1.Rationale for seeking specialization in a MS counseling-related program
This section must address:
• Your clear understanding of the clinical program area, with attention to licensure and the role of a licensed
counselor.
• The clear link between the program you selected and your career goals.
• Your substantive, carefully considered reasons for seeking a clinical graduate degree in counseling (beyond
merely being a good listener or wanting to help others).
• Support your ideas with relevant information from reliable sources, utilizing correct APA formatting.
Clinical counseling is a specialized area of counseling that focuses on helping individuals, couples,
families, and groups to overcome mental and emotional challenges, improve their well-being, and
enhance their quality of life. Clinical counselors are licensed professionals who have undergone
extensive training in psychological assessment, psychotherapy, and clinical supervision.
Licensure is a crucial aspect of the clinical counseling profession. In most states, licensed professional
counselors (LPCs) must meet specific educational and clinical requirements, including completing a
graduate degree in counseling, passing a state licensing exam, and accumulating a specific number of
supervised clinical hours. Additionally, LPCs are required to adhere to ethical guidelines and professional
standards of practice, including maintaining client confidentiality, obtaining informed consent, and
providing culturally responsive and evidence-based treatment.
A clinical mental health counseling program provides the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge
to work with clients who are dealing with a range of mental health issues, including grief, loss, and end
of life concerns. The program will equip me with the skills needed to support clients through difficult
emotional processes, such as coping with loss, managing anxiety and depression, and developing
resilience.
My original plan for my career was to attend a Mortuary Science program to become a Funeral Director
and eventually own my own funeral home. I ended up going for Psychology instead, which had been a
passion of mine since high school. After years of debating going back to school for Mortuary Science or
going for my Master’s degree in Psychology to be a therapist, I finally found the happy medium between
the two which lead me to this program. It is now my goal to be a Grief Counselor as well as an End-ofLife Doula.
In 2015 I learned firsthand how hard it is lose a loved one and how different grief and coping looks for
everyone. Beyond just wanting to help others, …
2.
Impact of previous employment, volunteer work, and other human service or counseling experiences
This section must address:
• Key experiences in your employment or volunteer work that influenced your decision to apply for the
program.
• If you have no experience in human services, please identify specific ways you could gain related
experience, such as volunteer work.
My volunteer work with 180: Turning Lives Around and as a stress phone operator for Parents
Anonymous, as well as my internship with the prosecutor’s homicide unit and previously being a
Registered Psychotherapist, have all influenced my decision to apply for a clinical counseling program.
These experiences have provided me with a firsthand understanding of the complexities of human
behavior, the impact of trauma and stress on individuals and families, and the importance of effective
communication and empathy in working with clients.
My experience with 180: Turning Lives Around exposed me to survivors of domestic and sexual violence,
and crisis intervention and counseling services to victims and their families. This experience gave me
insight into the importance of trauma-informed care and the critical role of counselors in helping clients
overcome the impact of trauma and abuse.
Similarly, my work as a stress phone operator for Parents Anonymous gave me an opportunity to
support parents and caregivers who are facing challenging circumstances, such as financial stress,
relationship issues, or parenting difficulties. This experience helped me develop active listening skills,
empathy, and the ability to connect with clients in a meaningful way.
My internship with the prosecutor’s homicide unit may gave me an understanding of the criminal justice
system and the impact of crime on victims and their families. This experience helped me develop an
appreciation for the importance of empathy, cultural competence, and sensitivity when working with
clients who have experienced trauma and loss.
I don’t think I adequately expressed KEY experiences. Thoughts on what to add?
3.
Culturally relevant interpersonal skills
This section must address:
• Your ability, based on life experience, to relate interpersonally to individuals from different cultural contexts
(e.g. age, disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc.) in both
individual and small group settings.
• Your understanding of the importance of culturally relevant interpersonal skills in the role of a counselor,
and at least 2 steps you plan to take to further the development of these skills.
• Support your ideas with relevant information from reliable sources, utilizing correct APA formatting.
Having culturally relevant interpersonal skills is essential for counselors to effectively work with clients
from diverse backgrounds. As a counselor, you need to be able to understand and appreciate the values,
beliefs, and experiences of individuals from different cultural contexts, such as age, disability, ethnicity,
gender, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.
My current role in HR and my experience working for CoreCivic Community Corrections and their 90-day
IRT program, exposed me to working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds which helped me
develop cultural competence.
Having culturally relevant interpersonal skills is essential for counselors to effectively work with clients
from diverse backgrounds. Developing these skills requires ongoing education, training, and selfreflection. By taking these steps, I can become a more effective and culturally competent counselor,
able to provide quality care to clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. To further develop my
culturally relevant interpersonal skills, I plan to take the following steps:
1. Seek out additional training and education on cultural competence such as workshops, seminars, or
courses on cultural competence to further develop my skills and knowledge. I can also read books,
articles, or research studies on cultural competence to gain a deeper understanding of the topic. The
American Counseling Association (ACA) provides various resources on cultural competence, including
online courses, webinars, and publications.
2. Engage in self-reflection and introspection. Reflecting on my own biases, assumptions, and values can
help me become more aware of how they may influence my interactions with clients from diverse
cultural backgrounds. This process of self-reflection can help me develop greater empathy and
understanding for my clients. The National Education Association (NEA) provides a framework for
promoting cultural competence through self-reflection.
4.
Self-awareness
This section must address:
• Life experiences that may have heightened your level of self-awareness, impacted your decision to apply to
the program, and influenced your career goals.
• The characteristic ways in which you process life events and challenges, and how those ways have helped
you develop strengths relevant to your chosen program area.
• Your discussion of self-awareness should demonstrate emotional stability and readiness to undertake a
graduate degree program in counseling.
Self-awareness is a crucial characteristic for counselors, as it allows them to understand their own
feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, as well as how these may impact their interactions with clients. As an
applicant to a clinical counseling program, it is important to demonstrate emotional stability and
readiness to undertake graduate studies in counseling.
Some life experiences that have heightened my level of self-awareness and influenced my decision to
apply to the program include personal challenges, such as overcoming the loss of a loved one, and the
desire to help others going through similar experiences. I have also experienced depression and anxiety
in the past and sought therapy as a way to cope. I had a few not-so-great therapists, a couple decent
ones, and one amazing one. This experience led me to develop a greater understanding of the
importance of mental health and the impact it can have on individuals’ lives.
My characteristic ways of processing life events and challenges also helped me develop strengths that
are relevant to my chosen program area. I used to not know how to cope or cope through selfdestruction. Now I tend to be reflective and introspective and have developed a greater capacity for
empathy and understanding, which are essential qualities for counselors. I have also developed strong
communication skills, active listening skills, and the ability to create a safe and supportive environment
for clients.
In terms of emotional stability and readiness to undertake graduate studies in counseling, it is important
to demonstrate a high level of self-awareness and a willingness to engage in ongoing self-reflection and
personal growth. This includes a willingness to acknowledge and address personal biases and
limitations, and a commitment to maintaining professional boundaries and ethical standards.
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5.
Future professional goals in counseling
This section must address:
• Your specific career goals and the licensure requirements you will need to achieve them.
• Since licensure requirements vary from state to state, be specific about the requirements in the state where
you intend to practice.
• Support your ideas with relevant information from reliable sources, utilizing correct APA formatting.
To become a licensed counselor in the state of New Jersey, the licensure requirements vary depending
on the type of counseling one plans to practice. As a Grief Counselor I need to pursue a license as a
Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), or a Licensed Clinical Social
Worker (LCSW).
To become a LPC in New Jersey, I first must complete a graduate degree in counseling or a related field
from an accredited institution, which includes coursework in specific areas such as human growth and
development, theories of counseling, and social and cultural foundations. I must also complete a
supervised clinical experience of at least 3,000 hours, with at least 100 hours of face-to-face supervision,
and pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Examination (NCMHCE).
To become an LCSW in New Jersey, I must first complete a graduate degree in social work from an
accredited institution, which includes coursework in specific areas such as human behavior and the
social environment, social welfare policies and services, and research methods. I must also complete a
supervised clinical experience of at least 3,000 hours, with at least 100 hours of face-to-face supervision,
and pass the Clinical Level Examination of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB).
As a Grief Counselor and End of Life Doula, additional training is necessary to provide specialized
services in these areas. For example, the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA) offers a
certification program for End of Life Doulas, which includes training in areas such as emotional and
spiritual support, physical care, and advocacy.
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