Topic 6: Professional Identity {by 3/9}
Based on the readings due this week consider the following discussion point: (1) When you hear the words “professional identity,” what comes to mind? Is this something you have ever thought about before? So far, who/what has most influenced your professional identity development?
Your original post should be posted by the beginning of class 3/9. Post your two replies no later than 3/11. *Please remember to click the “reply” button when posting a reply. This makes it easier for the reader to follow the blog postings.
Dr. Adam M Volungis 
Feb 28, 2023 @ 23:54:57
When it comes to professional identity I think of the attitudes, values, beliefs, and skills that a person holds in their profession. I think that something that comes to mind is that many people within the counseling field specialize in certain skills, have additional training in areas of counseling (e.g., PSB, substance use, eating disorder, etc.) and are known for teaching the skills that they are proficient in. I think that often times colleagues may direct you to professionals with these identities to help you with a case or problems that they are experienced with. But also, professional identities goes further than that, for example trends such as being reliable and being on time also become a part of your identity and the way we present ourselves at work set an expectations for our colleagues.
I think that my supervisor and the program director have most influenced my professional identity since they are the two people that I have received the most training/guidance from. They have helped me become more skilled, knowledgeable, and set professional boundaries and expectations for me.
Mar 02, 2023 @ 16:38:37
Hi Pawel,
I think you made a good point about how our professional identity can extend past things like clinical expertise, values, skills, etc, especially with respect to how we present ourselves in a professional manner. I think it’s really important to recognize that how we present ourselves at work (e.g., being reliable, on time, respectful, etc.) is just as important as those other aspects of our professional identity, because if we lack these basic kinds of characteristics it may not matter how knowledgeable we may be if we don’t present ourselves in a professional and respectable manner.
Mar 04, 2023 @ 13:37:00
Hi Pawel,
It is great to hear that you had such a positive experience with your supervisor and program director. During this one year process of our internships, they really do have such as strong influence into the type of therapist that we will be when we graduate. I know that we still have plenty more to learn, but this experience became the first introduction to working in the field, and having that support is so significant to our development.
Mar 01, 2023 @ 00:21:59
When I hear the words “Professional identity” what comes to mind is the understanding of your education level, accreditation, practice approach, specialization, and credentials as these correlate with ethics and career development. It is important to understand these components as you do not want to practice out of your practice and credentials. Before reading the chapter, I had not thought about my identity before. However, after reading, I could recall some instances where my professional identity has developed. First, My undergrad mentor helped to develop my skills and reach higher levels. My experience with outpatient substance use during my internship has developed my identity as a professional. Also, I am fortunate to work with a mostly Latino population which is something I want to specialize in my practice. Lastly, from my masters program, my main approach is CBT when working with clients but I am looking forward to learning more approaches like DBT and other practices.
Mar 02, 2023 @ 16:41:22
Hi Moises,
I had a similar experience to you in the sense of not really putting thought into my professional identity prior to reading this chapter. I agree that it felt easier to reflect on how our identity has developed overall, though, after gaining a better understanding of the different aspects that may make up our professional identity. It’s great to hear that your internship has allowed you to gain experience working with a population that you hope to specialize in! I’m glad that your internship has been valuable in developing your professional identity in these different ways.
Mar 04, 2023 @ 13:40:04
Hi Moises,
That is so great to hear that you were able to work with the population that you want to continue with in the future! Not everyone gets to start off with that right away! I have also not really looked too much into what my professional identity is, only in the sense of basic attitudes while in the workplace and how that plays an important part in your future. I hope that your internship continues to be great!
Mar 06, 2023 @ 09:48:33
Moises,
I think that you bring up an important point when you highlighted that your professional identity has to do with your education level, accreditation, practice approach, specialization, and credentials. I think that this is important to understand since these are the main things that employers look for when searching for a new hire, and also tells our client our competence in the services we provide and if we are the right fit for them.
Mar 06, 2023 @ 17:20:43
Moises,
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I think you bring up a great point that professional identity development happens in stages and each one is important. We’ve all grown so much since undergrad and then the beginning of this program. I think it’s important to look back on that progress and reflect on how it’s shaping our future selves.
Mar 02, 2023 @ 16:31:23
When I hear the words “professional identity”, I initially thought of one’s personal therapeutic style (e.g., humor, warmth, openness, enthusiasm, etc.), as well as aspects such as one’s theoretical orientation(s) and their clinical areas of expertise as a counselor. However, after reading the chapter I better understood this as one’s accreditation, approach to practice, qualifications, areas of expertise, and one’s sense of belonging among other mental health professionals. I have thought about my professional identity before, but honestly think that I tend to not think too much about it since I’m still in school and therefore feel like I’m not necessarily qualified or considered a “professional” in the field yet. With this said, I definitely feel like I don’t have a strong understanding of my professional identity as of yet. I have put some thought into different clinical areas I may like to develop expertise in, such as working with grief and/or working with elderly individuals. So far, working in hospice and bereavement in my late undergrad years significantly influenced my professional identity development as I learned during this time that this was a population I found a lot of fulfillment in working with, and recognized the need for grief counseling resources. My own experiences with grief have also helped to develop my professional identity in a similar manner. Aside from this, my experiences in this grad program have significantly helped me to develop my professional identity as it has allowed me to develop competence in working within a CBT-framework, and is something I would like to continue focusing on in clinical practice moving forward.
Mar 06, 2023 @ 17:25:09
Valerie,
I identify with a lot of your points and agree that it’s hard to view oneself as a “professional” when still in school. The chapters were definitely helpful and provided some insight on different approaches to take when developing a professional identity. I know we’re a long way off but seeing your progress over the last few semesters, I think you’ll grow into a well respected and effective professional in the field!
Mar 07, 2023 @ 10:51:51
Valerie,
I feel very similar to you in that I hadn’t really thought about my professional identity prior to reading the chapter, and I guess I didn’t really have a good understanding of what it entailed either. I also thought it was more about the way in which we conduct therapy as clinicians, so it was helpful to read this chapter and get a better understanding. Also, I agree that it’s difficult to think about being a “professional” while still being in school and learning new things.
Mar 04, 2023 @ 13:33:22
When I hear the words “professional identify,” I think of the skill that one holds as well as knowledge and experience within their career. This has definitely something that I have thought about before. I also think about the level of commitment and how one presents themselves in a professional setting. For example, one could have the knowledge and the skills to perform in a job, but if you present yourself in a manner that is professional and appropriate for the setting, that is what becomes a visual representation of your professional identity. Within the jobs that I have worked leading up to graduation, I have always worked to demonstrate a professional, honest, responsible, and reliable worker. Whether I am a waitress, a cashier, a cleaner, a dog sitter, or an intern, I have held onto these values in the workplace and it shows my coworkers, customers, and bosses, who I am as a worker. I believe that this is a strong trait to have as well as a great way to look at one’s work ethic. These values are what have influenced my professional identity. I also attribute this character-building to my parents and to my first job as a waitress. The restaurant I worked for heavily reinforced a positive and friendly atmosphere and I believe if I worked anywhere else, I would not have learned as much as I did. My favorite line is, fake it till you make it. When I was first running groups at my internship, I was 100% shaking in my boots and terrified to do something wrong, but I pretended to be this confident professional who knew exactly what to do and what to say, and the clients began to believe it too. Now, I do not have to pretend so much anymore.
Mar 06, 2023 @ 09:52:18
Jennifer,
I think that you raise a very good point in that the way we present ourselves in the workplace has a direct impact on our professional identity. I also, love the line “fake it till you make it”. When I did basic training for the Army that was our motto, the drill sergeants used to joke around that some of us got really good at the fake it till you make it thing–since nobody really wanted to be there but we all had one goal in mind! Lastly, totally agree that our past jobs shaped us so much as professionals and the skills we picked up continue to play a part in our professional identity.
Mar 06, 2023 @ 22:27:50
Hello Jennifer,
I agree with some points you made. Your professional presentation is a crucial part of your identity as a professional since it shows your knowledge in the field. Also, I agree with values and traits as important as well because they influence your work ethic and confidence in your pratice.
Mar 07, 2023 @ 10:57:09
Jenn,
You made a great point about how professional identity can also include how one presents themself and doing so in a professional manner. I think it is super important to not only have the skills and knowledge to adequately perform as a professional, but also being able to present yourself in a way that makes it seem like you are capable. You also talked about being honest, reliable, and responsible. I think these are fundamental qualities for someone who is a professional and it is something that I have always strived for no matter where I work. I too feel like this is something that I have learned from my dad and will carry with me throughout my professional career!
Mar 07, 2023 @ 12:05:41
Hi Jennifer!
I really enjoyed how you connected your past roles to the role that you are currently in. I feel like professional identity is a life long learning experience. I think it is a huge benefit that you have worked in other areas, and have been able to adapt to each. I too have lived by the motto “fake it til you make it”. It truly transformed me from a much more shy individual to who I am now. It’s also true that it is not so much pretending anymore! We have worked really hard, we are knowledgeable, and we will continue to perfect our craft.
Mar 08, 2023 @ 09:01:20
Jenn,
You bring up such a good point about how professional identity goes beyond being a CBT therapist or working with a specific population, but also includes how you present yourself, whether that be in a professional manner or inappropriately. I think the other part of this too is that how you present yourself goes beyond how our clients see us – like you mentioned, we leave an impact on our bosses, supervisors, other clinicians, etc. And in this profession, it seems like having a good network is huge – it could potentially be so detrimental if someone you worked with previously was like “Yeah, they’re great with clients but wow, what a disaster to work with / work for / have working for you.” My motto has always been that if I’m at work, there’s very little reason for me to be impolite or come off snippy – part of the job is putting on that professional attitude. Definitely good to remember in terms of developing a strong, reliable, positive professional identity / thinking about how others perceive you in the field.
– Katie
Mar 06, 2023 @ 17:17:31
When thinking of the term “professional identity”, a person’s career path and the steps they’ve taken to get there comes to mind. Our professional selves develop over years depending on our role models, jobs, education, and environments. I’ve been thinking about this concept more often lately because I am taking PSY 620 currently, which focuses on career development. The class presents different theories of career development which play into a person’s professional identity, something I had not really thought of before. It’s starting to become particularly important to me because I’m starting out in the field and I need to decide how I want people to perceive me in a professional setting. Right now, the biggest influence on my professional identity is the role models I’ve had in graduate school, especially professors who I’ve connected with and those whose clinical skills/traits I’d like to emulate in the future.
Mar 07, 2023 @ 12:33:36
Hi Frayah!
I agree, and I believe that professional identity is a lifelong/career long journey. I too feel as though many of our professors have emulated many professional qualities for us to learn from. I am excited to see you grow in your new career!
Mar 11, 2023 @ 10:21:49
Hi Frayah,
I agree, I think it is important to start thinking about how we want others to perceive us in professional settings. Similarly, in class we discussed the importance of being see not only in a professional setting but also out in public. It is possible to run into clients in public, so being aware of how we appear is important across different settings.
Mar 07, 2023 @ 10:49:40
In the past, when I had thought about “professional identity” in this field, I would think about things like theoretical orientation and approaches used as a therapist or counselor. It wasn’t something I had really thought about prior to reading the chapter, and now I understand that there is definitely more that goes into developing a professional identity. Right now, I still feel like I’m learning and developing my professional identity. However, I do feel like classes and my internship have helped shape my professional identity, particularly with using CBT as a main approach to counseling, but in other ways as well. I think that professional identity continues to grow and develop as we begin working in the field and fine-tune what we are doing, which is something I’m looking forward to when I graduate and begin working. I haven’t honestly thought much about my own professional identity, but after reading the chapter and thinking about it, I feel like I have been influenced by my peers, professors, and my supervisor at my internship, as well as through my own experiences and experience with therapy.
Mar 08, 2023 @ 20:45:48
Hi Kaitlyn,
I share with you that defining the professional orientation based on CBT is a significant piece of professional identity. I am personally torn between outpatient and inpatient settings weighing the pros and cons of these fields. I value that outpatient clients come voluntarily to the therapy process, and there is no need to force them to take the service. However, the amount of paperwork and administrative stuff is overwhelming in the agencies, and I feel that my time gets into accomplishing the compliant clinical reports (assessments) more than in the clinical practice. Anyways excited about the future and what comes!!
Mar 11, 2023 @ 10:09:05
Hi Kaitlyn,
I agree that our professional identity continues to develop from the experiences and time in the field. Like you said, I think our classes and overall program have contributed to the development our professional identity, especially since our program is CBT based. Through our classes and internship, I think it has helped me understand specialities/ settings I definitely don’t see myself perusing.
Mar 07, 2023 @ 12:02:20
When I think of professional identity, I think of who you are as a professional. Such as titles you may hold, theoretical orientation, and what others’ are saying about you (how you act at work/who you are in that aspect). This is definitely something that I think about often, and I try to come across as knowledgeable, confident, supportive, and professional. I think that your professional identity is constantly changing as you grow, learn, and develop your skills. I am still developing my professional identity and believe it will continue to change throughout my career. Talking about this subject brings me back to previous teachings, where we focused on the importance of being attractive and knowledgeable in the workplace.
When it comes to influence on my professional development. I tend to learn a lot about professionalism from others’ who are in leadership roles. I was in management and held trainings for a long time in different contexts, and some of those experiences still help me today. My supervisor has absolutely influenced my development, as well as my incredible colleagues. My clients challenge me and help me to recognize where I may need more support. Most of all, I feel like my professional development has been influenced by a previous therapist. She was so unconditional, truly loving, and kind. I try to bring that into my professional identity as well.
Mar 08, 2023 @ 09:07:02
Lindsay,
Good point that our professional identities will continue to grow and develop as we move through our careers. I think that goes back to continuing education and staying current in the field, as well. I think while some parts of our professional identity might change, i.e. deciding to move from a non-profit or agency work to opening a private practice or moving from more general practice to becoming more specialized, certain aspects of our identity will probably stick with us. By that I mean the more personal attributes you mentioned – if they’re positive and keep going that way, that’s great! But it’s hard to come back from leaving a bad taste in someone’s mouth or giving a bad first impression if the rest of your identity isn’t up to what it should be, like if you weren’t professional or respectful etc – even if you are improving after the fact. So definitely something to keep in mind as we are starting out and trying to make a good first impression with people!
– Katie
Mar 08, 2023 @ 08:30:50
Prior to reading the chapter, professional identity was a more abstract concept to me. I had thought it was something you develop throughout your career, for example, specializing in a certain disorder or population, but ultimately I didn’t give much thought to the fact that even throughout graduate school, we’re already developing our personal identities. As the chapter states, personal identity includes your graduate program/accreditation/qualifications/credentials, areas of expertise and approach to practice, the ins and outs of what sets my profession apart from others, and integrating personal identity with professional training. So with that in mind, I would say we are on our way to developing our professional identities even before we graduate from the program.
I think right now the most influential factors on my professional identity development would be some of my Assumption professors and the supervisors/interns at my internship site. Through our graduate program, I’d say I’ve developed a very CBT-oriented approach and a heavy respect for evidence-based treatments, but through anecdotal experience between professors and supervisors, I’ve also come to the approach of just being a good human being to my clients first and foremost, and not sticking to one treatment modality that is ill-suited to the client. I think my internship site solidified that I do enjoy working with kiddos through new adults, something I had previously suspected but not confirmed. Finally, between my supervisor and Assumption’s ethics course, I feel I have a strong ethical foundation of what is and is not okay as I continue to develop my clinical judgment. Just as a side note – my internship site is about half and half MSW versus LMHC students and that has been very interesting as well, to hear about the differences and honestly, solidify my choice to go this route over that path.
Mar 11, 2023 @ 22:40:08
Hi Katie –
I like that you brought up professional identity maybe being more abstract at first and it being something we don’t develop until we really get to to the career. The way that you continued to reframe this and create the mindset that, as students, we are actively developing our professional identity – even if we aren’t “professionals” quite yet. It goes to show that this concept is incredibly fluid and lends itself to experience changes as an individual continues to develop.
Thanks for sharing!!
Mar 08, 2023 @ 20:47:33
Coming from another culture and language makes me consider the differences between countries and systems. For example, you do not need an LMHC to do private practice in Colombia. It is your office that the state approves under regulations but NO, your clinical practice. Therefore, anyone who wants to do private practice and has a bachelor’s degree in science psychology can do it, and it is considered a psychologist. Hence, from this experience, I thought about professional identity in terms of therapeutic style and orientation. It was essential for the University that I graduated from to select a specific orientation (your major) Humanist, Dynamic/psychoanalysis, or CBT.
Based on the reading, I see the professional identity amplified because it talks about not only the type of theory intervention, CBT, but also the license, the specialization, the population served, and the setting that one wants to work with. Furthermore, the intrapersonal dimension of personal values and the vital role of ethics. I see myself as a professional identity as Latino, primarily Spanish speaking, and privileged (in a good sense) of having access to one of the best schools in counseling in MA. I imagine that the main population in any agency or hospital where I will work will be with Latino community, which I truly enjoy. However, I am curious about how I will integrate my attributes/identity and professional training within the context of professional practice and community because I am still at the fence between the Specialization, Population served, and settings I want to work with for the next two years.
Mar 09, 2023 @ 10:20:52
When hearing professional identity, I think about the way in which an individual conducts themselves professionally along with their skills, knowledge, and approach to practice. Similarly, I think of the way an individual internalizes who they are as a professional based on their own attitudes, beliefs, and the way they present themselves within the work environment. When considering professional identity, I do think it’s something that is fluid and could constantly change depending on trainings, learning new tools to use, or even having personal/professional experiences that shape the way you conduct yourself. While I haven’t really considered / heard the term before, I feel like professional identity is definitely something that I have thought about before. I think back to some of the first classes I took in the program, especially the one with Zach, and I remember talking about what kind of therapist we see ourselves being. In this case, I always believed that my professional identity lives up with Carl Rogers and his style of conducting therapy. So far, I feel like my professional identity has been influenced by a plethora of variables like past professors, personal experiences, and even social relationships. I can say my work ethic has been influenced by my mother and grandfather – two people who are stubborn in a good way and never give into stress or social/work stressor and show up even when they don’t think they have the ability. Of course, a lot of my recently developed sense of professional identity has been influenced by those I interact with on a daily basis at my internship as they have pushed me to new limits and continue to teach me new things through every experience.
Mar 09, 2023 @ 17:56:05
Hello Francesca,
You made great points about professional identity as it constantly changes and develops with training, learning new tools, and professional experiences being important factors in the development. Similar to you, I found the introductory course at the program helpful with understanding your therapist style. Also, it is interesting that you mention a school of psychology as it is important to identify your identity.
Mar 11, 2023 @ 15:21:44
Hi Francesca,
I think it is very interesting the idea that you are bringing about thinking of professional identity as something fluid and constantly changing because while doing our Master Degree I feel that we gather a lot of knowledge and information. Still, when we do our internship, it’s kind of another world to try to figure out how we implement these CBT techniques into the therapy sessions with our clients. During this process, questions that we do, training, conversations with colleagues and supervisors, and especially evaluating our interventions and approaches to build rapport with the clients will shape how we conduct ourselves as a counselor. All this process takes time, and it is, as you mention, constantly changing.
Mar 09, 2023 @ 11:18:34
When I first heard “professional identity,” I thought mainly about a mental health professionals “brand.” I thought about how their profile might look on Psychology Today: what picture they choose, what specializations they list, what populations they work with, and how they would describe themselves in a bio. I also thought about how a mental health professional might describe their professional personality: are they warm, genuine, humorous, serious, flexible, responsible etc. Lastly, I thought about how others might describe that mental health professional: how do their current clients, past clients, coworkers, and supervisors see them and describe them? Before reading this chapter, I had thought about some of these ways of describing professional identity. Although many of these factors do play some role in professional identity, I had never thought about it in the way this chapter described. This chapter pointed out that professional identity goes beyond subjective descriptions, and includes concrete factors as well, such as degree acquired, theoretical orientation, accreditation, and state licensure board.
I think that the number one influence in my professional identity development has been this Master’s program. One of the reasons I applied to this program in the first place was because of how much CBT aligned with my understanding of functioning. I feel this program gave us an extremely solid foundation in CBT, which gives me something to come back to and ground me in the decisions I make throughout the therapeutic process. The program has also encouraged me to continue refining my skills and learning about other approaches and specialties as I grow. Other major influences on my professional identity have been the counselors at my internship. Each person I work with has a different approach and personality. In observing them and learning from them, I often find myself picking certain aspects from each individual that I would like to mirror in the development of my own professional identity. For example, some of the counselors have a softer approach, while others have a more blunt approach. What I really admire about all of the counselors is their genuineness. Whether they are talking to a client, speaking openly to a group, or having conversations with me one on one, I can tell that how they view and speak about their clients is how they genuinely feel. Whatever approach they take to therapy is aligned with their genuine personality. However, they are able to balance their genuine selves with consistent professionalism as well. I used to think I had to alter parts of my personality to appear professional, but then would feel odd in sessions when I was lacking genuineness. Finding ways to be passionate, personable, empathetic, professional, and authentic all at once has been a goal of my development.
Mar 09, 2023 @ 20:48:28
Hi Christina
I think “brand” is such a good way to look at it – we are in essence selling a service and so it is important to develop a personal brand that attracts the type of clients that we are interested in working with, and also ones who’s struggles match our skills. Professional identity definitely goes beyond subjective descriptions and is made up in part by more concrete credentials, certificates etc. like you mention. This program to your point definitely has contributed to the way each of us has developed and grown as mental health professionals and students. I may have never even considered private practice but now it is something I consider a lot because of all the advice that Dr. V and Zach if you encountered him give about the financial benefits and freedoms. Definitely this program for me too has had a lot to do with my goals and how I view myself fitting into the mental health field.
Mar 09, 2023 @ 14:16:27
I think of professional identity as a number of things – it can be a theoretical approach, a philosophy or an area of specialization. It also I think is the attitudes, beliefs, and approaches that a person has to their craft – combined with experience and education.
I have thought about professional identity before – prior to coming to be a graduate student at Assumption I actually worked for several years in marketing, and so my “professional identity” has had to shift and evolve over the past two years as I have changed fields. Because of this I feel like I have questioned my professional identity a lot – I was established as a capable and seasoned marketing specialist, now who am I? Student? Waitress? Mental health professional seems less true to this point than do the roles mentioned – however I will say that my confidence as a mental health professional has been building as the months have gone by at Spectrum. Identifying as a part of a care team surrounded by other clinicians and by medical staff here has contributed to my development of a new professional identity, and made me feel more like a “mental health professional” and less like a “marketing person who is making a career change”
Mar 09, 2023 @ 15:43:24
When I hear the words “professional identity” I think of the beliefs, knowledge, and skills that someone has in relation to their career. After reading this chapter, I now know there is so much more too it than that. In addition to those characteristics, I now understand how other things such as specialties, theoretical orientation, scope of practice, the different models among others all contribute to the development of our professional identity. Before reading this chapter, I had never really thought directly about what having a professional identity meant. So far, I definitely think this program and my internship has had the most influence in the development of my professional identity. The different professors in this program have demonstrate different approaches to therapy that have influenced me. Additionally, my internship, coworkers, and peers have also influenced my profession development and identity.
Mar 11, 2023 @ 22:45:23
Hi Giana –
I think it’s safe to say we are all experiencing a lot of development in our professional identities as we work our way through our program and practice at our internships. Our program and our professors have significantly contributed to the ideas, knowledge, beliefs, and skills that lend towards forming an identity. Likewise, I think it’s nice to be reminded at our internships what is within our scope of practice – only helping us fine tune those minor details where we may have been experiencing uncertainty.
Thanks for sharing!
Mar 09, 2023 @ 18:32:25
When I hear the words “professional identity,” my immediate thought is how can I define myself through my career. This calls to mind how much I have learned throughout my internship. I think of how I present myself to clients and how to establish rapport with them. I think of the specific population I want to work with, which as of this moment is outpatient. I think about how I have grown as an individual, offered unconditional positive regard, and meet clients where they are at. This has been something I have thought about before, but not necessarily in the context of Table 2.1 in Dr. V., book. I believe my internship, especially my supervisor, have influenced me the most in my professional identity development. I have had the opportunity to shadow her in sessions, and I appreciate her willingness to take risks with her clients, challenge them to new experiences, and be upfront and honest with them. She is able effectively reorient the clients back to the session, and this is a skill that I hope to accomplish. I hope that in my career, I will have the opportunity to inspire someone clinically the way she has for me.
Mar 09, 2023 @ 20:36:07
Hi Tim
definitely would like to echo your point about practicum and internship being a time of growth and development. I have learned a lot in my placement as well and have had a similar experience learning to build rapport and develop therapeutic alliances with clients. I am glad you have had such a positive experience with your supervisor – this is so important for us as green clinicians i think to ask the questions we want to ask and to have solid guidance to rely on as we develop professional identity.