Congrats, you found the right counseling program for you! You are officially a counseling student! You are one step closer to having the career that you have been dreaming about!

But now what? You applied to a counseling program, you got accepted, but what do you do now?

Starting a counseling program, and even graduate school in general, can be really intimidating. It’s a big deal, it’s an honor. This is what is going to get you the job that you want. No pressure, right?

You may be asking yourself:

• What do I need to do to prepare?
• What do I need to know before starting the program?
• What is the best way to get all that I can out of this program?
• How do I stop being so nervous?
• What is some good, applicable advice for new counseling students?

If you are wondering any of these things, you have come to the right place. Graduate school and counseling programs are new, so we sometimes freak ourselves out over the things that we don’t know. That is why I put this blog together. Based on my time in my counseling program, I have put together some advice that I wish someone had told me when I was a new counseling student.

Advice for New Counseling Students

Imposter syndrome is completely normal!

Read that again, because I think you need to hear it. I guarantee that almost every single person in your counseling program is feeling some form of self-doubt or imposter syndrome as well. I hope you can take comfort in the fact that you are not alone in this.

My advice: Talk to someone in your class about it.

On my first night of classes, we all got into groups and were told to discuss our concerns and fears about the program. Literally every person in my group mentioned self-doubt or imposter syndrome. I can’t even describe to you how freeing it was to know that we were all in the same boat. Talking about it together and knowing that everyone else understood what we were going through was incredible.

I recommend finding another student that you think you can trust or be friends with, and talk about it with them. Not only does this help you relieve some stress, but it may help the other person feel like they can talk to you about it as well.

Professors are a valuable resource to you.

Professors want to see you succeed. They are there to help and guide you on your journey to becoming a counselor. You may find their success intimidating, but they have some of the most valuable information. Their real-world experience with counseling will teach you so much.

My advice: Ask questions. Be active and engaged in class discussions. Show up ready to work and learn.

Remember why you are there.

The classes and assignments can be overwhelming sometimes. In times like that, it is important to remember why you are doing those things. Your future clients will appreciate that you know your information. That is why we do it. So yes, it is overwhelming and a lot of information, but it will benefit you and your clients so much someday.

My advice: Approach it with “This is how I will help my clients,” rather than “I just need to get this done.”

Find ways to make yourself feel more productive or motivated.

Every person is different, so each person has their own way of making themselves feel more productive or motivated.

My advice: Do some reflection or experimenting to find ways to make yourself feel more motivated and ready to work.

Some ideas:

• Make/find a study playlist (upbeat music, instrumental music, coffee shop sounds, etc.)
• Romanticize your assignments
• Look at Pinterest study aesthetics
• Create a to-do list, a priorities list, or a goals list (you will feel very accomplished when you cross something off)
• Create a workspace or change up the location of your workspace
• Break down big assignments into manageable steps
• Take breaks

Keep everything!

Keep every note, every highlighted article, every study guide, everything. After your program is over, you will have licensure exams, and you never know what you might need to study for those exams. By keeping everything from your classes, you can be better prepared for studying for your exams.

Also, keep your syllabi. If you are ever in a situation in which you need to prove that your counseling program covered all of the requirements for licensure or exams, you will be prepared.

Try the different activities/exercises that you might have your clients do.

When you learn about different activities or exercises that you might have your client do someday, try to do them yourself. One of my professors would say, “If you wouldn’t do the activity yourself, how can you expect your client to do it?” This gives you experience being the client as well, so that you will have an idea of what they might go through.

For example, we discussed an activity where we would have our clients bring up their anxiety and sit in it for 5 minutes. So for our homework, we had to think of something that made us anxious for 5 minutes and then write about all of the feelings and body sensations that came up during that time. It was a very valuable experience, and it helped me to really take my professor’s advice to heart.

Get out of your comfort zone.

Be open to new opportunities. Participate in as many trainings, events, and workshops as possible. Everyone gets a degree, so do things to make yourself stand out. You will learn so much about what you can do, you will have a sense of accomplishment, and you will feel like you can do anything. It may be scary leading up to it, but you will feel so proud of yourself afterward.

Take time for yourself.

It takes practice to gain enough self-awareness to know when you are heading toward burnout or need to take a break. Graduate school is the perfect time to practice this skill, so that this skill is developed by the time you are in the counseling field.

My advice: Do something for yourself. Make time for the things you love and care about (without guilt!). Engage in self-care.

This program and the work you do will change you for the better. Let it!

We were warned when we entered our program that the program would change us, and that if it didn’t, we were doing something wrong. Counseling programs are meant to help you grow as a counselor in training and as a person. There are tons of reflection, self-awareness, and personal development aspects to it. This helps you to grow and for you to develop the skills to help your future clients grow as well.

My advice: Put your all into this program. Let it change you!

Concluding Thoughts

My time in my counseling program has taught me so much, and I’m not even done with it yet. There was so much I didn’t know starting out. And while I certainly don’t know everything, I know so much more than I did before. Counseling programs teach us so much about ourselves and the world of counseling. It is a time of personal development and growth.

So yes, it is intimidating and maybe even a little scary starting a counseling program. But there is so much benefit to going through it.

I left this advice here for you because this program you are about to enter is going to be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. I know you will be nervous, but that is because you care. You want to make a difference. You want to help other people. You want to have a fulfilling career. This advice is here to help you feel better prepared so that you can focus on your counseling program and career, rather than on your anxiety and self-doubt.

You will do great! You got this!

You may also enjoy What I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Counseling Graduate School.