Development and Implementation of a Counseling Professional Identity Development Exercise

Authors

Alexander M. Fields, Florida Atlantic UniversityFollow
Ashley F. Waddington, University of South CarolinaFollow
Rachel Gilreath, University of Wisconsin - OshkoshFollow
Madeline Castle, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
Kara M. Schneider, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
Lucas M. Perez, Auburn UniversityFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0002-1280-2655

Author Biography

Alexander (Alex) M. Fields, PhD, LIMHP, NCC is an Assistant Professor in the Counselor Education Department at Florida Atlantic University. He earned his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of South Carolina. His research is primarily client-focused, with a specific interest in integrated behavioral healthcare, wellness, disabilities, and group counseling. Dr. Fields also has an interest in creative strategies to prepare counselors and other healthcare professionals to work in a diverse society.

Document Type

Empirical Research Article

Keywords

Counselor trainees, counseling professional identity, counselor education, thematic analysis

Subject Area

Counselor Education, Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling

Abstract

The professional identity of counselors is critical for distinguishing the counseling profession from related helping professionals. This paper presents the development and implementation of a novel counseling professional identity (CPI) development exercise, Weekly CPI Statements. The intervention was integrated into a 5-week CACREP introduction to counseling course to facilitate counselor trainees' (CTs) understanding and articulation of the CPI. Through thematic analysis, we examined themes of 29 CTs (school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and marriage, couples, and family therapy graduate students) experiences after completing the Weekly CPI Statements. The final themes were (a) Encouraged Critical Thinking, (b) Supported Professional Development Processes, and (c) Student Reflections and Recommendations. We present general findings and implications for the intervention in developing CPI for CTs across multiple tracks.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.70013/6bi7jkhi

Recommended Citation

Fields, A. M., Waddington, A. F., Gilreath, R., Castle, M., Schneider, K. M., & Perez, L. M. (2025). Development and Implementation of a Counseling Professional Identity Development Exercise. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 19(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.70013/6bi7jkhi