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My name is Blake Dean, and this is a portfolio recapping my greatest works during the Mental Health & Wellness Counseling program I was enrolled in at Angelo State University. Each section includes a summary of the project as well as how it ties to program standards or student learning outcomes. These classes are listed in no particular order and serve as a reflection of the degree program.

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This assignment is a self-reflection wherein I examine my weaknesses and counseling biases. It is a detailed account of why I chose to become a counselor and how events in my life have shaped this career choice. The program standards of this degree path promote the ACA Code of Ethics, which encourages counselors to explore the boundaries of their competence and learn to practice within it (ACA, 2014, C.2.a). This exercise in personal bias helped me explore those boundaries and will be taken into consideration as my professional career advances.

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In this project, I was tasked with creating a counseling group including a detailed curriculum, objectives, disclaimers, plans of action, guidelines, and dynamics. The group was based on psycho-education for first-generation minority college students, seeking to equip them with interpersonal skills that will improve their social and academic performance. Being able to organize resources to create this hypothetical treatment plan reflects the student learning outcomes for this degree by showing "the knowledge, abilities, skills, and dispositions necessary to broadly integrate mental health and wellness counseling concepts into their chosen counseling field". With a firm understanding of how groups are formed, I could competently organize or conduct one and advocate for its members.

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In the Theories of Counseling course, I was tasked with creating a personal theory involving concepts of constructivism. This project pushed me to define my beliefs in human nature, behavioral change, trauma, and motivation. Drawing on theorist Alfred Adler, I explored constructivist theory and explained how I would incorporate it with aspects of narrative therapy. This application of theory fulfills student learning outcomes by demonstrating the ability to integrate concepts of mental health and wellness counseling into my profession. Exploring theoretical orientation helped expand my professional identity and taught me how to conceptualize treatment.

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When making this assignment, I got to choose from a variety of disorders to write about. I ended up choosing ADHD because it is often misunderstood by the general population. This essay is a psycho-educational analysis of the disorder, including symptoms, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and conceptualization from the perspective of an LPC. The assignment fulfills student learning outcomes by showing that I have proficient knowledge to be effective in my specialization. Getting to research this disorder and creating a treatment plan has provided me with a theoretical framework that I can use to understand other disorders.

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In this project, I was tasked with detailing the ethics of mandatory reporting and referral processes. There is no duty to warn in Texas, so the ethics of mandatory reporting is a lot trickier in our state. This essay details how to practice within one's competency, determine when reporting is necessary, and how to adequately refer a client or consult a colleague when an issue is beyond your competency. The concepts presented in this assignment reflect program standards based on the ACA Code of Ethics, which is the obligation of a counselor to protect the client from anticipated harm and ensure their welfare (ACA, 2014, B.2.a). Conceptualizing my professional responsibilities through this essay assisted me in becoming a better patient advocate.

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Mandatory Reporting, Referral Processes, & Consultation (3)

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In the Counseling Ethics course, I completed a scavenger hunt for resources related to managing online records. With major healthcare companies moving from paper to electronic medical records, there are more ethical considerations. This powerpoint details how to ethically manage electronic records, exploring both state and federal laws for physical and electronic record keeping for LPCs. The assignment reflects program standards supported by the ACA Code of Ethics, which encourages counselors to proactively safeguard their client's records (ACA, 2014, B.6.b). After creating this presentation, I have a point of reference for how documentation should be conducted, including note-taking strategies, local and federal laws, and general storage tips.

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Records Management Online Scavanger Hunt

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EDG 6332, Introduction to Crisis, Trauma, and Mental Health Concerns

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EDG 6332, Introduction to Crisis, Trauma, and Mental Health Concerns

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The following document is a spreadsheet detailing various mental health disorders, including research-based definitions, the importance of early intervention, scholarly references, and useful resources. The purpose of the assignment was to provide a personal reference guide for professional practice, listing five categories of disorders with information on over twenty different diagnoses. The material from this spreadsheet adheres to the student learning outcomes of this program by allowing me to demonstrate how to implement mental health and wellness counseling concepts in my chosen field. It is a collection of personal knowledge and resources that reflects my intimate understanding of the DSM-5.

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Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders B. Dean

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EDG 6336, Marriage and Family Counseling

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EDG 6336, Marriage and Family Counseling

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The following presentation is a case study based on a fictional couple, created to showcase theoretical approaches to multicultural issues and competency in creating intervention plans. This assignment details an African-American man and an Asian-American woman needing couples counseling over parental disagreements and cultural divides. Setting a theoretical framework, I detailed a four-session intervention, analyzing desired goals and outcomes as well as assessment tools and techniques. This display of knowledge correlates with student learning outcomes for the program, showing my knowledge and ability to integrate aspects of mental health and wellness counseling into my profession. Getting to form an intervention plan has provided me with practical skills in treatment planning that will be useful in clinical settings.

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In this course about psychopathology, I created a fictional study that analyzes a client with depression and anxiety, detailing various symptoms and showing how I would diagnose and treat her. Included is an in-depth list of psychiatric disorders and how I would identify them. This detailed study reflects the program learning outcome of "proficient knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills necessary to be effective within the chosen specialization". It serves as a showcase of deductive clinical reasoning at an advanced level meant to be replicated in practical work.

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EDG 6396, Capstone in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling 

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EDG 6396, Capstone in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling 

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Angelo State University's Department of Curriculum & Instruction expects its graduate students to adhere to four dispositions of professionalism. In addition, this degree program has its own standards and student learning outcomes, with a capstone course that requests a presentation demonstrating the fulfillment of all four dispositions. In this slideshow, I detail my professional growth and create a custom disposition, demonstrating program standards based on the ACA Code of Ethics, showing the necessity of a counselor's commitment to professional growth and integrity (ACA, 2014, A.4.B). It also adheres to student learning outcomes of adhering to the legal responsibilities of counselors. This assignment helped me cultivate my academic experience in the degree plan to form a professional identity.

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My journey through this program has helped me develop a fundamental understanding of the skills, knowledge, and ethical considerations required to be an effective counselor. Projects like creating treatment plans, exploring theoretical frameworks, and designing intervention groups have given me practical experience in fostering effective mental health and advocacy services. Moving forward, I will become a positive force in the industry by promoting ethical practices, embracing cultural competencies, and styling interventions that honor every client's unique needs. My professional development continues to grow as I move to become an LPC, informed by the ACA Code of Ethics to promote welfare, inclusivity, and progress in mental health care.

I have a commitment to lifelong learning, ensuring that I will stay current with prevailing methods and practices. My dedication to trust, rapport, and client empowerment has fostered resilience and continual growth. Drawing from the academic foundations instilled by this program, I aim to advocate and promote systemic changes in mental health care access. Backed by program standards, my adherence to the ACA Code of Ethics will guide me to prioritize welfare, confidentiality, ethicality, innovation, inclusivity, and meaningful contributions to create a positive impact in my field.

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American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ethics/2014-aca-code-of-ethics.pdf