Fall Quarter has begun, and with it I am stepping into Couples Counseling and Practicum. The Couples Counseling course is designed to explore systemic and attachment-based approaches to working with couples. It integrates theories, assessment methods, and treatment interventions, while also giving us opportunities to practice counseling skills in real time. Learning takes place through lectures, readings, videos, podcasts, and roleplay exercises. I am looking forward to seeing how these experiences deepen my ability to respond to the complexities of couple relationships.
Practicum is both a class and a clinical experience. As students, we are responsible for completing one hundred total hours, including forty hours of supervised direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups. At the same time, we meet weekly with faculty and colleagues to reflect, process, and deepen our learning. The course covers assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, documentation, and the use of community resources, while also emphasizing culturally responsive and socially just practice.
This course will be different from others because my cohort has been divided across multiple sessions. That means I will be receiving feedback from new classmates with different perspectives and insights. This may be an opportunity to grow in unexpected ways, expanding how I listen, respond, and learn from others.
This quarter is also a point of reflection for me because in earlier posts I described Practicum as a milestone, a moment in the program that marks transition. Now that it is here, I can feel just how important it is. It represents the official beginning of my work as a counselor, yet it is also a continuation of what I have been doing all along: learning, discovering more about myself, and relying on the support of my peers and faculty. By the time you read this, I will already be sitting with clients and meeting with my supervisor. Balancing sessions, supervision, coursework, a full-time job, and personal life will be a challenge, but it is one I feel ready and excited to take on.
This quarter marks the beginning of professional work with clients, while also building on everything that has brought me to this point. I am happy to move forward and curious about how the experience will shape my professional identity.
I will see you next week with an interview I am excited to share.
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Roque Neto 