Beginning Your Counseling Career

Mary Olufunmilayo Adekson, PhD, is a retired counselor educator. Mary has authored two books, a book chapter, edited one handbook, and written articles related to traditional healing and counseling. She is CEO of Faith Diversity Consulting.

• Part I. 1.Getting accepted into a master’s program & getting a graduate assistantship (Kevon Bruce, Tiffany Fuller, and Timothy J. Hakenewerth) 2.The challenges of starting and completing masters level training (Marcus Smith) 3 .Balancing career, graduate school, and family (Colleen Chahal) 4. Online masters in counseling programs (Heather Ambrose) Part II. 5.Applying and getting accepted to a fitting doctoral program (Julius A. Austin & Jude T. Austin II) 6. Doctoral online programs (John A. King & Jonathan Impellizzeri) 7. Benefits and challenges of balancing a professional counseling identity with doctoral studies: The perspectives of current counselor education doctoral students (Alfonso Ferguson, Leanice Smith) 8. Proposing and completing a dissertation (Jude T. Austin II & Julius A. Austin) 9.Writing etiquette for doctoral students (Noelany Pelc) 10. Teaching counseling students the science of research (Jaime Castillo) 11. Recommendations for teaching counseling: From practitioner to counselor educator (Roberto Swazo) Part III. 12.Preparing counseling students for field experience (Le Ann Solmonson) 13. Gaining clinical experience in and after graduate school (Lotes Nelson) 14. Mentoring students for private practice (Judith Miranti) 15.Critical steps in obtaining licensure (Brittany L. Dennis) 16.Becoming a Supervisor (Lynn Bohecker) 17. Counseling identity (Nicole R. Hill, Linwood G. Vereen & Kirsten LaMantia) Part IV. 18. Encouraging minorities in the counseling program (Linwood G. Vereen Brittany Dennis & Stephanie DePalmer) 19. International students and counselor education (Pei-Chun (Olivia) Chen) Part V. 20. Establishing relationships with administrators, faculty and staff as a school counselor (Cynthia Sinesiou & Jessica Henderson) 21.Special Education legislation and protocols for school counseling (Jennifer Coles Hill) 22. School counselors as athletic coaches : Finding a common ground (Anna Elliott & Mark Nelson)

"Bravo to Dr. Mary Olufunmilayo Adekson and all the contributors of Beginning Your Counseling Career. The authors take the reader on a comprehensive journey, from applying to graduate school to beginning private practice. This book is the much-needed road map for successfully navigating each step in the process of becoming a counselor while maintaining balance in one’s life. It is a tool for reducing the anxiety inherent in the process, particularly for first generation students. This book is a gift, a guiding light to accompany future counselors and new professionals to the end of the academic tunnel and well into their professional careers. I wish this phenomenal counselor GPS had been available 30 years ago! It is definitely a must read for every counseling student." -- Kellie N. Kirksey, PhD, LPCC-S, holistic psychotherapist, The Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine "Beginning Your Counseling Career provides a framework for advanced undergraduates, beginning counseling students, and future counselor educators to appreciate and understand the process of professional identity development. This well-written edited book answers common student questions and covers a number of issues important in navigating a counselor training program. Each chapter is written by counselors and graduate students with practical experience in the credentialing process. Anyone interested in the counseling profession should begin with this book." -- Jacqueline Smith, EdD, program director and department chair, School of Psychology and Counseling, Regent University, Virginia; CACREP board member"This is a much-needed book. Beginning Your Counseling Career provides students with valuable and useful information that will help them make informed decisions as a student, future practitioner, or counselor educator." -- Hank Harris, PhD, professor and departmental chair, Department of Counseling, University of North Carolina at Charlotte"For those considering a professional counseling career, current graduate students, or early professionals, this book is an essential resource that allows individuals to take a broad view of their career while learning some tricks of the counseling trade. Dr. Mary Olufunmilayo Adekson has brought together noteworthy contributors to address the needs of all, including minority and international students. The book’s discussions on the interests of those specializing in school counseling, mental health counseling, and those preparing for masters and doctoral studies bring out the best in the counseling profession." -- Michael D. Brubaker, PhD, associate professor and program coordinator, UC Counseling Program, University of Cincinnati, Ohio"Beginning Your Counseling Career is a ‘how to’ book for potential students, including international students and students of color looking for guidance on how to navigate the graduate student process at the masters level and further their education at the doctoral level. This book will be of benefit to those who lack a mentor or need mentoring in the graduate process." -- Kimberly N. Frazier, PhD, associate professor, School of Allied Health Professions, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Department of Clinical Rehabilitation and Counseling "It is challenging for anyone to begin a new career. We see many individuals transitioning from other careers to the counseling profession. Beginning Your Counseling Career will guide these individuals from earning an advanced degree to standing on their feet as a professional. I just wish I had this book when I started my journey as an international student years ago." -- Sunhee J. Eissenstat, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling, Rutgers University, New Jersey