“I have been taught that empathy creates a successful therapeutic relationship,” he says. “Establishing that element of empathy and trust is one of the single most important components that a counselor must do.”
Edward continues on to discuss how the master’s degree program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling helped him develop the tools to create an empathetic environment with clients—including effective listening skills, multicultural competencies, and how to select the correct interventions.
“What I’ve learned about the counseling profession—its purpose, its theoretical foundation, its goals—is far beyond what I ever could have imagined,” he says.
Edward concludes his talk by emphasizing how the faculty at The Chicago School created an environment that helped him develop his own professional counselor identity.
“They acknowledge my struggles, celebrate my successes, and in a way, they are creating an empathetic environment, one in which I feel heard, seen, and validated,” he says.
About Minds in Motion
Exemplifying The Chicago School’s Engaged Professional Model of Education, Minds in Motion offers students, alumni, faculty and leaders a platform to explore turning theory into practice.
