# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Jordan Cerean & daughters @ ASU Graduation 

# data[].attributes.body
Hi all! My name is Jordan Cerean. I am a mom, wife, and new school counselor! Can't tell you how awesome it feels to be able to claim that title! :)

Currently I am working through the bridge program to obtain my LPC. I love that Angelo State offers this option! I am very happy with my role as a school counselor now but can see the benefit of adding LPC for future endeavors!

Through this course I hope to hone in my professional outlook and image. I am a new school counselor and know that any extra knowledge to help solidify my skills as a counselor will be very beneficial.

Professional identity is who you are in your professional role. So for myself that would be who I am and how I operate as a school counselor. Upon completion of this degree I will most likely remain in school counseling but have the option for private practice or have the option to be an LPC for my school district!

Right now I feel I am in the beginning stages of professional development. I am still new at what I do and am learning what works, how to present myself and how to keep up with my professional duties.

Positive of my professional identity: I represent myself well and in a professional, respectful manner. I am a hard worker and achieve in a timely manner. Things to work on: honing my craft! This comes with time and dedication; both of which I am willing to put in!

Pic of me and 2 of my girls at the Spring 2025 Angelo State Graduation ceremony!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello classmates! My name is Tunisia Wolridge I am married, have 6 children and 13 grandchildren. I love to cook, travel, and on Sundays have our family over.

I find myself in a phase of exploration regarding my professional counselor identity. While I have a solid foundation from my eight years as a school counselor, the transition to becoming a licensed professional counselor feels both exciting and intimidating. I am unsure about my specific path because both family courts and hospice care are areas I am passionate about but they require different skill sets and approaches.

Upon completing my LPC Bridge program, my immediate goal is to determine the specific type of LPC I want to become, whether in family courts or hospice care. In family court, I envision myself supporting families through transitions, such as custody battles or divorce, promoting healthy communication and cooperative co-parenting. In hospice, I see myself providing compassionate care to individuals and families facing end-of-life issues, helping them to find peace and acceptance. This role aligns with my life experiences, especially as a parent and grandparent, and reflects my desire to support others during significant life changes.

To me, professional identity encompasses the unique combination of skills, values, experiences, and beliefs that define my role as a counselor. It's about understanding not just what I do, but who I am in this profession. My professional identity reflects my commitment to helping others navigate through life's challenges while maintaining a strong ethical framework. It integrates my personal values, my approach to counseling, and the impact I aim to have on my clients’ lives.

I find myself in a phase of exploration regarding my professional counselor identity. While I have a solid foundation from my eight years as a school counselor, the transition to becoming a licensed professional counselor feels both exciting and intimidating. I am unsure about my specific path because both family courts and hospice care are areas I am passionate about but they require different skill sets and approaches. This uncertainty stems from my desire to ensure that I am well-prepared and equipped to meet the unique needs of clients in either field.

I believe my greatest strengths lie in my empathetic listening skills and my ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. My experiences as a mother and grandmother have endowed me with a deep understanding of family dynamics and transitions, which I can draw upon when working with clients. Furthermore, my extensive background in school counseling has honed my skills in communication, crisis management, and conflict resolution.

Congrats, everyone on this next step of our career!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone!

My name is Evan Williams. I am working through the mental health and wellness program towards licensure as a professional counselor. I am about half way through the required coursework.

When I am not working on coursework and my job as a school counselor, you can find me with my three children at home or at my local game store playing Magic The Gathering.

My goal for this course is to learn more about the components of a professional identity to determine where I need to reflect and improve. I hope to learn the professional language to articulate how I carry myself as a professional and why I behave and think the way I do.

Upon completion of my degree, I plan to be intentional with the decision I make and the professional development I consume to become a competent professional. I believe these courses of action will help to build a reputation as a trusted professional in the field of mental health.

I feel I am a beginer in terms of the development of my counseling identity. I do not have a counseling theory that I can brand myself with, along with the professional experience to know I confidently help people. I have done the best I can with the school counseling experience I have, but I feel like there is much more to learn in terms of the practical indicators of a professional counselor.

I am strong in developing relationships with clients, and I am strong in building trusting relationships. I like to use solution-focused techniques to the best of my ability. I think I can improve in professional competencies, and networking. I have difficulty marketing myself as someone who can help with people I do not know well. I look forward to what I will learn in this course and learning from all of you.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Desiree Johnston. I am in the LPC Bridge Program. I have been an Elementary School Counselor for 4 years! Upon completion of my LPC, I plan on continuing my School Counselor career as well as do some contract work as a LPC. I have been married for 21 years and we have 2 boys. They keep us busy with middle and high school sports as well as travel baseball.

I hope to gain new skills in professional consultation by the end of this course. Professional identity means that an individual is able to conduct themselves in a manner that is appropriate to their role as a professional.

I feel like being a counselor is who I am as a person. Whether it’s counseling students at school or helping staff navigate personal and school stress or helping my kids work through friendship and relationship issues while helping my husband work through the stress of overcoming medical issues. All my roles; as a wife, mother, friend, employee and school counselor require my knowledge of counseling and mental health.

I feel strong in my abilities to adhere to the ethical guidelines when counseling students. Consulting with all stakeholders of the students is important as well using materials and resources that are quality, evidenced based tools. This helps me understand my students better and ensure that I am providing them with the best care!

I would like to improve upon my speaking skills when consulting with and collaborating with stakeholders. I would like my delivery to be professional and empathetic so that at the end of my conversation the individual understands my overall plan and goals.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Jordan Mack and I am in the LPC Bridge program. I completed my M.S. in Professional School Counseling in May of 2025. I am now an elementary school counselor. I have been married for 3 years and have a 2 year old daughter. I plan to to do school counseling for at least 5 years and then I would like to work in a private setting.

My goal for this class is to really become comfortable as a professional in this role. Since this is my first year as a school counselor I am always looking for ways to seem more professional.

Professional identity is who you are in your profession, it is your values, beliefs, knowledge, behaviors and socialization. I personally need to focus on socialization because I normally stay to myself quite often.

As a first-year school counselor, I would say I am still in the early stages of developing my professional counseling identity. While I have a strong foundation from my graduate training and understand the theoretical frameworks and ethical guidelines that shape school counseling, I am still learning how to apply these consistently and confidently in real-world situations.

One of my biggest strengths is my genuine care and empathy for students. I strive to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where students feel heard and supported. I’ve found that building rapport comes naturally to me, and students often open up to me because they sense I’m approachable and trustworthy.

I’m also working on finding my voice as a leader and advocate within the school system. As a new counselor, it can be intimidating to speak up in meetings or challenge existing practices, but I know that advocacy is a core part of the counselor identity. I want to grow more confident in using data and professional knowledge to promote positive change for students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
My son, Liam, and I at the pumpkin patch

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone! I am Ashley. I am a proud single, boy mom to a handsome young man, Liam. As well as being a boy mom I am a dog-mom to Ms. Marley-Mae who just turned 6!

My program of study is Professional Counseling, I have nine more hours to accomplish my graduation of the fall in 2026, I am super excited, and very nervous at the same time.

For a goal of mine to have in this class I am not really sure of what it could be because I quite honestly just want to learn everything I can this in class. How to present myself, how it can effect myself to my patients, the business, just the whole 9 yards it could go.

In the perspective I do hope to learn the most about what is going to be the best way on how to make the first impression for patients. I worry that sometimes I can do a fantastic job other times, I don't. I am select volleyball coach so I have had to learn how to handle this at times, but not in so much of formal setting. I have had parents tell me or others that they did not like me even though I have talked to them one time while I talk to them just the same way I speak to all the other parents. Now I coach differently based on the players cause everybody doesn't work in the same, but learning how to make the right first impression and how to know and understand that by reading that body language would help out.

As for me, a professional role is different than your normal personality. Your professional role in someway is almost a sub-type of a personality in a way. (i know it sounds weird but give me a sec :)). You're not going to go home in you're professional role as you would be in the office setting, would you? No, you would go home in the "you" personality. A professional role is when you're having to be in the zone and having to zone in and be a skilled, not the wife at home who is dancing and doing the cupid shuffle during the dishes. You have to be the young woman relaxed and focused on your patient who is showing symptoms of general anxiety disorder and what is the next step for treatment between you and your patient.

A strength that I have as of professional counselor identity is that I do not want to limit myself. I want to help as many people as possible. I do not want to turn anyone away. The concerns I do have is that I will not be able to reach my long-term goal because I will not be I will not be able to go to any conventions or classes to receive more certificates to grow my resume, because I am overly dedicated to my patients and cannot leave them.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi Classmates! I am the mom in the picture above - this is me with my husband and two daughters celebrating our oldest completing her graduate studies at UT Austin. This picture best explains my greatest blessings!

I am currently completing the LPC-Bridge Program after just graduating with my Masters in Professional School Counseling in August. I hope to be completely done in May and look forward to working toward obtaining hours starting in either the summer or early next fall. I currently work as an Assistant Principal and serve as our district's testing coordinator in our 2A rural district.

I am eager about starting this course and looking forward to everything we are going to learn. One goal for myself is to become more familiar with case management and understanding the professional role within private, professional practice. My desired role is to eventually work in private practice.

Professional identity is so important. I look at professional identity as personal standards and expectations of myself within a professional setting. Within the scope of professional counseling, I would consider my professional identity as empathetic and a support for those who need guidance and encouragement to become their best possible selves.

In terms of professional counselor identity, I still feel as though I have so much to learn. Like several others, I do not have a theory that I am grounded in, and though I know my strength and experience lies within working with children, I do not know if that is what I want to always focus on. I would love to improve my confidence within the knowledge of theories in order to better develop my professional counselor identity.

Best of luck to you all - I look forward to learning alongside you!

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Andrea Kelley (left), daughters, and husband on a recent trip to Colorado.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, all! My name is Andrea Kelley, and I am in the LPC Bridge program. This is my second course in the bridge, and my 3rd year as a high school counselor. Prior to counseling, I taught English for 19 years. I am on the last few years of my required service, and so I am getting my LPC as my next step! I am married and I have 2 daughters, ages 13 and 10 (in a couple of weeks). Outside of school/work, I enjoy reading, organizing, cooking, and travel.

One of my goals for this course is to get a better grasp of case management, theory, and practice. Right now, I am within a very defined system, so managing cases outside of that scope is something I am eager to learn about.

Professional identity to me is the merging of personal beliefs, professional ethics, and skills developed through training and education. After completing the LPC bridge, I would like to transition from the school setting into private practice. I would still like to work primarily with adolescents and their families. Another aspect of mental health I find fascinating is the overlap between mental health and organization/decluttering. I find that people hold on to items more than is healthy because of root mental/emotional causes, and I love helping people work through those issues to create happier spaces (that’s why I also became a certified professional organizer).

Who I am as a counselor is who I was as a teacher (and as a parent) – the kids called it “soft power”. I am loving and consistent, kind and firm. I do not judge, I guide. I truly believe every person is doing the best they can, and if they know better, they do better. I feel that I know who I am as a counselor and what theories most resonate with me, but I am still working on which of these two aspects, adolescents or organizing, I will pursue once I am not in the school setting.

The aspects of the counseling identity I feel are my strengths are understanding social and cultural diversity (standard 2) and human growth and development (standard 3). I have worked in title one schools for over 20 years, and so I have a background in understanding development, both theoretically, and in practice. As our school’s at-risk counselor, I have a passion for helping marginalized groups and eliminating educational barriers for children. I hope in my future practice to be able to scale the costs of counseling so that it is fully accessible to more than just the highest wage earners.

After reviewing Section 2 of the CACREP Standards, I think the area I most need to grow in is Standard 1, g: professional counselor credentialing, licensure, accreditation, and the impact of policy. The whole process of certification, supervision, etc., is overwhelming to me at this point. Luckily, I have two mentors who are helping me to take it one step at a time.

I look forward to learning with you all!

# data[].attributes.body
Hi everyone! My name is Angeline Rodriguez-Jones, I go by either RJ or Angeline. I was born and raised in the DFW area. I have three children, 25, 19 and 15 and a chihuahua named Lola. This is my 14th year in education and my 4th year as a middle school counselor.

In 2022, I completed my Masters of Science in Professional School Counseling at ASU, I’m now returning to complete my M.A Mental Health and Wellness Counseling. I plan to take the NCE exam and become a Licensed Professional Counselor. My long term goal is to work with individuals, and families with students with ADHD and Anxiety.

My goal for this course is to continue to develop a clear and confident professional identity as a counselor. I hope to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a professional counselor so that I can better articulate and embrace this identity.

I believe the aspects I have as a professional counselor identity include empathy, listening and conflict resolution. These qualities as an educator and middle school counselor have helped me connect with my students and support them throughout their challenges.

One aspect of my professional counselor identity I would like to improve is learning to set and maintain clear boundaries while still being supportive and approachable. I believe this balance is important because it’s important to my sustainability, and maintaining ethical relationships with my school community.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! My name is Codi Bruner. I have been married to my husband for 15 years and we have two amazing sons. We have an 9 year old and a 9 month old (pictured above during the only time he isn't a tiny pterodactyl)

I am currently enrolled in the LPC bridge program. I have been in education for 13 years in various roles. My most recent role was school counselor for an entire district. I am currently staying home with our new addition and pursuing the last few courses I need to be able to take the LPC exam and gain my intern license. Once I am able to become an LPC-intern I plan on seeking a telehealth position to allow me time to still balance work and home life. Eventually, I want to open my own practice and offer services to children and adolescents that will also allow me to come visit them at school; similar to what special education counselors do for special education students, except I would like to open it up to all students regardless of special education status.

My main goal for this course is understanding more about what my professional identity is and being able to communicate that in a way that is effective.

To me, professional identity is a way to define who I am and where I fit in to the world of counseling professionals. It is a shortened way to stay focused on my goals and my "why" for doing what I do when working with clients. My desired professional role is to be an LPC that works specifically with children and youth.

Prior to reading the articles and from other courses I have completed that have had us write mission statements, I thought I had a rather solid foundation of what my professional identity was. I feel like I have a solid game plan for what I want to do, and I know who I am and my credentials, however I feel like I need to develop my definition of what, who, where, and why better.

I feel I have strengths in knowing what I want to do, and I do know who I want to help and I know that I have a strength in connecting with children and teenagers and working to help them meet their goals and working on ways and solutions to guide situations they bring me. I feel like there is a lot of fluidity in where I want to place roots as a counselor and what I hope to accomplish as that counselor. There is room for improvement in how to establish and communicate in a way that will help them feel they are in the correct place and can make progress in our collaboration together.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone, my name is Lauri Wenzel and I’m in the LPC Bridge program working towards an MA in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling. This is a pic of my family at a wedding recently, including my husband of 30 years with my 2 sons, age 26 and 20. It doesn’t include my amazing beagle pup Ivy and my 2 cats, but they’re a big part of the family too!

I earned a master’s in psychology years ago but did not finish the program that included the practicum or required counseling hours. So, long story short, I always regretted not going the clinical route so I’m here to finally fulfill my dream of becoming an LPC. Through the years I’ve worked in several positions from corporate treasury, gas marketing, HR benefits and Diagnostician’s clerk at several schools to my current job as a Medicare insurance agent. All my jobs have served me well over the years, but I never stopped thinking about becoming a therapist or counselor. I was excited to find this program at ASU, but this is only my second class, so I’m just beginning my journey and hoping to graduate by the end of 2026.

I’m hoping to learn from this course a better understanding of the professional role of being a counselor, including the legal, ethical and licensing requirements related to it as well as how to maintain your credentials. I’d also like to get a clearer picture of how to develop my personal professional counselor identity and get a better understanding of what type of counseling I may want to pursue.

To me, professional counselor identity means you have a distinct understanding of what counseling means, you’re aware of the legal requirements of the role and you can articulate the services and treatment plans you’re qualified to offer. I haven’t developed this professional identity yet since I’m just beginning the process and need to learn more about where I see myself after graduation and fully understand the process of becoming a counselor. I don’t have a counseling or teaching background so the field is new to me, and my goal is to begin to form a professional counselor identity as I move through this course and the program.

The strengths I could bring to my professional counselor identity are my care and empathy for others, and I believe I’ve honed some listening skills that may be beneficial as well. I’ve worked with many seniors in my role as a Medicare agent and many of them are just lonely and want someone to sit and talk with them. I feel like I’ve developed a good rapport with people on Medicare, including seniors and those with disabilities, and I could see myself working with them in my role as a future counselor. I’d also like to work with couples or families possibly too. I may need to pursue additional training or certification in Geriatrics or Marriage and Family therapy, and this could add to my professional counselor identity.

Looking forward to working with everyone, and I’ve enjoyed all your introductions!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello fellow classmates! My name is Amy Beach. I am married and have two amazing sons, ages 23 & 17. I live in a small town called Buna that is about two hours north of Houston Texas. This is my third year to be a elementary school counselor.

I just started my LPC bridge program here at ASU. My goal is to gain my LPC licensure and someday open my own practice from home. My youngest son is autistic, and he will be graduating in four years, so I want to have a career that will work best for us.

One goal for this course is to gain confidence in my role as a school counselor. I hope to learn how to explain my role to my fellow co-workers and parents. I find many times I am called to be the disciplinarian in situation, which is not what I am there to do.

Professional identity to me is knowing your role and exactly what it entails. It is important to know what a school counselor is and the expectations a school counselor has. I would like to receive my LPC and work specifically in the trauma area and a faith centered practice.

I feel that I am not where I would like to be in my professional counseling identity, simply because several of my job duties include clerical work, and testing among many others. There are several non counseling duties that I complete on a daily basis.

I believe my strengths are empathy and maintaining relationships. I like to look at situations from all sides. I enjoy listening and encouraging my students and staff that I work with. I would like to work on my confidence and improve on not taking several tasks that I do not have time for.

I look forward to working and collaborating with everyone!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello Classmates!

I am Michelle Woodside, and I look forward to connecting with you as we expand our knowledge together at Angelo State University and support one another on this journey.

At the beginning of my career, before marriage and family, I earned my master’s degree in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA.  I practiced as an Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor in Massachusetts, working with inpatient adolescents, then in an Elementary Public school-supported day treatment program in Nebraska.

Over the last several years in the north Houston area, I have been a representative for Hospice agencies, educating Healthcare professionals about the benefits of Medicare Hospice and supporting families as they decide to choose Hospice in a time of need.

Now that both of my boys are in college, my husband and I are empty nesters. This is the perfect time to return to school while working full-time in Hospice to renew my LPC and integrate my Hospice experience into a new career in Grief Counseling.

My goal is to help clients navigate loss with professional compassion and hope in a private practice setting in The Woodlands, TX, where my family has been active in the community for the past 25 years.

Through my years of working in Hospice, I've had the honor of walking beside families during life's most meaningful moments.  In these moments, creating a peaceful space where families feel supported as they navigate emotional pain and grief has been my strength.

An area I’d like to work on after licensure is to explore faith-based Grief Counseling to honor each person's spiritual beliefs.  I am confident this is the path I am called to.

Brushing up on counseling theory and ethics is where my interest lies in this course.

I look forward to connecting with all of you, sharing insights, and ultimately creating an impact in our field!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone!! My name is Jordyn Russell. I am in the Online LPC Bridge Program. I received my Master's in School Counseling almost eight years ago. I taught 5th grade for five years and then went to the Junior High in the same district and served as the counselor for five years. I am currently serving as a counselor at the high school, and it is my second year at this level. I hope to one day become an LPC and to continue to work with high school age children and their families.

In this course, I hope to learn more skills as they related to becoming a licensed professional. I am also always looking for way to improve my professional outlook in my current job as well.

Professional identity represents who we are within our profession. What do we stand for and how do we define success? As a high school counselor, I am always trying to obtain the solution that is best for our students. I hope to start working on my LPC-A hours in the spring, and I want to develop my professional qualities as they pertain to working with students one one-on-one.

I would say a big strength of mine is just my ability to have conversations with anyone who may come into my office and build rapport with them. They can come and have candid conversations with me, but also serious and more formal conversations. Compassion and empathy come fairly naturally to me, and that has allowed me to become an approachable person on our campus. I am always working on improving skills to reach students who some would label a "lost cause." There are definitely students who are not willing to open right away or who can honestly be pretty combative. I strongly believe there is a way to reach all students, but as a professional, I have to put in the time to learn new strategies and skills as a counselor.

This is a picture of my fiance and I. We became engaged in May and will be getting married next June. He is the absolute love of my life!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone! My name is Nataliya Derou. Although I feel I hold a plethora of attributes tied to my identity, the main two would be being a mom and a school counselor. The hardest, yet incredibly rewarding thing I have ever done in my life is being a mom. Regardless of how challenging it is to raise children, I would not have it any other way. When it comes to my professional life, for as long as I could remember I have possessed a deep passion for sharing kindness, and I cannot imagine a better way to express it than being a school counselor, which is definitely a rewarding position and a privilege within itself.

Having been born in the Soviet Union, now known as Ukraine, and being an immigrant, my experience is slightly different from those who were born in the United States. An interesting fact is that I received K-12 education in the Soviet Union and earned my university degree in Ukraine, which became a sovereign country in 1991.  One of the many disadvantages of living in the Soviet Union was that the system was not the most accepting or understanding of issues or situations outside of the “norm” of society. Phenomena, like mental health, learning disabilities,  and differences in cultural values and identities were not really talked about or dealt with. I think the combination of my experience as an individual and a lifelong educator coupled with my personal outlook on life has led me to pursuing a profession of a school counselor. With the increasing societal awareness towards mental health as well my experience as a school counselor, I have realized that I want to pursue an LPC licensure. I am passionate about working with teenagers. I feel that adolescence  is one of the most vulnerable periods of one’s life; therefore, young people require much needed guidance and support.

In the next couple of years, I am hoping to transition from being a school counselor to a mental health counselor in a high school setting, and that requires a professional licensure. Especially nowadays, when diversity is not only celebrated but frowned upon, I feel our adolescents need love and support as they navigate through the intricacies of life establishing their identity and nurturing their self-confidence.

Finally, I want to add that I am delighted to be in the LPC bridge program as well as taking my first class that brings me a little bit closer towards realization of my plans. It is a pleasure being surrounded with like minded people and I look forward to working together!

# data[].attributes.body
Hey there fellow classmates! Carly Johns here and I'm a graduate counseling student on the LPC track at Angelo State University. I’m almost halfway through the program and preparing for Practicum in January 2026.

Alongside my studies, I work as a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (PATH Intl. CTRI) and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL)at Healing with Horses Ranch and Pecan Creek Ranch in Austin, TX.

After graduation, I plan to integrate traditional counseling with Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, offering trauma-informed, connection-centered care that pairs horses and humans in relational work.

One goal I have for this course is to deepen my understanding of professional counseling identity and learn how to communicate my evolving role with clarity and confidence. I want to feel grounded in both the ethics and language of the profession as I step into greater visibility.

To me, professional identity means knowing who I am in my role, how I serve, and how I uphold the values and responsibilities of the counseling profession. It’s about integrating my lived experience, training, and values into a clear, ethical, and relational presence.

Right now, I feel like I’m in the “integration” phase of my counseling identity development. I’ve moved from exploration into a place of deeper alignment, but I’m still learning how to articulate my scope, especially as I navigate dual roles in equine-assisted work and clinical training.

I feel strong in relational presence, ethical boundaries, and intuitive facilitation. I’d like to grow in clinical language, advocacy, and confidence in communicating my role across different settings. I’m excited to learn from all of you and build meaningful connections this term!

# data[].attributes.body
Good day everyone!

I'm Narrisha Chandler! I was born and raised in Houston, TX, but now I'm living in El Paso, Texas.  I am pursuing the Mental Health and Wellness Counseling degree at Angelo State University. This is my second semester at the University and my anticipated graduation date is no later than Spring 2026. I've always worked with children in some capacity whether it was teaching, substituting, or most recently working with unaccompanied minors/refugees.

One goal in this course is to learn the core principles and ethical standards of counseling so that I develop a strong professional counselor identity. I hope to understand and communicate confidently as I enhance my professional skills needed in my counseling role. I believe this will allow me to connect my personal experiences of life's obstacles I've triumphed through so that they are relatable to adolescents and young adults as well as reflecting on interactions on past experiences helping refugee children.

My professional identity means knowing who and what I stand for as a counselor. I plan to align my values of empathy, advocacy, and respect for diversity with the professional standards of the counseling field. I want to help adolescents and young adults process trauma, maintain a strong focus on wellness, and resilience using evidence-based approaches. My career goals are to eventually further my education to become a licensed professional counselor and have my on private practice ( I would like to add that I do have a passion for helping others to further their educational goals as well-so there's that...)

I would consider myself at the beginner phase of counselor identity development. Although I have worked with children for years, I have not had any formal counseling training. I am still learning about professional theories, ethics and skills.

My strengths are my interpersonal skills that gives me the ability to build trust and cultural awareness, especially with individuals who have faced displacement or trauma.

The areas I most want to improve include enhancing my knowledge of professional association standards such as ACA and AMHCA to ensure I practice within the proper ethical and legal boundaries of the counseling profession. Also, I want gain knowledge on skills on evidence based interventions so I can eventually provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive care. Furthermore, I hope to receive valuable feedback and mentorship in this course to strengthen my counselor identity. I look forward to learning and working with everyone!

Reference
Burns, S. T. (2016). Developing counselor professional identity statements: A seven-step guide. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 3(1), 61–75.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone! My name is Elisa.

I am currently in the LPC Bridge program at Angelo State University and am projected to graduate in Spring 2025. I hold a master’s degree in Professional School Counseling and have 10 years of experience in education. Seven years as a teacher and three years as a school counselor. I am married and have a 3 year old, and I am currently working  while completing the program.

Upon graduation, my goal is to become a Licensed Professional Counselor and work in either a private practice or group practice setting, providing counseling.

One of my goals for this course is to develop a clearer understanding of the ethical responsibilities and professional expectations of counselors so that I can strengthen my confidence and competence as I move toward licensure.

To me, professional identity is both who you are and how you practice as a counselor. The values, ethics, scope, and lenses you bring to the helping relationship. It is the integration of training, ethical standards, and personal alignment with the counseling profession.

My desired professional role is to serve clients who provide a supportive, safe, and culturally responsive space that promotes emotional wellness, skill-building, and meaningful change.

I feel I am in the early-middle stage of my professional identity development. I hold foundational counseling training through my school counseling background, but I am still transitioning into the mindset, skills, and ethical frameworks required for the clinical counseling setting. There are areas where I feel confident and areas where I still feel like I’m forming my identity as a clinician rather than as a school-based helper.

Current Strengths & Areas for Growth

Strengths: Building rapport with clients,
Clear communication and documentation practices,Strong ethical awareness and understanding of confidentiality in school settings

Areas for Growth:

Increased confidence in clinical decision-making outside of a school system, Advanced intervention skills with diverse populations and presenting concerns,
Comfort with intake, diagnosis, and referrals in a clinical context

Wishing everyone a great course!

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone!

My name is Veronica Sanchez, and I am currently in the LPC program. If all goes well, I plan to begin my practicum in the spring. I am still unsure about my plans after graduation. Right now, I work for Head Start, where I advocate for families and connect them to community resources. Because of this, I'm not entirely sure how a new role as an LPC would fit into my current position. When I first started the program, my long-term goal was to eventually work from home so that I could have a more flexible schedule and spend more time with my family.

One of my goals for this course is to gain a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be a professional counselor so that I can fully embody those qualities.

To me, professional identity is a person's sense of self as it relates to their profession, including their values, morals, knowledge, and the qualities that define them as a professional.

At this point, I'm still figuring out where I am in my professional counseling identity development. I've taken several courses and feel somewhat knowledgeable, but since I don't have a clear plan after graduation, I sometimes feel unsure about my next steps once I am licensed. I also recognize that I lack the hands-on counseling experience, which I believe will help everything I've learned in my coursework come together.

Some of my strengths include being personable, dependable, open to learning and growth, and able to build rapport with clients easily. However, I know I can continue to improve my ability and confidence in networking with other professionals.

This is a picture of my family and me after hiking the Siamese Twins Trail at Garden of the Gods in Colorado. My husband, Spenser, and I have been together for 11 years and decided to elope so we could exchange vows and be "legally married". We have three kids- Emery is 8, Elliot is 6 and Ella is 4.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone! I currently serve as an Assistant Principal in the San Antonio Independent School District. Before moving into administration, I worked as a school counselor for 13 years. I have spent 28 rewarding years in education and am now approaching the end of my school leadership career.

Looking ahead, I plan to transition into becoming an LPC through the ASU Bridge Track.  My long-term goal is to work with veterans who face mental health challenges, as I believe they deserve strong, compassionate support for the sacrifices they’ve made.

My main goal for this course is to update my knowledge and understanding of counseling practices, specifically focusing on what has changed in the past 10 years since I last worked as a counselor. I want to strengthen my awareness of new theories, research, and evidence-based approaches that will prepare me for effective and ethical practice as an LPC.

Finally, I would describe myself as being in a stage of professional re-entry and reflection. While I have years of experience as a counselor and educational leader, I recognize that the counseling field continues to evolve. I’m eager to reconnect with the profession, learn about new approaches, and rediscover my counselor identity with a more experienced and holistic perspective.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello Everyone,

My name is Angela Adams. I currently reside right outside of Austin, Texas. I am married and we have two wonderful kids. My husband recently retired from the military after 25 years of service. My son is in the U.S. Navy, and my daughter is away at college. I grew up in a large family. My mom and dad had twelve kids. Six boys and six girls. Unfortunately, over the years, I have lost four brothers. After losing my brothers, I decided to pursue a degree in counseling.

I am currently pursuing my M.A. degree in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling. This is my first semester at ASU. I am tracking to finish by December 2026. I have always worked with both adults and children with intellectual disabilities. I currently work with children who have Autism. My goal is to continue working with both adults and children, but also to work with military families and families experiencing the grief of a loved one.

One goal I have for this course is to understand the functions of an LPC better. What I want to learn after completing this course is to better understand the ethical problems in counseling beyond the basics I already know so that I can be the best counselor for future clients.

To me, professional identity is not just who I am or what I do in my profession, but who I am as a person, which adds skills, values, and beliefs to the profession. After completing my degree, I plan to continue working in the behavioral health field in a lead role. I will also continue with the LPC Bridge Program.

Although I have worked in numerous behavioral positions, I am in the beginning or even re-entry stage of my counseling development. I have a lot of experience in the behavioral health field, but not enough or consistency or experience in counseling to say otherwise.

The aspects I have for professional counseling would be my compassion and empathy for others. I am very professional and never unethical with clients. An aspect of my professional counseling I would like to improve is setting more boundaries and not letting my empathy for others take on more than I can handle.

*This picture is of me, my husband, son, and daughter. My son had just graduated from the Navy Boot Camp in Chicago, Illinois.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone!

My name is Madison Doucet and I am in the LPC bridge program. I have only recently started this program, so I am excited to see what it has in store for me. I graduated from UT Tyler with my M.S. in Clinical Psychology recently and realized that I enjoy counseling! So, I am hoping to pursue a career in counseling with my diagnostic and assessment knowledge integrated in some way.

One goal of mine for this course is to learn more about professional environments as a whole. I have had limited experience working in a true professional setting, so I would really like to learn as much as I can.

Professional identity, to me, is how you present yourself while in a professional setting. This includes your dress, attitude, actions, and interactions. It can also encompass your goals and impact within the professional setting. Upon graduation, I would like to work as an LPC-A and counsel, either at a university or within a private practice.

I feel that I am definitely at the beginning of my professional counselor identity development. I was able to work as a counselor during my practicum training, so I have definitely started my development- but I have a long way to go I think.

While working as a counselor, I found it very easy to build rapport with my clients, so I think that is a strength of mine. I would like to be a counselor that allows people to feel comfortable and safe to be themselves- so I believe my strength will help me to achieve that. I believe that I could improve on my understanding of people in vastly different circumstances than my own. During my practicum, I was counseling college students. So, I would benefit from working with clients that are less similar to me and have had differing life experiences.

# data[].attributes.body
Introduction

I am Verketha Harris and I am so pleased to meet everyone. I am in the LPC Bridge program but will switch this Spring to the Professional Counseling Degree Program. This is my second semester. I am an 8th Grade Counselor in Texas. I am a Mississippi girl in a Texas world. Upon completion of my program I plan to continue working as a school counselor. I want to obtain this because I feel the time will come where school districts will prefer LPCs as counselors and I know I will not be willing to go back to school to get it so I am chopping away at it now.

Class Goal:

My goal for this class is simply to be able to keep up and be timily in submitting my assignments and right now, I'm already behind the 8-ball so this is a very fitting goal. my second goal is to gain a deeper understanding of professional identitiy and effective stategies to help me establish that.

Professional Identity:

PI refers to the way we perceive ourselves and our role in the professional world, shaped by our values, behaviors, norms, and skills. It's how we define ourselves as professionals and how others perceive us based on our work and interactions.

As someone pursuing a degree in professional counseling, my desired professional role upon completion one day would be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) specializing in marriage and family counseling or clinical mental health counseling. However, in the beginning I will continue my role as a school counselor.

I would say that I'm in the early stages of developing my professional counseling identity. As a graduate student in the counseling program, I'm still learning about the theoretical foundations, ethical principles, and best practices in the field.

As I continue to learn and gain more experiences, I expect my professional identity to evolve and become more defined. I feel like I'm in a period of exploration and growth, where I'm trying to integrate my personal values, knowledge, and skills with the professional expectations and standards of the counseling field.

ASpects of Strengths & Weaknesses:

Empathy and compassion, Active listening & Cultural sensitivity:I believe I have a strong ability to connect with others, understand their perspectives, and provide a supportive and non-judgmental space for them to explore their thoughts and feelings. I'm confident in my ability to listen attentively to clients, pick up on verbal and non-verbal cues, and respond in a way that shows I'm fully engaged in the conversation. I've had experiences working with diverse populations, which has helped me develop an appreciation for the importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity in counseling.

Areas for improvement:

Boundary setting, and Assertiveness and advocacy: I'd like to work on establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries with clients, ensuring that I'm providing a professional and respectful environment while also being empathetic and supportive.I recognize the importance of advocating for clients' needs and rights, and I'd like to develop my skills in assertively communicating with other professionals and systems to support my clients.