Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. It is part of a broad range of mental health professions, but differentiates itself by providing strengths-based, client-centered services that help people meet the challenges and successes of life. A master's degree is required to practice counseling. Some professionals like Dr. Cashwell may decide to pursue further education in counselor education in order to teach at the graduate level and engage in research. Topics for research may include human lifespan development, counseling children, marriage and family relationships, and many others. Here, Dr. Cashwell shares her experience and insights into getting a doctoral degree in counselor education.

A. In a "round about" way! Nothing about my career path has really been "linear." I had no idea what I wanted to major in as an undergraduate and almost dropped out of college my sophomore year. My very wise Dad told me to ease up on myself. He said that college was about more than just choosing a major - it was about learning to live with other people, make your own decisions, and learn about who you are. I ended up taking a health course here at UNCG and loved it. I had thought about being a teacher or school counselor, so I transferred to Appalachian State and majored in Health Education. I won't bore you with all the various jobs I had after graduation but, suffice it to say, when I graduated with my B.S. I vowed that I would never go back to school. Yes, I ate those words and learned to "never say never." I eventually came full circle to wanting to be a school counselor and went back to school to get my M.S.

A. I had been an elementary school counselor and was a bit burned out and was thinking about other career options. We were living in Mississippi at the time and I had gone to Jackson to look into veterinary technician school. I was driving back, knowing that vet tech was not for me but really wondering what was. I was out in the country, which isn't hard to do in Mississippi, and I can't describe the feeling that came over me. I'd been thinking off and on about getting my Ph.D. in counseling and teaching college. I loved counseling and I loved teaching, and getting my Ph.D. would wed the two. I had an idea of what the job was like because my husband was a professor. This is going to sound really cheesy, but all these different animals began appearing for me—deer, rabbit, eagle—and I'm a big lover of animals. I had this peace come over me, and I knew what my path was. So I started about the business of getting my Ph.D.

A. My least favorite part is not having enough time to do all the things I'd like to do. I'm a visiting professor, meaning my primary role is teaching, which I absolutely LOVE! However, I miss seeing clients, so I'd like to do that. I'm also going to be involved in doing some writing and research, which I'm excited about. I'm also working on getting my certification in Neurofeedback.

A. Time and money. However, if you really want something, you make sacrifices. I'm very fortunate to have a partner who is supportive and willing to sacrifice. During our marriage, we've helped each other through two master's degrees and two Ph.Ds. Along the way, we sold a house and lived in one room in a basement with two dogs. We were happy. You do what you have to do to make it work. We don't regret any of it.

A. To be a counselor you need to have a master's degree and to teach at the university level you need a Ph.D.

A. It all depends on what your interests are—the sky's the limit. Both quantitative and qualitative research are productive avenues in counseling. Most methods you can think of can be applied in counseling research.

A. First, do your work on yourself. I highly recommend counseling for anyone interested in being a counselor or counselor educator. There are different tracks in counseling (Clinical Mental Health, College Counseling & Student Development, School Counseling, Couple & Family Counseling, Rehabilitation, etc.) so you may want to take some classes or job shadow to see which one fits you. I highly recommend the CED 210 class (Careers) to help in making career and life decisions. You also might be interested in the CED 310 class (Helping Skills). Talk to people, take career assessments, and go to Career Services on campus.

A. Be clear on why you want to go into the counseling profession (if money is your priority, this is not the profession for you). Also, as I said before, work on yourself—this is a continuous process. Make sure you have clear boundaries, as counseling can take an emotional toll. Finally, make sure that this profession fits with who you are based on your interests, skills, and values.

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