Professional Counseling Conferences: Influence on Professional Identity of Counselor Education Doctoral Students

One approach to becoming acquainted with academia and the professional world is attending and presenting at professional conferences. Counselor education doctoral students (CEDS) are encouraged to attend and participate through networking, presenting, volunteering, and serving in leadership roles at professional conferences. Attending a professional conference is one way to elevate a professional identity and develop other specialized identities (e.g., counselor educator, advocator, researcher, and leadership). There is a plethora of literature on the significance of developing a professional identity. However, the literature is sparse on the significance of a professional conference in developing the professional identity of CEDS. This study addressed the lack of information on professional conferences’ influence on the professional identity development (PID) of CEDS who attend a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) counselor education program. A qualitative instrumental case study was used to understand the conference experiences and perceptions of CEDS from CACREP programs in developing their professional identity. Furthermore, barriers were identified that might prevent conferences from contributing to the PID of CEDS. Findings from this study can inform counselor education programs, counseling associations, developers of professional conferences, supervisors, and mentors in endeavors to foster the professional identity of CEDS.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Psychology, Leadership and Counseling

Grantor

Texas Tech University

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Hollingsworth, Lori

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Bradley, Loretta

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Noble, Nicole
• Matteson, Shirley M.

• professional identity development
• counselor education doctoral students
• professional conferences

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2346/96957

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ttu-ir.tdl.org:2346/96957