1. Counselor Identity Development: Toward a Model for the Formation of Professional Identity
Eric W. Owens , PhD, LPC, NCC, ACS
Cheryl W. Neale-McFall, PhD, NCC
NARACES Conference, 2014; Providence, RI

2. What brought us here?
What does having professional identity as a counselor mean to you?
How did you develop your professional identity as a counselor?
Why is identity development important?
Where are the inherent challenges in this process?
As counselor educators, how do we assist students in developing their professional identities?

3. Challenges in Defining and Fostering Identity
“Identity Crisis”
Variations in training and educational programs
Lack of consistency in credentialing and wide ranges of specializations
Lack of consistency and cooperation among professional organizations that represent professional counselors
(Gale & Austin, 2003)

4. CACREP’s Effort to Unify
CACREP’s establishment of standards for the preparation of professional counselors:
Focus on teaching and assessment of student learning
Eight core areas for establishing and continual development of professional counselor identity
Current debate over CACREP’s role and authority
(CACREP, 2009)

5. Definition of Professional Identity and the Three Domains
What is Professional Identity?
Parallel between development of competency in multicultural counseling and professional identity development
Developing triad of competencies: values, abilities, and knowledge
Three Domains of Professional Identity
Knowledge
Skills
Attitude
How do you reach these domains with your students?
(Alves & Gazzola, 2001)

6. History of Stage Models of Identity Development
Ronnestadt & Skovolt’s (2003) six-phase model and 14 central themes in the development of the counseling identity.
Attention to how the counselor understands and makes meaning of the professional world
Loganbill’s (1982) eight-issue, three-stage, sequential model of clinical supervision, which promotes identity development.
“…core concepts in the developmental theory apply to the counselor/therapist.”
Human growth development applied to development of a professional counselor

7. Context-Phase-Stage-Style (CPSS) Model and Professional Counselor Identity Development
Developmental and Constructivism Factors
“all human beings are active creators of experience, not passive receptors of an objective reality. To know is to construct, not to find” (McAullife & Eriksen, 1999, p.268).
Role of Counselor Educator
Counselors will develop identity if challenged and supported – what does this look like?
Four Dimensions of the CPSS Model
Social Context
Life Phase
Developmental Stage
Style
(McAullife & Eriksen, 1999)

8. From Theory to Practice: Suggested Applications
CACREP has addressed the knowledge and skill domains through national standards. What about the attitudinal domain?
How can counselor educators help trainees develop the attitudes related to counselor identity?
Three methods with specific attention to issues related to trainees’ social context, life phase, developmental phase, and personality.
Mentoring Relationships
Reflexive Pedagogy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

9. Mentoring Relationships
Opportunity to closely learn the students’ social context, life phase, developmental stage, and personality style (CPSS fundamental aspects).
Did you have a mentor as a graduate student? If so, how did this relationship help develop your professional identity?
Mentoring vs. Advising
Fellow traveler vs. all-knowing expert
Benefits of the mentoring relationship between a graduate student and faculty member
Student success, professional competence, identity development, and socio-emotional support
Formal vs. Informal methods
Are you a mentor to your students?

10. Reflexive Pedagogy Meaning making, developing beliefs
Increased self-awareness
Support and challenge from faculty
Discussion boards
Collaborative learning
Reflective journaling
Role-plays
How do you promote reflexive thinking in your classrooms and with your students?
(Sinacore et al., 1999)

11. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Six Core Concepts
Acceptance
Cognitive defusion
Being present
Self as context
Defining valued directions
Committed action
Trainee explores his/her own values and beliefs, which increases psychological flexibility.
Overall goal of finding meaning in life
Do you use ACT in classroom exercises?
(Bowden & Bowden, 2012)

12. Conclusion and Suggestions
Do you believe we have an “identity crisis” as professional counselors?
How will you address the three learning domains (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) with your students?
Do you believe exploring the CPSS Model through mentoring relationships, reflexive pedagogy, and ACT is realistic for counselor educators? Which do you feel you are most likely to use with your trainees?

13. Contact Eric Owens Cheryl Neale-McFall 610.436.2559 x2554
Cheryl Neale-McFall
x2551
Owens, E.W. & Neale-McFall, C.W. (2014) Counselor identity development:
Toward a model for the formation of professional identity, Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 1:1, 16-27, DOI: / X

14. References
Alves, S., & Gazzola, N. (2011). Professional identity: A qualitative inquiry of experienced counsellors. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 45, Retrieved from Bowden, T. & Bowden, S. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): An overview for practitioners. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counseling, 22 (2), Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (2009) Standards. Alexandria, VA: Author. Gale, A. U., & Austin, B. D. (2003). Professionalism's challenges to professional counselors' collective identity. Journal of Counseling and Development, 81, 3–10. doi: /j tb00219.x Loganbill, C., Hardy, E., & Delworth, U. (1982). Supervision: A conceptual model. The Counseling Psychologist, 10, doi: / McAuliffe, G. J., & Eriksen, K. P. (1999). Toward a constructivist and developmental identity for the counseling profession: The Context-Phase-Stage-Style Model. Journal of Counseling and Development, 77, 267–280. doi: /j tb02450.x Ronnestad, M. H., & Skovholt, T. M. (2003). The journey of the counselor and therapist: Research findings and perspectives on professional development. Journal of Career Development, 30, Sinacore, A., Blaisure, K., Justin, M., Healy, P., Brawer, S. (1999). Promoting reflexivity in the classroom. Teaching of Psychology, 26,