Professional Development Plan

Paper details:

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.
Counselor Identity Statement
In the Week 4 Resources, you will review Faculty Interviews that include individual counselor identity statements. Reflect on your own counselor identity and include it here. Your counselor identity statement can include your vision for social change. Remember, this identity will develop as you develop as a counselor
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 degree in a Counseling field? 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?
How will you use your learning style strengths along with Walden’s resources to support your success as a student? What resources will you use to develop your skills in APA style and writing with academic integrity? Identify how you plan to review and understand the entire ACA and/or ASCA Code of Ethics depending on your field, and when in your academic career this will be achieved. Identify how you plan to learn and demonstrate the School of Counseling’s Professional Dispositions throughout the training program.
Identify associations you plan on joining (e.g., American Counseling Association, American School 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. 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 using self-care strategies. 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 pages 62–63 in the APA 6th edition manual for a written explanation, as well as pages 41–51 for visual examples. Or, you could 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:
1. Pre-Practicum Lab 1: between quarter __and__
2. 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:
1. Start to prepare to a search for a field site: quarter__
2. Start contacting prospective field sites: quarter__
3. Request support for a field site if you need it as early as: quarter__
4. Begin field experience application process: quarter__
5. Start Practicum application: quarter__
6. Submit Internship I application: quarter__
7. Begin practicum: quarter__
8. Begin Internship: quarter__
9. 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.
School Counseling Students Only: Credentialing Skill Development Activity (Section 2)
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 credentialing 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 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 credentialing laws, rules, and regulations to complete this activity. The skills you will gain by completing this activity can be applied to both licensure and certifications.

Analyzing Skills for Credentialing
Counselor credentialing occurs after students have completed a counseling master’s degree, passed state specified examination(s), and (if applicable) accrued post-master’s supervised experience. Each state or district (in the case of Washington, DC) regulates its own counselor credentialing requirements. As Walden does not have the authority to confirm the applicability of its courses to your state credentialing board standards, it is your responsibility to confirm that you understand the requirements for the credentialing you seek.

Website and contact information for state credentialing boards can be accessed via the following link available through the American School Counselor Association: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/careers-roles/state-certification-requirements

Completion of a State-Approved Program
Many states require school counselor applicants to complete a “state-approved school counseling program” in order to be eligible for licensure/certification. Walden’s MS in School Counseling program meets the standards for school counseling licensure and is a state-approved program in Ohio. Individuals interested in school counseling licensure or certification in states other than Ohio may qualify for the license by virtue of completing the state-approved program pathway; however, it is important to review a state’s regulations to ensure the school counseling program meets all requirements paying particular attention to any requirements specific to out-of-state-programs

Reciprocity
Some states require the candidate obtain a certificate from the state where the program has been approved prior to submitting an application. Since Walden’s school counseling program has been approved in the State of Ohio, candidates that live in these states would need to obtain the Ohio School Counseling Certificate first, and then apply to their home state for the credential.

Credential Types:
The credentialing for a School Counselor varies state to state. Some states license school counselors), while others have certification credentialing similar to being a teacher. The titled and description of school counseling credentials vary widely across states.

Some states have tiered credentialing. 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. Some states with tiered credentialing require prior teaching experience, a teaching practicum, or even credentialing as a teacher. You will need to know you state credentialing requirements.

Student Electronic Signature
Printed Name:
0 I acknowledge that every state may have different credentialing requirements.
0 I acknowledge that Walden does not have authority over state credentialing requirements and that I must confirm any requirements with my state.
0 I recognize that state boards may change credentialing requirements and it is my responsibility to remain current regarding any and all credentialing requirements in my state.
0 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 credentialing 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:

Include your state’s licensure board URL: ____________________________________

All Other Counseling Students: Credentialing Skill Development Activity (Section 2)
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. It is important to note there is variability between states regarding licensure requirements.

Electronic Signature
Student Name:
0 I acknowledge that every state may have different licensure requirements.
0 I acknowledge that Walden does not have authority over state licensure requirements and that I must confirm any requirements with my state.
0 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.
0 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:

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), and 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 learner’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 two levels, and some states do not have tiered licensure. Furthermore, some states require that counseling students register as an intern during their practicum and internship. You will need to know you state licensing requirements, and it is recommended that you start researching them as you create your professional development plan.

Include your state’s licensure board URL: ____________________________________

References