Exploring Mentorship in the Counseling Profession: Development of Minority Females
Conference Strand
Social Change, Leadership, and Advocacy
Abstract
This presentation reviews the limited mentorship during transition of counselor career paths for female counselors of color. It describes the various processes within the counselor field, both towards licensure and academic pursuits. This presentation is geared towards minority females within the counseling profession seeking mentorship, as well as seasoned counselors who are looking to mentor others.
Evidence
Baltrinic, E. R., Moate, R. M., Hinkle, M. G., Jencius, M., & Taylor, J. Z. (2018). Counselor educators’ teaching mentorship styles: A q methodology study. Professional Counselor, 8(1), 46–59.
Creaner, M. (2014). Getting the best out of supervision in counselling and psychotherapy: a guide for the supervisee. Los Angeles: SAGE. doi: 10.4135/9781473914896
Eryılmaz, A., & Mutlu, T. (2016). Developing the four-stage supervision model for counselor trainees. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 17(2). doi: 10.12738/estp.2017.2.2253
Guidance for Postgraduate Mentorship and Professional Support. (2016). Communique, 45(4), 1.
Hein, S. F., Lawson, G., & Rodriguez, C. P. (2013). Supervisee incompatibility and its influence on supervisee and supervisor outcomes in triadic supervision: An investigation of supervisors perspectives. The Clinical Supervisor, 32(2), 260–279. doi: 10.1080/07325223.2013.851634
James, J.M., Rayner, A., & Bruno, J. (2015). Are you my mentor? new perspectives and research on informal mentorship. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41(5), 532–539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.07.009
Solomon, C. & Barden, S.M. (2016). Self-Compassion: A Mentorship Framework for Counselor Educator Mothers. Counselor Education & Supervision, 55(2), 137–149. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceas.12038
Format
Individual Presentations
Biographical Sketch
Galaxina G. Wright:Galaxina G. Wright, MA, is a doctoral student in the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision program at the University of Central Florida. She completed her practicum at the Career Services Center for Regent University and her internship at Coastal Virginia Counseling private practice. Her areas of interest are career exploration and development, effects of career on relationships, and effects of career on the quarter-life crisis amongst adolescents. She carries a range of experience within the career field, working in higher education administration and assisting with career guidance for undergraduate students, graduate students and underprivileged minorities.
Michelle Sullivan: Michelle Sullivan is a doctoral student in the Methodology, Measurement, and Analysis track of the PhD in Education program at the University of Central Florida. She completed her Master's in Mental Health Counseling with a certificate in College and University Counseling at Rollins College and is currently a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern. As a former Crisis Specialist with both Aspire Health Partners and the Heart of Florida United Way, her primary interests lie in crisis work, suicidology, destigmatization, social justice, college counseling, and multi- and trans-cultural counseling. As an ordained Buddhist minister, she also teaches meditation and gives talks on mindfulness and its mental health benefits throughout Central Florida.
Breahannah Hilaire:Breahannah Hilaire, MA, NCC is a first year doctoral student and graduate assistant pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Central Florida. She earned her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Rollins College and her B.S. in Sociology from Jacksonville University. Her primary clinical and research interests include college counseling, career counseling, crisis intervention, suicidality, and trauma.
Location
Session Three Breakouts: Embassy Suites Salon B
Start Date
2-7-2020 10:15 AM
End Date
2-7-2020 11:30 AM
Recommended Citation
Wright, Galaxina G.; Hilaire, Breahannah; and Sullivan, Michelle, "Exploring Mentorship in the Counseling Profession: Development of Minority Females" (2020). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 13.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2020/2020/13
Exploring Mentorship in the Counseling Profession: Development of Minority Females
Session Three Breakouts: Embassy Suites Salon B
This presentation reviews the limited mentorship during transition of counselor career paths for female counselors of color. It describes the various processes within the counselor field, both towards licensure and academic pursuits. This presentation is geared towards minority females within the counseling profession seeking mentorship, as well as seasoned counselors who are looking to mentor others.
Description
Ideally, the internship supervisor is sought to be a mentor while counselors are seeking licensure, however adequate mentorship may become challenging, especially for those that are of a different gender, race and background. For academia, lack of mentorship is demonstrated in areas such as rarity in tenure and promotion, specific bias towards females, and disregard for exceptions for working mothers (Solomon & Barden, 2016). Additionally, mentoring for clinicians comprises of potential assistance with finding employment and knowing the mental health job market, dialoguing about the stress of obtaining licensure with limited financial support, and the lengthy process in trying to obtain licensure. Variables such as socioeconomic status of a counselor supervisor may impact the counselor mentorship based on the population they counsel, including the rate they charge, and where their practice is located. Implications for this presentation are towards how to seek a mentor based on your career path if you are a new professional, the importance of maintaining a mentor after licensure, and the importance of mentorship towards others as you become a more seasoned counselor.