor’s professional identity is still being established, and because of this,
counselors must communicate what their specific professional identity is. This will ultimately
define the identity of the counseling profession.
Professional Identity and Credential 4
When it comes to spiritual integration in the professional counseling identity, integration
refers to the combining of theories and principles with spiritual beliefs. This integration model
acknowledges how a person's spiritual beliefs can strongly influence their mental and emotional
health. This is why it is important to incorporate these beliefs into the counseling process. As
people of faith, we can use this spiritual integration to help shape our professional identity as
counselors by integrated these spiritual practices as a therapeutic tool. One way this can be done
is by using Bible scriptures as guidance and insight as well as a source of comfort for clients that
are hurting. We can also integrate prayer into counseling sessions. This can help by helping to
develop a sense of peace for the client. We can also introduce spiritual disciplines to the client
such as fasting or meditation.
We do have to keep in mind that the ACA code of ethics guides us as professional counselors to
respect the client's spiritual and religious beliefs. We should be sure to avoid imposing our own
beliefs onto our clients.
Some of the challenges counselors face when trying to develop a professional identity is
that the counseling profession developed through many different specialty areas such as marriage
and family counseling, addiction counseling, school and career counseling etc. This has made it
challenging to develop a single professional identity for the counseling profession. Because of
the numerous specialty areas involved, there are many different credentials and licensure
requirements, this have created a broken sense of identity for the professional counselor.
Although I have personally always been interested in human psychology, my main motivation
for becoming a professional counselor knowing how vital the role of a counselor is and
understanding the tremendous need. In times past I never truly understood the need for
Professional Identity and Credential 5
professional counseling until the need was in my own family. I realized how important this
profession really is when my parents were in need of marriage counseling and even more when
my husband was in need of counseling due to past experiences and trauma that affected him
deeply.
The first step to identifying my identity as a professional counselor would be to reflect on my
personal and professional values and understand how they align with professional counseling. I
would also develop a professional network of peer counselors. I would also define what type of
client I desire to work with and identify my area of expertise.
Some of the potential challenges many counselors face and that I may face as well is making
sure to not allow personal values to interfere with the therapeutic process. Another possible
challenge would be interacting with a client that does not want to engage in the counseling
process. There are many reasons that this may happen, for example, counseling may be court-
ordered, or they may have had a negative experience in the past. As professional counselors we
must be competent in our profession and understand how to deliver the best care to our clients.
State Credential Plan
State: Virginia
Website for State’s Counseling Board: https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Counseling/
Academic Requirements: Number of total
hours in Master’s program.
60 Semester Hours
Academic Requirements: Specific course
content requirements (e.g., human growth
and development, ethics, multicultural,
etc).
1. Professional counseling identity, function, and
ethics;
2. Theories of counseling and psychotherapy;
3. Counseling and psychotherapy techniques;
Professional Identity and Credential 6
4. Human growth and development;
5. Group counseling and psychotherapy theories
and techniques;
6. Career counseling and development theories
and techniques;
7. Appraisal, evaluation, and diagnostic
procedures;
8. Abnormal behavior and psychopathology;
9. Multicultural counseling theories and
techniques;
10. Research;
11. Diagnosis and treatment of addictive
disorders;
12. Marriage and family systems theory;
Academic Requirements: Supervised
clinical experience (i.e.,
fieldwork/practicum/internship): What
are the total hours needed?
Supervised internship of at least 600 hours to
include 240 hours of face-to-face client contact.
Only internship hours earned after completion of
30 graduate semester hours may be counted
towards residency hours
Does your state require additional
coursework/hours than what is required to
complete the LUO CMHC program? If
so, what is needed?
No
POST MASTER’S Requirements: What
are the total hours needed before applying
for independent licensure?
3,400 hours of supervised experience
2,000 face-to-face hours of client contact
200 hours of in-person supervision
POST MASTER’S Requirements: What
licensure exam(s) are required?
NCMHCE or NCE exam.
Professional Identity and Credential 7
In conclusion, this paper has highlighted the importance of establishing a professional
identity for professional counselors, exploring the steps required to define this
identity within the counseling profession. It has also explored the motivations behind
the decision to pursue a career as a professional counselor, as well as the values and
challenges associated with this field. Furthermore, the paper has shed light on the
steps involved in obtaining licensure and accreditation in the state of Virginia. Lastly,
the paper has delved into the integration of spiritual aspects as a component of the
professional counseling identity, recognizing that spiritual integration is an important
aspect of professional identity as believers.
Professional Identity and Credential 8
References
Burns, S., & Cruikshanks, D. (2018, March 30).GCounselor professional identity | The
Professional Counselor. The Professional Counselor.
https://tpcjournal.nbcc.org/tag/counselor-professional-identity/
McKinney, R., West, E., Fye, M., Bradley, R., & Storlie, C. A. (2018). Chi Sigma Iota Chapter
Faculty Advisors’ Experiences of Professional Counselor Identity.GJournal of Counselor
Leadership and Advocacy,G5(1), 56–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/2326716x.2017.1422995
al, S. E. (2024).GIntroduction to Counseling: Integration of Faith, Professional Identity, and
Clinical PracticeG(2nd ed.). Kendall Hunt Publishing - Custom
Wholesale.Ghttps://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9798385152797
