Defining Professional Identity

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Professional Identity as a Student of Marriage and Family Therapy Christine Renzetti Student Capella University Coun5004 Abstract Students learning to be counselors face several questions in the development of their professional identities, including determining what their role as a counselor is, what the educational and professional requirements are for them to be a counselor and how that shapes their view of themselves as a professional, and what characteristics determine their role and efficacy as counselors. Through research and study across a wide range of scholarly journals and organization websites we determined several key factors in determining professional identity and development for the counselor…show more content…
29.) Thus, it would appear that the first step one must complete in the process of developing professional identity and what it means to be a professional counselor, is to first define what it is that a professional counselor does. There are many potential sources for defining what a professional counselor does, ranging from the various associations devoted to counseling specializations, to state licensing requirements. From there, the question arises of how a counselor self identifies. Whether as a counselor first and then within their specialization, or by specialization with the appellation of counselor only coming after and how this self identification affects their professional identity and collaboration with other professionals within their scope such as psychologists and social workers. (Mellin, Hunt, & Nichols,…show more content…
4.) We will also define Mental Health counseling as “the provision of professional counseling services involving the application of principles of psychotherapy, human development, learning theory, group dynamics, and the etiology of mental illness and dysfunctional behavior to individuals, couples, families and groups, for the purpose of promoting optimal mental health, dealing with normal problems of living and treating psychopathology.” (American Mental Health Counselors Association [AMHCA], 2011, pg. 2.) While on the surface these two definitions can be seen as identical with only the word choice separating them, it would seem that the underlying goal differs slightly with that of the Mental Health counselor seeking to treat the mental illness itself, and the MFT striving to treat the effects of the mental illness on not only the individual, but on those surrounding the individual. A fine distinction, but one with broad impact on the development of a counselor in training’s professional career, necessitating a focus on treating an illness or on managing the illness across several
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