The Wake Forest University Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health program is guided by five key objectives. These objectives reflect the core principles and goals of the counseling program. They are:
- 1. Acquire knowledge and skills to practice effectively and ethically.
- 2. Value professional diligence and life-long learning.
- 3. Excel as community leaders, advocates, and practitioners.
- 4. Possess a deep awareness of themselves and of their impact on others.
- 5. Commit to the compassionate service of humanity and foster the well-being of people at the local, state, national, and international level.
Below, you will find my coursework aligned with each program objective. These assignments showcase my knowledge and skills in excelling as a mental health counselor.
Objective 1: Acquire knowledge and skills to practice effectively and ethically.
Item One:
Literature Review on Major Depressive Disorder in the Elderly
Description: A 15 page literature review describing major depressive disorder in the elderly population.
Rationale: The elderly present with and experience depression differently than younger individuals. This project demonstrates my ability to research and review literature that is relevant to a client that I may be working with. This will allow me to apply the most up-to-date research in my practice.
Item Two:
Person-Centered Therapy Case Study #1
Description: A six page case study applying person-centered theory to a 26 year old white male who is experiencing anxiety.
Rationale: This paper demonstrates my ability to research, understand and apply a particular theory to a new case. In this paper, I analyze the counseling process for a client using person-centered theory. I set out the client history and presenting concerns, I determine the actual or core issues of the client, and I determine the course of treatment and counseling goals.
Item Three:
Depression in the Elderly
Description: This 12 page paper reviews the literature on depression in the elderly and presents a case study and case formulation of an elderly man with depression. It also discusses the legal and ethical considerations that need to be taken into account in the case.
Rationale: This paper demonstrates my capability of reviewing literature on a topic and then directly applying it to a relevant case study. It also shows my ability to write a case formulation and consider the specific legal/ethical factors involved in a case. I will use these skills all the time in my future practice.
Objective 2: Value professional diligence and life-long learning.
Item One:
Research Project: Geriatric Depression Scale
Description: An 11 page document addressing the reliability, validity, and cultural considerations of the Geriatric Depression Scale, a test developed specifically for the assessment of depression in elderly individuals.
Rationale: This project demonstrates my ability to evaluate an assessment that I am considering using with a client in my practice. Diligent practice requires that I review an assessment before administering it to determine if it is valid, reliable, and culturally appropriate.
Item Two:
Final Case Study Paper: Spun
Description: This 11 page paper is a case study of a character from the movie, Spun. The character is a young methamphetamine user named Ross.
Rationale: This project demonstrates my professional diligence when counseling a client. In this paper, I conceptualize the client and his problem, discuss what screenings and assessments I would use, determine my counseling approaches and strategies, and lay out my modes of treatment. All of these steps need to be taken with a real client.
Item Three:
Case Study of Crystal Smith
Description: This nine page case study of Crystal includes a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, a determination of goals and tasks, and a treatment plan (using DO A CLIENT MAP).
Rationale: To be a diligent professional, one needs to be able to put together a diagnosis and a treatment plan for each client that walks through your door (when warranted). This case study demonstrates my ability to diagnose, set goals, and form a treatment plan using DO A CLIENT MAP.
Objective 3: Excel as community leaders, advocates, and practitioners.
Item One:
Opioid Presentation
Description: A ten slide Powerpoint presentation focusing on the opioid epidemic in America.
Rationale: My internship was in drug and alcohol use. I saw first hand that opioid use has become a large and significant problem in the United States. This project demonstrates my ability to research a cultural problem and advocate for a troubled population.
Item Two:
Literature Review on Gender Dysphoria in Youth
Description: This nine page literature review discusses the highly controversial topic of sex and gender in children.
Rationale: This paper exhibits my compassion for children with Gender Dysphoria and advocates for counselors to increase their knowledge on the topic so that they are better able to help these children thrive. Counselors often must delicately handle controversial subject matter in order to be strong advocates for minority groups.
Item Three:
Know the Law
Description: This 11 page paper lays out the North Carolina laws that counselors need to be aware of (communicable diseases, end of life decisions, privilege, child and elder abuse, etc.).
Rationale: In order to excel as a practitioner and advocate, I must be able to follow the law and make proper ethical decisions. This paper demonstrates my knowledge of the ACA Code of Ethics as well as North Carolina code and case law. As a leader in the community, I am a role model and must make fully educated decisions.
Objective 4: Possess a deep awareness of themselves and of their impact on others
Item One:
Reflection Paper: Personal Experiences in a Group
Description: This six page paper analyzes the process and content of Weight Watchers meetings/groups and reflects on my participation in such groups.
Rationale: Weight Watchers has enhanced my self awareness (and not just in terms of eating). It has increased my self-confidence and allowed me to know myself better. This project allowed me to to reflect on the groups that I surround myself with and how I change due to these relationships.
Item Two:
Career Autobiography
Description: This four page paper reflects on my career development from college up to the present.
Rationale: I have had a long and winding career path. This paper explains that path and analyzes the large impact it has had on me as well as on others in my life.
Item Three:
Personal-Cultural Analysis and Identity Development Paper
Description: This twelve page paper describes my cultural background and the role that I expect it to play in my experience as a counselor.
Rationale: Culture impacts every aspect of my life from my family life to my professional life. This paper displays my ability to self analyze my culture and background especially in terms of how it impacts my ability to relate to my clients as a counselor.
Objective 5: Commit to the compassionate service of humanity and foster the well-being of people at the local, state, national, and international level.
Item One:
Special Populations Group Project: Veterans
Description: This 49 slide Powerpoint presentation addresses how to assist veterans in returning to the civilian workforce. Veterans are a special population requiring unique career services.
Rationale: This presentation exemplifies my desire to help people and foster their well-being. I address the fact that veterans are a unique population that need assistance integrating back into the civilian workforce.
Item Two:
End-of-Life Medical Practices Reflection
Description: This two page reflection addresses the right to die of incurably and terminally ill individuals.
Rationale: This reflection exhibits my compassion for terminally ill patients and their experience of dying. It displays my commitment to the compassionate service to humanity during a crisis. If I work with the elderly, this may be a large part of my clientele.
Item Three:
Research Paper: Alcoholism in the Elderly
Description: This nine page research paper discusses alcoholism in the elderly and how it differs from alcoholism in younger individuals.
Rationale: The elderly population is often ignored, and I believe that they require strong advocates because they often cannot advocate for themselves. Elderly alcoholics present differently than their younger counterparts. This paper shows my ability to excel as a practitioner for the elderly and demonstrates that working with the elderly requires special knowledge (that I am committed to learn).
Artifacts Pertinent to Professional Practice
The Schopenhauer Cure
This book is about Julius Hertzfeld, an eminent psychotherapist who is forced to reexamine his life and work when suddenly confronted with a diagnosis of terminal cancer. Julius invites Philip Slate (a sex addict whom he failed to help twenty years earlier) to join his intensive therapy group in exchange for tutoring on Arthur Schopenhauer (a German philosopher). I read this book for my Group Therapy class, and I did not realize at the time the impact it was going to have on my career. My internship was predominantly group counseling, and I often thought of The Schopenhauer Cure. I was not sure if I would enjoy group therapy, but I loved it and hope to continue to run groups in the future. I want to work with the elderly population, and I would love to run groups in nursing homes.
The Stages of Change Model
People are not always ready to make changes. I am a big proponent of Prochaska and DiClemente’s stages of change model. How I interact with a client depends on what stage of change they are currently in. Someone in the precontemplation stage of change requires very different interventions than someone who is in the preparation stage of change. It is important that I determine what stage of change a client is early on so that I know how to begin my work with them.
The IS PATH WARM Suicide Risk Assessment
Suicide is important to keep in mind when working with any subset of the population, but especially elderly patients. Older individuals get sick, lose loved ones, worry about finances, etc. There is also great stigma placed on mental health in the older community so they often do not receive the help that they need. If one of my clients is suicidal, I want to catch it as soon as possible. Although there are many assessments available, I have seemed to gravitate to the IS PATH WARM suicide risk assessment. Using IS PATH WARM will make sure that I consider every factor and do not forget to address any of the warning signs of suicide.