ISSN : 2233-6710(Print)
ISSN : 2384-2121(Online)
ISSN : 2384-2121(Online)
Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling Vol.11 No.2 pp.1-16
DOI : http://doi.org/10.18401/2021.11.2.1
DOI : http://doi.org/10.18401/2021.11.2.1
Healer or Healing? An Exploratory Analysis of Becoming a Counselor
Abstract
The process of becoming a professional counselor can be long and arduous. It can be fraught with anxiety, ambiguity, and doubt about one’s motivations to pursue such a profession. However, it can also be characterized by hopefulness to grow, heal, and recover from experiences in the life of the student. The current study investigated the early life experiences of counselors-in-training enrolled in a graduate master’s CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) program. The author examined themes from the lives of twenty-four counseling students and how their past experiences were transformative to better prepare them to help others.