Child Therapist Interview 2
Abstract
In this assignment, the student will be interviewing a professional child therapist. The student
will be interviewing Child Therapist, Ms. Emily from Pine Belt Mental Healthcare. Ms. Emily is
a License Family and Marriage Counselor. This assignment will also provide ten questions that
the counselor will answer in their own opinion and views during the interview. Furthermore, it
will provide insight into the field of child counseling and an outlook on what the student may
become exposed to in the future.
Keywords: child therapist, interview, children, families, therapy
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Child Therapist Interview
Questions
1. What is your professional background?
Response: Ms. Emily stated, “My background is a License Marriage Family Therapist. I have
been providing services for nearly 14 years and I love it. I found a passion in school because
I wanted to be a teacher. When I was in undergrad, I had to take a class on behaviors in the
classroom. I remember my instructor having to teach certain exercise on student that will
have ADHD and problem regulating their moods. After completing that class, I went to talk
to that teacher. She informed me about minoring in psychology. So, I did. I graduated from
undergrad as a teacher, but also minoring in psychology
2. What type of therapeutic intervention do you do?
Response: Ms. Emily stated, “Since we are a local mental health agency, I provide CBT
mostly and individual counseling. However, I also do interventions such as play therapy,
anger and stress management, ADHD intervention, parenting issues, trauma therapy, and also
others. I have a very large caseload because I am covering for the county and there are a few
of us. So, I also handle Life Stressors, Substance Abuse/Addictive Behavior, Self-Harm,
Anxiety, Depression, Unexpected Pregnancy, Eating disorder or body image, Obsessions or
Compulsions.
Any Concerning Behavior
3. What made you choose to be a counselor?
Response: After teacher for 3 years, my heart began to change. I was feeling that I should be
helping more with the children with behavioral issues and as a teacher, I couldn’t do it. I was
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slight jealous of the special education teacher, behavior specialist, and school counselors. So,
I decided to go back to school to complete my Masters in Marriage and Family Counseling. I
graduated in 2010 and came right here to Pine Belt.”
4. Why did you choose to work here?
Response: Emily stated, “It was hard deciding exactly where I wanted to go. I knew I wanted
to help children because I enjoyed being around teaching and helping children. So, I checked
around my area and researched on what they were doing and decided to come to a local
mental health agency. As I was reviewing Pine Belt Mental Health, I noticed the varieties of
services that they provide with children. They have specialized programs for juveniles,
adolescents, and even those require more intervention and behavioral management. I also
realized it was place of many platforms and they provide services to over 15 counties. It was
a major opportunity for grown. I started in regular services with children, then I tried the
school-based Clinician, and then I settled into regular Child and Youth Service. Clinicians. I
have been doing this position for 5 years and I found it to more of my speed. I have a
caseload of 145 children as of now. It changes a lot depending on the need of the child.
Sometimes a child needs more than what I am able to provide so they are referred to a
different part of pine belt such as MYPAC. MYPAC is a Medicaid program that provides
intensive mental health and support services to children and families at home. It is also
provided in other several states so if a child moves due to a divorce of foster placement, they
can be referred there as well.”
5. What do you love most about your job?
Response: Emily stated, “Oh that’s a good question! I love the kids. I think my favorite part
about my job is the things kid say positive from their sessions. I had one kid express that my
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office is there safe space and they felt free to tell me anything. I value how much they
confide in me and the truth that we have built. They have told me many times how they felt
that they are feeling judged when they come into the office and they felt that it was a free
space for them to vent and let it all out.
6. What are your challenges as a counselor?
Response: Emily stated, “My empathy can be a challenge for me. For example, because I
want the child to succeed, its ca be a little painful sometimes to see a child battle with heir
self esteem by harming themselves or when they attempt it. Sometimes I feel that I have
failed when I get a call or update that child has been admitted due to suicidal ideation when
they were doing great in their session with me.
7. Do you find yourself finding any working conflict from your own personal beliefs?
Response: Emily stated, “No, I respectfully value anyone beliefs. I have a lot of teens that
have view that are simply spiritual or choose to believe in God. However, I understand due to
their worldviews and worldviews.”
8. How do you maintain professionalism?
Response: Emily stated, “I feel that the ethical standards are reasonable. As a person of faith,
I love what I do because I am helping people heal. It their own journey that I am witnessing.
I don’t cast judgement or try to impose my beliefs either. If I ever felt uncomfortable, I
discuss it with my supervisor.”
9. What is something that you find that you are learning as you continue your
profession?
Response: Emily stated, “Something that I have found myself learning is more personal than
professionally. I have found that self-regulating my own emotions so that I don’t endue burn
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out can be easily done. Burn out can happen very easily in situations like this. Since I am in a
small county, its own two of us in the office so we are very swamps until someone filled the
other child counselor position. Currently, my workload has doubled and I have seen more
client now. I am literally booked for the next two months. I feel bad for my regulars because
some people see me weekly and they have been extended. It is out of my hands due to
administration.” One expert suggests that burnout has been shown to develop due to chronic
stress or distress on how job demands, resources and personal characteristics affect burnout
among practitioner (McCormack et.al. 2018)
10. What do you find is the most important quality in being a counselor?
Response: Emily stated, “Uniqua, I feel that the traits you have as being a caseworker will
make you a great counselor in the future. Since you see most of the people on my caseload, I
have heard very good things about you such as your compassion, your empathy, and your
social interaction with the children is amazing. As a counselor, you have to be objective
while also being nonjudgmental in their life. Most of our job is being a safe space for express
what’s o their mind and be there during their healing journey. Most of that requires listening
and affirming their emotions with empathy. I feel that you will be on the right track.
Conclusion
Ms. Emily uncovered a lot of information in regards of her own perspective as a
counselor and also her challenges. She also challenges the student on how different things can
happen in dealing with children and what made her want to pursue counseling with children. Ms.
Emily also provide an outlook on her interventions and also the quality of being a counselor. She
also revealed how burn out can happen in the office due to the lack of staff at this time. Another
expert also informed how some people may quit the job as a result of burnout, others will stay
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References
References:
Corell, Rhonda L., "Burnout: implications for counselors" (2000). Graduate Research Papers.
500. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/grp/500
McCormack HM, MacIntyre TE, O'Shea D, Herring MP, Campbell MJ. The Prevalence and
Cause(s) of Burnout Among Applied Psychologists: A Systematic Review. Front
Psychol. 2018 Oct 16;9:1897. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01897. PMID: 30386275;
PMCID: PMC6198075.
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