Running head: ADVOCATING FOR EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
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Advocating for Educational Standards in Counselor Licensure Laws
Gerard Lawson, Heather C. Trepal, Robin W. Lee, Victoria Kress
Liberty University
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Abstract
The profession of Counseling has transformed over time. The education needed to obtain
licensure has evolved as the requirements for each state has been slightly different. The issue at
hand here is that licensed counselors are being faced with a hindrance of not being able to be
flexible and transfer their counseling licensure to other states. The method in which the Federal
Government recognized was CACREP, which is a standardized educational option. An action
plan was implemented with 7 different steps for advocating the proposal. Another issue would
include the pressure that is being put on schools as the workforce evolves and is finding their
place in the professional world. The counseling profession struggles to find a unified
professional identity. Another issue would be professionals not understanding the difference
between their profession and the other mental health professionals. Using the necessary
components of professional identity can assist in closing some of the gaps, and barriers, and
provide a better understanding of everyone in the mental health profession.
Keywords: licensure, standardize, CACREP, counseling
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Advocating for Educational Standards in Counselor Licensure Laws
Synthesizing and integrating the main points of the professional identity will assist the reader to
obtain a better understanding of the views that a professional counsellor has. This will also
explain the obstacles that they may endure. In addition, this will provide a look at some of the
solutions that mental health professions came up with and what they will to do need to stay on
the right track to becoming a successful mental health professional.
Synthesis and Integration of Main Points
In order to gain a better understanding of the professional identity and Credentials,
information was synthesized from course reading, Advocating for Educational Standard
Counseling Licensure Laws, and the podcasts, and What Makes a Counsel a Counselor. Within
these sources, 3 general categories of information were revealed: The importance of Professional
Identity, The Necessary Components for Professional Identity, and The challenges to
Professional Identity.
The importance of Professional
According to Simmons (2019), when incorporating the main points of the reading and
podcasts, the importance of professional identity comes from various aspects. It has been said
that a person’s experience and education play major roles in identifying personal identity.
Education and experience, allow the person to develop the skills they need to move towards their
goals. Determining your professional identity requires one to take on opportunities available.
Professionals also research and study different behaviors that people display. Professional
identity is extremely important when it comes to clinical practice. According to Yaya, Djalogue,
Patassi, Landoh, Assindo, Nambiema, Kolani, Patchali, Bignandi, Diallo, Ekouévi, & Saka,
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(2019) education is a key part in the growth of a student. Professional identity is important
because it represents the person. People take steps and achieve goals that develop their values
and qualities. This allows them to start acting and thinking like a clinical counselor.
Professional identity includes what a person knows and their belief system (Simmons, 2019).A
According to Simmons (2019) professional identity allows the person to be comfortable
in what they do. This builds confidence in the person. It may also be easier for a person that
recognizes their professional identity to seek employment because they see and understand their
community. The employee and the employer may share common goals and identify the benefits
that come along with the career. It takes time to perfect your craft, but a professional identity
will assist you in obtaining and achieving the goal you may have. People with a professional
identity set long and short-term goals to achieve. A student has in mind what they would like to
accomplish. They navigate using the resources and education to overcome obstacles and
ultimately achieve the goal. Professional Identity includes the following but isn’t limited to a
person’s morals, personality, skills, values, and knowledge. Professional identity is also known
to be the foundation of a successful career (Simmons, 2019).A
The Necessary Components
There are many necessary components for professional identity. A few listed are
mentoring, critical thinking, experience, reflection, self-efficacy, and professional socialization.
Mentoring goes with the internship and can be defined as a professional relationship. Mentors
guide students as they grow personally and professionally. They support the student, give them
advice, and challenge the student (Karel & Stead, 2011; Moss, Gibson, & Dollarhide, 2014).
Critical thinking is the personal ability to solve a problem to make a decision. This involves
prior and current learning (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1991).A
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The experience that a person gets is obtained through time, work, and exposure.
Reflection has a huge impact on professional identity development. Research has been
conducted and concluded that reflection contributes to confidence, understanding, and
information (Izadinia, 2013; Sutherland, Howard &A Markauskaite, 2010). Self-sufficiency
promotes confidence for a person to be able to complete a job on their own under any
circumstance (Baglin & Rugg, 2010; Holland, Middleton, & Uys, 2012; Mat Nor, Yusoff, &
Ismail, 2017). Professional socialization can be a person simply feeling as if they belong to a
group in their professional field.
The challenges to Professional Identity
There are many challenges to the professional identity. It has been known that higher
education equals success (Gosh & Lee 2008).A There is a lot of pressure on schools to make sure
that the students are prepared for the ever-changing workplace (Barnett, 1994;AReid, Dahlgren,
Petocz, & Dahlgren, 2008;ASarauw, 2011). It has been a struggle for the profession to come up
with a unified identity. People struggle to understand the difference between the numerous
professions. Schools also struggle to see and understand where they fit in, in the University
structure. Also, there has also been a disconnect between the profession and the lawmakers
(Barnett, 1994;AReid, Dahlgren, Petocz, & Dahlgren, 2008;ASarauw, 2011).
Professional Identity Development Plan
In this session, I will explain the motivators that will assist me in becoming a professional
counselor. I will also be explaining how I will be establishing my identity as a professional
counselor. Lastly, I will explain some of the challenges that may present barriers to my success
and provide two strategies for how I will manage those barriers. There will be 2 solutions for
each barrier.
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What are your motivators to become a professional counselor?
My motivators to become a professional counselor are changing lives, making a
difference where God allows me to, and fulfilling my purpose in life. Being able to do these
things will fill the void that I have had for some time now. It will also reconfirm the dreams I
have been having for the majority of my life.
What will I do to establish my identity as a counselor?
What I will do to establish my identity as a counselor will be to continue learning as
much as I can so I can demonstrate the skills and knowledge I have obtained. I plan on taking
the time to truly understand the profession and the different roles that people play in this
profession. I will remind myself daily of my expectations for myself, while being guided, and
continuing to grow in this field. I will also do as much as I can to understand the profession.
Identify potential challenges that may present barriers to my success?
Some challenges that may present barriers to my success would be me continuing to work
2 jobs and attend school full time. I will need to reduce the clients I have currently as a QMHP
and focus more on completing this degree. I will also have to prioritize and find balance within
work, home, and school. I also believe that I may have an issue if I am faced with a client who
was a child molester. As a child I was molested from the age of 2-year-old to 7 years old.
Though I have forgiven and moved on, it is still a touchy subject. Some solutions would be to
seek assistance from another mental help profession and work on preparing myself for client that
may potentially come in with an issue like that. Matbe educating myself more and not taking it
personal.
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State Credential Plan
State and website: Virginia
Virginia Board of Counseling. (2019). Virginia.gov.
https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/
What are the academic training
requirements:
(include the number of hours in
program; specific course
content/titles, and number of hours
in practicum/internship)
Completed a graduate degree in Counseling.
Master’s degree or higher in counseling that
includes 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) of
graduate study in counseling. Completion of a
supervised internship consisting of at least 600
hours. Programs that are approved by CACREP or
CORE are recognized as meeting the definition of
graduate degree programs that prepare individuals
to practice counseling and counseling treatment
intervention.
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)
3400 hours of postgraduate supervised counseling
experience, including 2,000 hours of direct client
contact. 200 hours of supervision required (100
hours must be under the supervision of an LPC
approved by the board).
What examination(s) are required: National Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Examination (NCMHCE) is administered by NBCC.
What is licensure title:
(e.g., LPC, LCPC, LMHC, LMFT, etc. –
please write out the full title as well
as initials):
LPC Licensed Professional Counselor
LCPC Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
LMHC Licensed Mental Health Counselor
LMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Is license tiered and if so, what are
titles and requirements (e.g., LPC,
LPC-S):
Licensed Resident in Counseling meaning you have
your degree and have been approved for supervision
but cannot work on your own. Licensed Professional
Counselor you are able to work on your own
diagnose, different disorders, and provide therapy
and psychological evaluations
PsyD or PhD is the doctorate level
What is the scope of practice (i.e.,
what can and cannot be done by a
licensed professional):
You can only practice what’s in your scope of
expertise or practice. You can’t do anything you’re
not trained to do
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State and website: Virginia
Virginia Board of Counseling. (2019). Virginia.gov.
https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/
Identify two counseling
organizations you wish to join. Gateway Counseling and Tidewater Psychotherapy Services
Virginia Board of Counseling. (2019). Virginia.gov. https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/
Virginia LPC Requirements, Counselor Licensing VA, Counselor Education. (n.d.). Counselor-
Education.com. https://www.counselor-education.com/virginia-lpc-requirements/
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Summery and Reaction to Turnitin Report
I submitted the incorrect copy of my assignment the first time to Turnitin. The results
were 37% overall Similarity. When I resubmitted the correct copy, it was 31%. Both
percentages for me was high, but at the same time I am very confused on how to read it. I didn’t
have any sentences copied in its entirety. The state credential plan came back with word for
word; however, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to paraphrase the answers to the questions. I did
provide the citation at the bottom of the page.
The Turnitin report is very confusing to me, what does the colors mean? Also, it says
submitted work, I’ve never attended this school before and have no prior papers. Majority of the
report states that it came from Liberty University. Hopefully, I can get some clarity on how to
read the report. As stated, it did pick up matches on the headings, titles, and references. I would
not intentionally plagiarize my paper and submit it. I would like to get that percentage down
lower in future assignments. This is my first writing assignment so I will use this as a learning
tool for improvement.
