Professional Development Plan for Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Professional Development Plan for Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Professional Development Plan
Introduce the purpose and format of the paper here. Make sure to mention the degree you are seeking and your expected graduation date. Remember to note the date this professional development plan is written.
ORDER NOW FOR CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION PAPERS
Counselor Identity Statement
Review the Statement of Counseling Identity document in the week 5 resources; this document has several examples. Reflect on your own counselor identity and include it here. This identity will develop as you develop as a clinician.
Professional Development
In this section (which is to be two to three paragraphs) be sure to address the following questions. Why are you obtaining your MS in Counseling? What factors motivate you to complete your degree and excel in your career as a counselor? How do you intend to begin/continue your growth within the counseling field?
Name a professional conference you would like to attend. Research the conference to obtain and include dates, locations, etc. Name a professional topic you would be interested in presenting at a conference. Identify ways in which you plan to participate in scholarly writing at the local, regional, and/or national level and when you would like to have achieved this. Identify ways in which you plan to participate in leadership opportunities. Identify how you plan to review and understand the entire ACA Code of Ethics and when in your academic career this will be achieved.
Identify associations you plan on joining (e.g., American Counseling Association, your state counseling association. American Mental Health Counselors Association or other organizations related to your specialization), what divisions you plan to join, and when you plan to join. List continuing education opportunities you can engage in after graduation. Identify potential struggles or challenges you might encounter related to the intersection of your personal and academic life; what areas of your personal life do you feel might create barriers to your success academically and professionally? Describe how you anticipate these stressors might impact your academic career and discuss how you will manage those factors successfully. Include at least two strategies you could use to help manage stress and positively impact your overall wellness.
You will likely need at least three paragraphs to address all of these questions. Feel free to use more levels of headings to help the flow of this section. This will help you separate the paper into sections to address the various prompts to be included in the body of the text. A secondary benefit of using headings is that they also help you separate your main ideas. Please see the APA examples in doc sharing for how to use headings. Or, see page 62-63 in the APA 6th edition manual for a written explanation as well as pages 41-51 for visual examples. You could also reference The Walden University Writing Center for the APA levels of heading presentation from the Writing Center.
Clinical and Curricular Training
Review the Academic Residencies website to complete the blanks below for the term you will attend:
- Pre-Practicum Lab 1: between quarter __and__
- Pre-Practicum Lab 2: between quarter __ and__
Explore the Field Experience (FE) website, locate the FE checklist and include the quarter in which you plan to:
- Start to prepare to a search for a field site: quarter__
- Start contacting prospective field sites: quarter__
- Request support for a field site if you need it as early as: quarter__
- Begin field experience application process: quarter__
- Start Practicum application: quarter__
- Submit Internship I application: quarter__
- Begin practicum: quarter__
- Begin Internship: quarter__
- Complete all Internship requirements: quarter__ year __
Summary
In this short paragraph make any closing statements you may have about your professional development plan. Remember to include your references on the last page and complete the credentialing skill development activity.
Credentialing Skill Development Activity
There are two primary types of post-graduation credentials in the counseling profession– licenses and certifications. Both types of post-graduation credentials are extremely important in the counseling field. Analyzing licensing and certification rules, regulations, and laws is a skill set necessary for you to achieve your professional post-graduation goals. As counselor educators, we are responsible for assisting students in gaining the practical skills to analyze rules, laws, and regulations. It is the licensing boards, credentialing boards, and your responsibility to use your analytical skills to support achieving your professional post-degree goals. We will help you find the information, but you will have to determine your professional path. You will use state licensing laws, rules, and regulations to complete this activity. The skills you will gain by completing the following activity can be applied to certifications as well.
| Electronic Signature
Student Name: I acknowledge that every state may have different licensure requirements. I acknowledge that Walden does not have authority over state licensure requirements and that I must confirm any requirements with my state. I recognize that state boards may change licensure requirements and it is my responsibility to remain current regarding any and all licensing requirements in my state. I acknowledge that Walden University cannot provide a definitive listing of additional required courses in any particular state and that Walden University cannot guarantee that any degree program will lead to licensure in any particular state. Student email address (provides authentication for electronic signature and thus must match the email address on file with Walden University): Today’s Date: |
Analyzing Skills for Credentialing
Counselor licensure occurs after students have completed a counseling master’s degree, passed state specified examination(s), and accrued post-master’s supervised clinical experience. Each state or district (in the case of Washington, DC) regulates its own counselor licensure requirements. As Walden does not have the authority to confirm the applicability of its courses to your state licensing board standards, it is your responsibility to confirm that you understand the requirements for the licensure you seek.
The purpose of the following activities is to assist you in building the necessary professional skills to analyze state licensing requirements. You will analyze preselected diverse states with varying licensure requirements. The goal of these activities is to expand your skills in analyzing state rules, laws and regulations regarding licensure as a counselor. Through the process of examining multiple state licensure regulations, you will be able to apply the same examination for understanding your specific state’s requirements. Additionally, it is the intention of this activity to note the variability between states regarding licensure requirements.
Website and contact information for state licensure boards can be accessed via the following link available through the American Counseling Association: http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/licensure-requirements/state-professional-counselor-licensure-boards.
Licensure Credential:
The most common title for a licensed counselor is Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), although there are 14 other titles used across the United States. These licenses may be entitled Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC), among other titles.
Some states have tiered licensure. Think of this as similar to the process when you learned to drive. Most of you spent a year with a driver’s permit, under which you could only drive a car with a licensed adult in the front passenger seat. After you had a year of supervised driving experience, you were able to have a license for which you could drive independently. Most states with tiered licensures are structured in the same way – you practice under the supervision of a board-approved licensed counselor for a set period of time before you are able to independently practice. However, some states have more than 2 levels and some states do not have tiered licensure. Further, some states require counseling students register as an intern during their practicum and internship. You will need to know you state licensing requirements.
In the chart below, look up the credential title; determine whether that state has tiered licensure and, determine how that tier is structured (e.g., must first become Registered Intern; after completing academic program, must pass NCE to become LPC; after 2 years of practicing as LPC under the supervision of a board approved counselor supervisor and passing the NCMHCE, can reach final tier of LPCC) for the identified states. To complete this activity, type directly into the empty boxes in the chart; follow the same format provided in the IL example.
| State | Title of Licensure Credential | Tiered Licensure?
Yes or No |
Licensure Tier Structure (if applicable) |
| Example: IL
http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/068/06801375sections.html |
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) |
Yes | LPC – Master’s in counseling or related degree + passage of NCE
LCPC – Master’s in counseling or related degree + passage of NCE + 2000 hours of clinical experience under board-approved supervisor + passage of NCMHCE |
| MT | |||
| NC | |||
| TN |
Include your state’s licensure board URL: _____________________________________
References
McDonald, K. E. (2010). Ethical principles: Week one application. Journal of Nonexistent and Imaginary Articles, 4 (1) 19-79. doi 10.1234/b12345678ook1234_8
Professional Development Plan for Clinical Mental Health Counselor