At this point, I’m hopeful that I have absorbed what I need from this part of the journey. At the same time, I’m aware that learning does not end with the completion of these two remaining courses. It has already extended beyond the classroom through more specialized trainings.
Category: Counseling Studies
Approaching the Finish Line
These questions point toward the beginning of a new stage, yet they are not completely new. Over the past three years, this program has asked much more of me than learning theories or practicing counseling techniques. It has asked me to grow in patience, humility, and presence.
Becoming in the Space Between
But increasingly, becoming a counselor feels more like becoming someone who can tolerate complexity. Someone who can hold tension without rushing to resolve it. Someone who trusts that growth often happens in the space between people.
Pausing to Stay Present
As coursework deepens and clinical work continues to unfold, I will once again be intentional about where I place my attention. Rather than rushing posts or writing from the margins of my attention, I have decided to take a brief pause from the blog.
Winter Quarter: The Final Stretch Begins
One especially exciting aspect of this course is who will be teaching it. Research and Program Evaluation will be co-taught by two professors who taught us early in the program. Full-time faculty rarely co-teach due to their workload, but my cohort asked anyway. To our delight, they said yes.
The “Heart” Work of Becoming a Counselor
As we grow into the role of counselor, we learn to notice where we become anxious, where we want to rescue, where we shut down, and where our own unresolved experiences show up. This kind of learning is rarely linear, and it cannot be captured through an APA-formatted paper.
Stepping Into the Therapy Room: What Practicum Taught Me
Practicum taught me to trust the foundation I have built while remaining open to growth. Competence in the therapy room, I am learning, is about showing up with confidence, humility, and genuine presence.
Learning to Learn Differently
Learning isn’t static. It changes as we change. Earlier in the program, I needed structure and theory. Now, I need guidance that connects directly to the work I am doing in real time. I am also noticing that being a student feels different when the finish line is finally in sight.
What Practicum Is All About
At its core, Practicum is about taking everything we have learned and putting it into practice to support clients. Each session requires drawing on the foundational theories, skills, and interventions we have studied, but also learning how to adapt them to each individual client’s needs.
Crossing the Threshold: Practicum Is Here!
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.
Roque Neto 