It's official!!! I am now a licensed professional school counselor in Tennessee! Seeing my name with my license number flooded my senses. This license represents years of planning, dedication, perseverance, and passion. I am so excited to be able to join such an amazing profession.
As I prepared for licensure there were three main components that went into it:
Completion of my masters degree
Passing score on the Professional School Counselor Praxis
CPR/First Aid Certification
Completing my masters degree at Vanderbilt University in Human Development Counseling, with a specialization in school counseling, required perseverance through the challenges of pruning higher education, specifically during a global pandemic. Balancing working, at some times two, graduate assistantships, completing publications, internship hours in local schools, and coursework led to numerous skill development. I learned how to manage time in ways I didn't have to before. I developed organization skills that allowed to me manage all the aforementioned tasks while maintaining a 4.00 GPA. I also learned how to show self-compassion and allow my body time to rest and rejuvenate when needed. So often in this field we give so much of ourselves, especially when working as students and with clients. At times offering ourselves guilt-free moments of relaxation can be difficult. In this profession we are the tools we bring everyday. In order to do our job effectively we must take care of ourselves.
As I prepared for the PRAXIS, I found reading and reviewing the ASCA national model, as well as the ETS practice test to be sufficient test preparation. After passing the exam well above the minimum requirement, I can say with confidence that utilizing the mentioned study tools was sufficient in providing a review of the material in a way that helped me on the exam.
As I move forward in this field I desire to stay in touch with new information and research as it is made available. I am excited to build upon my knowledge within a counselor education PhD program in the fall. There is still so much to learn in this field, and I look froward to continuing to discover new knowledge as I progress in this new program!
All my love,
LeAnn W.
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