Have You Ever Wondered How Counselors Train for Their Profession?

Graduate student Kathleen consults with Greg, an experienced counselor and educator, for help with her Master’s thesis about the work of counseling professionals. With Greg providing examples, anecdotes, and lessons from his own counseling and educational work, the two of them explore, discuss, and debate a variety of topics related to counselor education and development. During these conversations, Kathleen realizes that helping people in therapy is much more than just applying theories and counseling techniques. She learns that becoming a counselor will involve encountering and healing aspects of herself as part of her professional growth, including an unpleasant truth that she’s previously been unable to accept.

Greg Delaney is a retired substance use disorder counselor who holds a master’s degree in community counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. After over 20 years in practice, he was the department chair and lead instructor for a substance abuse counselor training program at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin.