Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Corinne Bridges

Abstract

This descriptive phenomenological study was conducted to explore how professional counselors described their professional identity development and if professional recognition from psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and other professional organizations contributed to professional identity development. Phenomenology was developed by Edmund Husserl and explores insights from others based on their experiences. Licensed clinical professional counselors in Maryland formed the purposive sample that included six participants; each participated in a semi-structured interview. Thematic coding highlighted themes that emerged and included (a) the importance of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), (b) licensure as a stressful process, (c) professional identity derived from myriad sources, (d) The need to advocate for self, (e) struggles within the profession, (f) working with insurance companies is a process, (g) identity dissonance, and (h) need to study identity development. An additional overarching theme that emerged was that it is not clear to counselors what contributes to professional identity development. The results of this study can be used by CACREP and the counseling profession to increase discussions of professional identity to increase the clarity counselors use when describing professional counseling to other mental health professionals and professional organizations, leading to parity within the profession. This clarity will manifest positive social change in which counselors describe professional identity to others, increasing the level of professional recognition that counselors receive.

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