Motivations for Becoming a Mental Health Counselor

Part of developing your mental health counselor identity is exploring your motivations for entering this profession. Why did you decide on this profession? What experiences have you had in the past that make you think this profession would be a good fit for you? How do you see yourself making positive changes and affecting the lives of others by becoming a mental health counselor? The first part of this Discussion encourages you to analyze your motivations for pursuing a degree in mental health counseling so that you may clearly articulate them to yourself, your family and friends, and your Walden colleagues and faculty.

While motivation plays an important role in success, it is not the only factor. Mental health counselors often apply many different strategies to be successful in the field. Often, though, these strategies are not obvious to those new to the profession. In the media this week, Walden faculty share their strategies for success and remaining vital throughout your career and experiences as mental health counselors. The second part of this Discussion asks you to explore these success strategies and share your insights with your colleagues.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Think about your motivations for becoming a mental health counselor. Why did you choose this profession? What do you hope to gain or what impact do you hope to have by becoming a mental health counselor?
Review the media in the Learning Resources. Choose three faculty to focus on for this Discussion. After viewing the media, ask yourself the following questions: What do you now know about being a mental health counselor that you did not know before? Were you introduced to a new area of mental health counseling that sparked an interest? If you have an interest in a particular population or issue, did the media cause you to change your thoughts?
Consider the advice from faculty in the media. What strategies for and insights about faculty success in the profession resonated most strongly with you?
Review the information about APA writing style. Whether you have recently completed a degree or have been away from academic writing for some time, it is helpful to review tips for improving academic writing style. This information applies to all of the writing you do in this course and your degree program, including Discussion posts, journal assignments, application assignments, and the Final Project. Walden expects you to refer to the APA Publication Manual and Walden Writing Center website regularly; both are valuable resources that will aid in your academic writing skills.
With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a brief explanation of why you chose to become a mental health counselor. Then, describe two strategies presented in the media that are most important to be successful in this profession and explain why. Finally, explain any insights you had based upon the advice from the faculty.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources using appropriate APA format and style.

Read your colleagues’ postings noting how similar and diff