Personal View of Professional Effectiveness

Candace Boudreaux

CSPU 512: Advanced Counseling and Intervention

Professor Melissa Chan-Nauli

May 2, 2021
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Personal Mission Statement:

All students should feel that their youthful perspective and ideas are valued and celebrated from

every background and walk of life. As a professional school counselor, I will constantly strive to

acknowledge and encourage these values in every individual and treat them with the utmost

respect as contributors to our society. I am committed to facilitate learning, encourage growth,

and promote the well being of all students in order to support them in their journey towards a

bright and successful future.

Becoming a professional school counselor has been a dream of mine for many years. In

my educational and personal journey, I have always searched for a career where both my dreams

and passions collided; I hoped to find purpose in giving back to my community in a variety of

ways. In all of my challenges, achievements, and experiences, I believe that everything I have

experienced and worked towards has led me to a place of fulfillment and confidence knowing

that school counseling is a path where I can continue to grow and push myself and others in

various aspects of life.

In my journey towards becoming a professional school counselor, I have had numerous

instrumental individuals that have influenced my path. One of the most significant individuals

that impacted my career goal was my own counselor in high school. I specifically remember

walking into my school counselor’s office the first week of my freshman year and feeling a

complete sense of safety, freedom, and comfortability in the midst of the transition, changes, and

stress. The atmosphere and welcoming experience of my high school counselor made me feel

validated, encouraged, and appreciative that somebody was willing to listen to my

voice-especially as a teenager navigating the highs and lows of the high school experience. My

counselor was also instrumental in promoting my interest and knowledge in higher education.
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She supported my dreams and gave me permission to believe in myself and my own

achievements that I held for the future. Along with my school counselor, my family was also

extremely supportive and encouraging towards the pursuit of my educational dreams. Based on

my personal interests, thirst for knowledge, eagerness to help others like my counselor helped

me, my parents always pushed me to work my hardest towards my dreams and desires. Through

my support system growing up, I was able to navigate through the various trials that I was faced

with and utilize them as tools to equip me for my future as a school counselor.

Throughout the journey of working towards my school counseling degree, I find myself

continuously reflecting upon my vision, values, and hopes of what my future might hold. For me,

school counseling means that I get to embark on an adventure that is equally rewarding for

myself and for students of all ages. I will strive to facilitate learning and provide student support

in a variety of capacities. I will also gain new insight, perspective, and values as my worldview

and experiences are shaped by the area I am in, the students I serve, and the position that I have

to make a difference in the lives of others for years to come. School counseling is a dream of

mine because it allows me to pour out and reach the lives of students from all backgrounds and

walks of life. I am excited to stretch, grow, and challenge myself and my own biases,

perceptions, beliefs, and values as I work with students, staff, administrators, and members of the

community.

As a school counselor, it is important to carry various leadership qualities and

characteristics both inside and outside of the school setting in order to have a positive, lasting

effect on students of all ages. In my opinion, I believe that being empathetic, being a good

listener, being a good communicator, and being able to appreciate differences in all individuals

are qualities that all school counselors should embody and continue to work at on a daily basis.
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By helping students determine their dreams and supporting them in every step of their

educational and personal journey, school counselors have the ability to make a positive impact in

the lives of their students. It is important for school counselors to be welcoming, approachable,

and supportive in order for their students to feel comfortable building a trustworthy relationship.

As a future educator and school counselor, it is my ultimate hope to exemplify these qualities and

characteristics in order to shine glimmers of hope and help build faith, trust, and optimism for the

future.

Understanding the vast dynamics of both the academic, personal, and social development

of students is essential in the journey to becoming a successful and effective leader and school

counselor, both inside and outside of the educational setting. Understanding the logistical factors

of school counseling, such as scheduling, career and academic guidance, collaboration within the

community, and prevention strategies and curriculum are areas of school counseling that must

be understood in order to provide quality services to the students, parents, administrators, and

members of the community. School counselors should also have a broad understanding of the

personal, social, and emotional need of students in order to provide valuable assistance and

support; they can help students navigate obstacles and challenges with more confidence and ease

in order to better prepare them for their future.

Based on my own experiences, personal culture, foundation, and values as an individual,

my worldview has been shaped and molded over the course of my life. As a future school

counselor, I believe that my worldview will continue to grow, evolve, and adapt depending on

my constant self-reflection and thirst to seek new perspectives and knowledge from those around

me. Growing up in a small town in Northern California, my worldview has been formed around

the values, principles, and understandings of a culture that lacks diversity on many levels. In my
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own personal educational experience, teachers, staff, faculty, administrators, and peers acted and

communicated in ways that displayed privilege and bias, both verbally and nonverbally. They

influenced my particular ways of thinking, feeling, and expressing self and emotion as a student.

While I was provided with an amazing education growing up in the schools I attended, my

experience was extremely sheltered. While I am appreciative of my upbringing, I have been able

to expand my perspective and knowledge of different cultures, backgrounds, and traditions as an

adult. I have been able to gain a better understanding of how my own self-esteem, self-reflection,

and perception of others will affect my work with students as a school counselor. I have been

able to seek a deeper awareness of other insights and perspectives and that I will continue to

cultivate and seek out as I enter into the school counseling profession.

My educational journey has remained consistent living in a smaller, rural town

surrounded by students, peers, teachers, and other school professionals who are familiar with a

school population encompassing middle-class, working families. As a school counselor, I will

automatically relate with this specific population because I am familiar with the needs, economic

background, and culture of these students. While this will give me a natural connection and

advantage when working with this population, I am aware of my responsibility to learn, grow,

and apply myself in every aspect of the school, student, and community culture. Through

trainings, research, and personal communication with individuals who come from different

backgrounds, I will be able to dedicate myself to giving all students equitable and fair

educational opportunities so that they can achieve their full potential as a student, young adult,

and contributor to society.

Due to my sheltered upbringing, I am aware that my own personal perspective, bias, and

privilege creates limitations towards my role as a counselor. Due to my experiences and

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development in my community, church background, and school environment, I have realized

several of my own subconscious stereotypes, biases, and judgements of others based on the

culture and experiences they grew up in. Reflecting back, I am now more aware that the biases

and privilege instilled in me from years ago has limited my ability to feel more open and

consider other perspectives. While my journey of confronting my own biases and privilege will

be in constant motion, I am determined and dedicated to create a space for students to feel safe,

free, and comfortable in their own skin. As a school counselor, I will continually strive to reflect

on my own personal biases, judgements, weaknesses, and limitations so that I can better serve

my students and advocate for positive change inside and outside of the education system.

As I continue to grow in the field of counseling, I believe that the strengths I carry as an

individual will allow me to succeed as a counselor in many different ways. Since I am a naturally

optimistic person, I am confident that my skills of supporting and encouraging others in their

success will benefit students and allow me to connect with them on a personal level. Using this

characteristic as a Solution-Focused Brief Counseling (SFBC) Strength-Based approach, I will

be able to validate, uplift, and recognize students in their academic, personal, and social

development. This particular approach of “Cheerleading” is beneficial because “students, in

particular, love to be acknowledged for their accomplishments, especially those students in need

of counseling” (Sklare, 2014). I will also utilize my strengths of leadership, effective

communication, attention to detail, empathy, integrity, and listening skills to support and

encourage students in every aspect of their lives.

As a future school counselor, I hope to establish a program and space that brings

positivity, inspires others, and promotes resilience in every individual. My goal is to support,

encourage, and touch every student that walks through the school doors so that they feel
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recognized, loved, and cared for in every aspect of their life. I want students to know that there is

gold in every piece of their story, no matter the background, family situation, traumatic

experience, or loss they have endured. I recognize that it will take time to gain a quality

reputation as a school counselor, but I am confident that with professionalism, hard work, and

dedication to the betterment of students and individuals of all ages, I can make a difference and

lasting impact for years to come.

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References

Sklare, G. B. (2014). Brief Counseling That Works: A Solution-Focused Therapy Approach for

School Counselors and Other Mental Health Professionals (Third ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:

Corwin Press.