Program of Study: M.A. in Professional Counseling

Previous degrees/certifications:

B.S. in Psychology from Stephen F. Austin State University

Goodwill Career Coach and Navigator Certificate

OngoingExperience: Volunteer crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line

Professional Goal:

Once I graduate from this masters program, I would like to get my professional counseling license, and someday have a private practice where I can help a variety of types of individuals.

Personal Goal:

My personal goal is to improve my teamwork/social skills by putting myself in situations outside of my comfort zone and interacting with people more.

What I would like to get out of this course:

I would like to gain more information on the different types of trauma, as well as crisis intervention, from this course. I would like to learn more about the services that are available in a crisis or for individuals who experience trauma, and how I can utilize this information in my future role as a professional counselor.

Reflection:

The Introductions and Assessing Prior Knowledge discussion allowed me to look more at my personal plans, prior knowledge, and see the point of view of each of my classmates. This assignment showed me how prevalent mental health concerns are, yet how under-treated they can be. More than half of Americans with mental health concerns lack the proper treatment. For example, in 2021, around 52.8% of adults in the U.S. did not receive treatment for mental health, and the average delay of treatment after the onset of mental health struggles is 11 years (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2023). This isn’t simply because people don’t want help. A lot of resources are simply not obtainable for a lot of individuals, whether it’s because of expenses, lack of transportation, or inaccessibility of the resources for some other reason. Individuals do want help, but they’re unable to receive it.

I was able to gather valuable information from the independent research on text-based resources, such as Crisis Text Line. The text line has supported around 10 million crisis conversations since 2013, and continues to provide free services, especially to underserved communities (Crisis Text Line, 2024). I wasn’t truly aware of the impact the organization had, but seeing the data they have on texters and volunteers, I now see the true impact free resources like this have on the population. While I’m glad to know that people are able to receive accessible help like this, it also made me realize that while these resources can be useful, professional help should be more accessible so people can truly get the support they need that isn’t only a 30 to 60 minute text conversation.

References:

Crisis Text Line. (2024, December). Ripples of impact. https://www.crisistextline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Volunteer_Impact_US_Report_Final.pdf

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2023, April). Mental health by the numbers. https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

Reflection:

The Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders allowed me to better understand different disorders, more specific types of disorders, and the types of resources that are available for not only professionals, but the individuals with the disorders themselves. Looking into depression, anxiety, psychosis, substance use and eating disorders was good preparation for my future role, because as a professional counselor, I will see a range of clients who are dealing with many different types of situations, and many of them may struggle with the disorders in this reference guide, especially due to the prevalence of some of the disorders in this guide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (2023), around 2.8% of U.S. adults struggle with bipolar disorder, 3.6% struggle with PTSD, 8.3% experience major depressive episodes, and 19.1% struggle with anxiety disorders.

I was able to compile a list of resources that I could not only use for my own education or personal use if necessary, but that I could provide to others if they ever needed them. It will allow me to have a list of resources for future clients, and I can also update or add onto those resources as time goes on. I plan to add onto the reference list, covering dissociative disorders, personality disorders, and more so I can have a more thorough understanding of mental health disorders, symptoms, and resources. This will allow me to better connect with future clients, and have resources on hand to provide to them that match their individual needs.

Reference:

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2023, April). Mental health by the numbers. https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

Reflection:

The Developmental Discussion on Trauma gave me a better understanding of trauma as a whole, ACEs, importance of intervention, labor trafficking, and more. It was useful to see other points of view from my classmates, and read about the documentaries they watched. I was able to learn about a broad range of topics, and even reflect on my own experiences, such as my ACEs score, experience with school shootings, and more. I learned how to differentiate between the types of trauma, which will assist me in my future role as a professional counselor, and will allow me to understand and help with each client’s individual needs.

What I got to learn most about was trafficking and trauma intervention. Watching Trafficked In Americaand reflecting on the experiences of the teens allowed me to understand the horrors experienced by trafficking victims, and the traumas they end up with. It also helped me understand how trafficking often goes unnoticed. In the documentary, Trillium Farms never checked the citizenship status of the underaged workers, never truly observed the conditions the teens were working and living in, and overall, let things continue despite any red flags that may have been raised during any checks of the property (Altan & Cediel, 2018). I also got to learn about trauma-focused CBT and cognitive processing therapy, two types of therapy that I’ve never come across in my academic time or independent research. Trauma-focused CBT specifically focuses on trauma, and is comprehensive, tying regular CBT strategies in with family therapy and other modalities (Watson, 2023). CPT is a 12 session process that is meant to help clients change negative thoughts regarding trauma so they can properly process it (Tull, 2025). These are approaches that I can take into my future role, or I can find other professional counselors to collaborate with who specialize in those types of therapy to better support my clients. Overall, this assignment gave me information that I can take into my future role to help me build trust with clients, recognize signs of different types of trauma, and support their individual needs both in my practice, and through collaboration with other professionals and community members.

References:

Altan, D. & Cediel, A. (Directors). (2018). Trafficked in America (Documentary). Frontline.

Tull, M. (2025, September 10). What is cognitive processing therapy (CPT)? Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/cognitive-processing-therapy-2797281

Watson, E. J. (2023, July 24). Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT): How it works, examples, & effectiveness. Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/trauma-focused-cbt/

This is important to my future role as a professional counselor because it outlines the values I must have while working with clients and other professionals, and the ethical principles I will have to follow. It outlines the best ways to work with clients and other professionals, ensuring things remain confidential, professional, and safe for myself, the clients, and other professionals involved.

Reference:

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

Reflection:

The Psychological First Aid (PFA) course and certificate provided me with a lot of useful information that I can use in my future career, but that will also be useful if I’m ever in a crisis situation and need to assist others through it. When it comes to crisis situations, it can be hard to stay calm and do what’s needed, even if someone is part of a crisis team. PFA isn’t something I’d heard of before, despite taking a course on crisis management back in my undergraduate program, and volunteering on the Crisis Text Line. However, going through each module in the course, learning the core actions and how to implement them in a crisis situation, allowed me to understand different protocols and experiences attach to crises. PFA is designed to decrease initial stress after traumatic events and to foster short-term and long-term coping and adapting (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, n.d.). Due to the flexibility of the 8 core actions and PFA in general, this is a resource that could help in several different situations.

Not only did the PFA course explain the 8 core actions and how to implement each one, it also gave information on different demographics, such as children, people of color, or the elderly, explaining how crisis situations don’t look the same to everyone, and showing how actions often need to be flexible to help different people. For instance, providing aid to an adult and trying to help them emotionally won’t be the same as helping a child, since emotions are expressed differently and developmental differences require certain ways of aiding and providing information. The course also discussed the importance of provider health, which is something that I always think is important to keep in mind, and I appreciate that it was mentioned, along with ways to focus on the provider’s wellbeing. Lastly, not only did this course provide a good educational experience, it also provided resources, such as a mobile app, crisis forms, guidelines, and more. After completing this certificate, I feel that more people should do this course and get this certificate. Whether it has to do with their career or not, we never know when a crisis will happen, and we never know if we’ll have to be the ones to help people.

Reference:

National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). About PFA. https://www.nctsn.org/treatments-and-practices/psychological-first-aid-and-skills-for-psychological-recovery/about-pfa

Reflection:

I found this project to be one of the most valuable group projects I’ve done in my academic career. It allowed me to learn about human and sex trafficking, how to properly support victims/survivors of those situations, and how to create and implement a crisis plan. However, it also helped me grow my teamwork skills. Working with people isn’t something I’d consider one of my strengths. While I can do it, I struggle with how to properly communicate and collaborate, since I’m usually a very independent person and prefer to do things alone. However, group projects like this require communication and collaboration, and this project allowed me to work through communication difficulties and collaboration difficulties, and still come out with a cohesive presentation.

Since the topic of our presentation was human and sex trafficking, I got to learn a lot about the risk factors that contribute to trafficking, as well as mental health concerns after, targeted populations, resources for survivors, and even training programs to help recognize and prevent trafficking. However, what I really took away from this project was how to assess for threats and mental health, and follow through with a crisis plan. I’ve taken a crisis course formerly, and volunteer on the Crisis Text Line. However, that course I previously took didn’t provide this type of information, and our protocol on the text line isn’t the same as carrying out an actual crisis plan. I was able to learn about communication protocols, screening assessments, proper forms to keep on hand, and more. Although the presentation only covered the mental health and threat assessment component, the resources we used often covered other portions of crisis management plans in general, so I was able to not only use those resources for the project, but I now have them for future use if ever necessary.

2-1-1

Call for assistance getting food, paying housing bills, free childcare options, and other essential services.

Website:

https://www.211.org

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call:

988 or

1-800-273-8255

Website:

https://988lifeline.org

Crisis Text Line

Text:

741741

Website:

https://www.crisistextline.org

Disaster Distress Helpline

Call or text:

1-800-985-5990

Website:

https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/disaster-preparedness

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Call:

1-800-950-6264

Text:

62640

Website:

https://www.nami.org

National Child Abuse Hotline

Call or text:

1-800-422-4453

Website:

https://www.childhelphotline.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline:

Call:

1-800-799-7233

Website:

https://www.thehotline.org

National Human Trafficking Hotline

Call:

1-888-373-7888

Text:

233733

Website:

https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en

National Sexual Assault Hotline

Call:

800-656-4673

Text:

66743

Website:

https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/

Teen Line

Call:

800-8852-8336

Text:

839863

Website:

https://www.teenline.org

The Trevor Project

Call:

1-866-488-7386

Text:

678678

Website:

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/

Veterans Crisis Line

Call:

988, then press 1

Text:

838255

Website:

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net

Additional Resources:

Comprehensive list of 12 step programs

https://12steppers.org/12-step-programs/12-step-program-list/

Coping Strategies

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/coping-mechanisms

Grounding Techniques

https://www.nami.org/in-the-news/10-simple-grounding-techniques-to-calm-anxiety/

Mental Health Journal Prompts

https://thekeystojoy.com/journal-prompts-for-mental-health/

Safety Plan

https://ask4sam.org/r/creating-a-safety-plan

Support Group List

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support/health-care-or-support/support-group-or-local-program

Reference:

Reference:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025, June 4). Mental health resources. https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/caring/index.html

Safety Plan Template

https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheet/safety-plan

Survivor Current Needs Form

https://www.nctsn.org/resources/pfa-s-provider-worksheet-survivor-current-needs

Useful Forms and Templates

https://positivepsychology.com/counseling-forms-templates/

Training Programs:

Cultural Competency

https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/education/behavioral-health?utm_source=SAMHSA&utm_campaign=d0ed6da2fe-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_12_20_08_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-d0ed6da2fe-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&fbclid=PAVERFWANKof1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABp9D4UvAp3W8kHYlAbE1Kl1_78po_tatkX3DtEVpD_GQtdzs_pTzsVv7uRIc1_aem_HLTstETYL1EuRTVWla1M6g

Human and Sex Trafficking Training

https://hopeforjustice.org/training-usa/

Mental Health First Aid

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org

Additional Resources:

PFA Mobile App

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pfa-mobile/id551079424

Practice Management App

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simplepractice-for-clinicians/id738207604

Provider Self-care

https://positivepsychology.com/self-care-strategies-therapists/

•22.8% of adults in the U.S. have a mental illness.

•5.5% of adults in the U.S. struggle with a serious mental illness.

•27.2% of adult women experience mental illness.

•18.1% of adult men experience mental illness.

•Anxiety impacts 12.5% of adults in the U.S.

•Depression impacts 5% of adults in the U.S.

•7.6% of adults struggle with co-occurring disorders.

Demographic Statistics:

•16.4% of Asian adults struggle with mental illness.

•18.1% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adults struggle with mental illness.

•20.7% of Hispanic/Latino adults struggle with mental illness.

•21.4% of black/African American adults struggle with mental illness.

•23.9% of white adults struggle with mental illness.

•26.6% of American Indian/Alaska Native adults struggle with mental illness.

•34.9% of mixed/multiracial adults struggle with mental illness.

•50.2% of LGBTQ+ adults struggle with mental illness.

Minors (Under 18):

•16.5% of youth struggle with a mental health disorder.

•40% of high school students have reported feelings of persistent hopelessness and sadness.

•20% of students have seriously considered suicide.

•9% of students have attempted suicide.

•11% of children have diagnosed anxiety.

•4% of children have diagnosed depression.

•12% of girls (ages 3 to 17) struggle with anxiety.

•9% of boys (ages 3 to 17) struggle with anxiety.

•6% of girls (ages 3 to 17) struggle with depression.

•3% of boys (ages 3 to 17) struggle with depression.

Suicide (Data from 2023):

•in 2023, 49316 people died from suicide.

•The frequency of this is about 1 death per 11 minutes.

•Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in all ages.

•Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in people ages 10 to 34.

•Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in people ages 15 to 19.

•Over 50% of suicides were done using firearms.

•The highest risk age group for suicide is 85 and older.

•12.8 million adults seriously considered suicide.

•3.7 million adults made a suicide plan.

•1.5 million adults attempted suicide.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, March 26). Suicide data and statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html

The Global Statistics. (n.d.). Mental health statistics in the U.S. 2025 | Key facts. https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/united-states-mental-health-statistics/#google_vignette

•Read a book.

•Listen to music.

•Watch a movie.

•Watch TV or videos (Only for a short period of time, such as 30 minutes to an hour).

•Listen to podcasts.

•Have time without technology.

•Do puzzles, or play board/card games.

•Practice a hobby, such as writing, knitting, photography, etc.

Body:

•Stretch in the morning.

•Remember to drink water.

•Maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

•It’s OK to enjoy unhealthy foods or snacks from time to time.

•Exercise, or move your body, for at least 30 minutes a day.

•Go on a walk, work out at home, find a gym, do yoga, etc.

•Spend time outside.

Soul:

•Have designated quiet time daily.

•Practice gratitude.

•Write in a journal.

•Use affirmation cards.

•Practice meditation, prayer, or another form of mental clarity/spiritual practice.

•Talk to, or spend time with, members of your support system.

•Spend time with pets if you have them.

Additional/Occasional Self-Care Activities:

•Take a vacation.

•Volunteer with organizations.

•Get nails done, have a spa day, enjoy facemasks at home, etc.

•Enjoy a shopping day.

•Try a new restaurant, visit a new store, or try a new activity.

Reference:

Gagliani, M. (2020, August 11). How to create a self-care routine for mind, body, and soul. The Balanced CEO. https://thebalancedceo.com/how-to-create-a-self-care-routine-for-mind-body-and-soul/

Reflection:

Completing this assignment was a very valuable experience. Other than my experiences on the Crisis Text Line, I haven’t been able to get hands-on learning experience with crisis intervention work, and although this isn’t necessarily hands-on, it still allowed me to look at a case study, and work through it as I would do with an actual individual in crisis. Although I don’t plan to do crisis counseling primarily, I have no doubt that there will be future clients that are dealing with a crisis. The ABC model of crisis intervention isn’t a model I’ve seen before, but it’s now one that I think would be extremely useful, even if I’m not dealing with an immediate crisis. The steps in this model are already things that I’ve learned in former courses about building trust and relationships with clients and how to fulfill their individual needs, but this model brought all of those factors together. .

This assignment allowed me to work through a specific case, and let me review previous practices I’d learned, specifically in the section for achieving a relationship. However, I was also able to learn about and gain another resource I can use in the future. The 5th edition of the book A Guide to Crisis Intervention by Kristi Kanel not only covers the ABC model, but covers other important aspects of crisis intervention. The book touches on topics such as suicide, non-suicidal self injury, family systems theory, at risk populations, and other crises (Kanel, 2014). Although I don’t plan to focus primarily on crisis counseling, it’s always good to have resources like this on hand, because we never know when a crisis may happen. There are instances where I may need to work with someone in a crisis, and having the right resources to do so will help any future interactions like that go more smoothly.

Reference:

Kanel, K. (2014). A guide to crisis intervention (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Steps for Referral (Hutchison, 2025):

•Know the reason for the referral. Discuss this with your supervisor or a trusted colleague to get a second opinion or a list of contacts.

•Do research on any referral source. Make sure to know and be able to explain how this source will benefit your client. Reach out to the source directly to gather information on how their processes work.

•Present the referral information to your client, explaining the benefits and validating any concern.

•If the client wishes to continue with the referral process, have them sign a release of information form. This will allow you to communicate with the referral source without breaking confidentiality or the HIPPA privacy rule.

•Confidentiality must be broken if a release of information is court mandated, or if the client is in imminent danger.

HIPPA Privacy Rule:

•The HIPPA privacy rule establishes national standards to protect the medical records of individuals and other identifiable health information. The rule requires the use of safeguards to protect individuals medical information, and limits the uses and disclosure of health information. The rule also gives individuals rights over their own protected health information, including allowing them to view their records, request corrections, and give consent for health professionals to transfer the information (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.).

Referral Types (Hutchison, 2025):

•Referral to primary care doctor

•Referral to couple’s therapy

•Referral to family therapy

•Crisis referrals (Emergency Room, police, elder services, Department of Social Services, shelters, etc)

•Referral to group therapy

•Medication management referral (psychiatrist or nurse practitioner)

•Referral to self help groups (Not ran by professionals )

•Referral to support groups (Often led by professional counselors)

•Referral to specialists

•Referral for psychological testing and assessment (Psychologist)

Reasons for Referral (Counseling Tutor, n.d.):

•The client needs help with other struggles before proceeding with counseling (housing, law-related, financial, medical, etc)

•The client has a mental health issue that is preventing the counselor from establishing psychological contact (delusions or hallucinations)

•The client’s issues aren’t within the counselor’s area of competence and they need specialized help (medications, addiction counseling, etc)

•If the agency only offers a limited number of sessions, and it’s clear that these won’t be enough for the client

•If the counselor’s modality doesn’t match what the client needs (Client needs person-centered therapy, and the counselor does cognitive behavioral therapy)

•If the client’s issues mirror any struggles the counselor is facing (Client is struggling with a divorce, and so is the counselor)

•If the counselor feels unsafe with the client

Important Things to Remember (Counseling Tutor, n.d.):

•Clients should not be surprised by the counselor’s decision to refer. This could bring up feelings of rejection.

•Preparation for referral should start during contracting, and the counselor should explain that referrals can happen because other professionals are trained in specific specialties that may tie into client issues.

•Before raising the topic of referral with the client, the counselor should consider whether the referral will tie into any of the client’s existing struggles (issues with loss and rejection, or attachment difficulties). Discuss any struggles or concerns clients may have with referral processes.

•If the referral source has a waiting time, the counselor can offer holding sessions so the client doesn’t go unsupported for the duration of the waiting period.

•The counselor should allow time to reflect after referring a client. Process any feelings of loss or incompetence.

References:

Counseling Tutor. (n.d.). Referrals in counselling for beginners. https://counsellingtutor.com/referrals-in-counselling/

Hutchison, L. (2025, March 14). The use of referrals in the counseling process. Counseling Schools. https://www.counselingschools.com/blog/counseling-referrals

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). HIPPA for professionals. Accessed on October 8, 2025. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/index.html

Core Components of Cultural Competence (Quattash, 2025):

•Cultural Awareness: This starts with the counselor assessing their own cultural identity, biases and assumptions.

•Cultural Knowledge: This requires the counselor to educate themself on histories, traditions and sociopolitical situations of other cultures and diverse groups.

•Cultural Skills: These skills are the practical application of cultural awareness and knowledge within the therapeutic practice. This can be in ways such as communication adaptations, assessment flexibility, and intervention tailoring.

Process of Cultural Competence (Quattash, 2025):

•Counselors should continuously engage with diverse perspectives.

•Counselors should listen to supervision and feedback regarding cultural competence.

•Counselor’s should regularly reflect on their own culture and biases and adjust as time progresses.

Impacts of Cultural Competence on the Therapeutic Relationship (Quattash, 2025):

•Cultural competence facilitates trust and rapport between the counselor and client.

•Cultural competence allows for more effective communication between the counselor and client.

•Cultural competence improves client engagement and retention.

•Cultural competence reduces premature termination. Clients from minority groups make up about 70% of premature terminations of therapy.

Reference:

Quattash, M. S. (2025, May 26). Bridging worlds: Cultural competence is foundational to effective counseling. Global Council for Behavioral Science. https://gc-bs.org/articles/cultural-competence-is-foundational-to-effective-counseling/

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

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, March 26). Suicide data and statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025, June 4). Mental health resources. https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/caring/index.html

Counseling Tutor. (n.d.). Referrals in counselling for beginners. https://counsellingtutor.com/referrals-in-counselling/

Crisis Text Line. (2024, December). Ripples of impact. https://www.crisistextline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Volunteer_Impact_US_Report_Final.pdf

Gagliani, M. (2020, August 11). How to create a self-care routine for mind, body, and soul. The Balanced CEO. https://thebalancedceo.com/how-to-create-a-self-care-routine-for-mind-body-and-soul/

Hutchison, L. (2025, March 14). The use of referrals in the counseling process. Counseling Schools. https://www.counselingschools.com/blog/counseling-referrals

Kanel, K. (2014). A guide to crisis intervention (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2023, April). Mental health by the numbers. https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). About PFA. https://www.nctsn.org/treatments-and-practices/psychological-first-aid-and-skills-for-psychological-recovery/about-pfa

Quattash, M. S. (2025, May 26). Bridging worlds: Cultural competence is foundational to effective counseling. Global Council for Behavioral Science. https://gc-bs.org/articles/cultural-competence-is-foundational-to-effective-counseling/

The Global Statistics. (n.d.). Mental health statistics in the U.S. 2025 | Key facts. https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/united-states-mental-health-statistics/#google_vignette

Tull, M. (2025, September 10). What is cognitive processing therapy (CPT)? Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/cognitive-processing-therapy-2797281

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). HIPPA for professionals. Accessed on October 8, 2025. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/index.html

Watson, E. J. (2023, July 24). Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT): How it works, examples, & effectiveness. Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/trauma-focused-cbt/