Question 5: When viewing yourself in the position of a helping professional, do you feel that there is a population/particular type of client of which you feel that you would have difficulty working with? Explain. How would you overcome these difficulties?

Question 6: Diane McDonald provides a very thorough overview of her work as a child and adolescent counselor, working in a variety of settings. What is your reaction to the information she shares? Do you feel that child and adolescent counseling is something that you have interest in? Why or why not?

MEET DIANE MCDONALD, MED, LCPC What has your career trajectory been? What prompted your decision to become a child and adolescent counselor?

I began my career as a counselor 28 years ago. I have gone from working at an inpatient residential treatment center to working on a grant to integrate children back from residential treatment to supporting schools to improve programs for children with mental health challenges to private practice work. I have been a therapist, coach, facilitator, coordinator, consultant, and trainer throughout my career. Below is a detailed overview of my career:

Counselor in a college settingPersonal and career counseling TherapistChild and adolescent residential treatment (2 years) Reintegration specialistGrant project for state education system; worked with schools to reintegrate students back from residential treatment into their home communities by developing school, home, and community plans. Family services facilitatorSpecial education coop; worked with students with emotional and behavior disabilities and their families. Developed comprehensive home, school, and community plans to improve quality of life for students and their families (5 years) Technical assistance coachGrant project for state education system; supported school districts in the implementation of Tier 2 and 3 behavior supports for students. Trainer for mental health first aid, wraparound, and trauma. TherapistPrivate practice (5 years) I decided to go into counseling during my last year of college. I originally thought that I would be a high school counselor. I began volunteering as a guide for wilderness trips in Canada, where I worked with high school students. I discovered that I loved working with teens. As a graduate student in my counseling program I also became aware of how important it is to include parents and caregivers in the treatment of children and adolescents. I realized that it would be challenging for me to work within a school setting where my contact with families would be limited.

What is your current job and professional title? How long have you been doing this type of work?

I have two jobs currently. As a licensed clinical professional counselor, I see clients, school-age through adult, in a private practice setting. I have been doing this part time for five years. As a technical assistance coach, I work for a state education department. I have been doing this work for 20 years. My primary focus has been improving outcomes for students K-12 who have emotional and behavioral challenges. In this role I have supported schools with developing comprehensive plans for students and their families through a process called wraparound. I have been a wraparound facilitator, coach, and trainer for school districts. I have also supported schools with the implementation of trauma-informed practices in the classroom, positive behavior supports, and mental health first aid.

Please describe the environment(s) you work in. What are some of the pros and cons of the environment(s)?

Private practice: I have a small office where I practice as a sole practitioner.

Pros:Flexible hours and autonomy

Cons:Limited access to colleagues (I love working with a team and do not get that in a solo practice.)

Technical assistance coach: Home office and various school districts across a region of the state

Pros:I love working with dedicated school professionals who have a passion to improve quality of life for children and families. It has also been rewarding to be involved in developing programs for children and families.

Cons:Entails a lot of travel. It makes juggling a family life and a private practice difficult.

Please describe a typical day/week at your job.

Private practice:

Because I do this work part time, I conduct most of my full-time job during the day. I schedule clients during late afternoon hours and evenings. I also see clients on the weekends. As a child/adolescent counselor it is important to have late afternoon and evening appointments to accommodate school schedules. On some days I may find myself contacting parents, school personnel, and insurance companies.

Technical assistance coach:

Conference calls with my team. I may travel 3-4 days per week to meet with school teams to provide coaching support. Some days I may be providing training for multiple school districts.

What are the best and worst parts of your job and profession?

Best parts of my profession: I have been able to work within multiple settings over the course of my career, from inpatient residential settings, school settings, and private practice settings. My focus has always been to develop ways to improve the quality of life for children and families who struggle with mental health challenges, and I am constantly learning and changing how I do this work.

Worst parts of the job: It can be challenging to make time for self-care and family.

Working with children and adolescents requires a commitment to working afternoons and evenings. This can be challenging when raising your own children. It is one reason I delayed my private practice work for later in my career.

What would have been helpful to know when you first embarked upon this career?

A counseling degree is quite flexible. Persons with this degree can do many types of careers beyond traditional psychotherapist. It would have also been helpful to know about the business aspects of private practice. I have discovered that counselors do not always have the business skills to develop a thriving private practice. Preparation for this is critical for those wanting to be owners of their own business.

What should individuals exploring this career consider in order to make the best decision?

When working with children and adolescents consider that you will also be working with the systems where a child and adolescent existfamily, school, and community. To be effective, the child and adolescent counselor must also be able to work as a team member with individuals from the other systems in a child's life. The child and adolescent counselor must be able to effectively support families and view them from a strength-based perspective.