Personal Statement
Hello!
I'm applying for a PhD program in Counselor Education and Supervision. I already have my MA in Professional Counseling. This PhD program is strongly based on clinical experience and in conducting research for clinical application, not so much on developing general theories. I would appreciate any and all feedback about my personal statement. I know it starts off with a trite anecdote about why I'm personally interested in my area of clinical interest, but I tried not to focus too much on how it personally affects me and instead on how it influences my clinical interest. I have it at 2 double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1" margins.
When my brother was diagnosed with cancer, I learned firsthand about the emotions and fears that a family experiences when a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious medical illness. After witnessing cancer’s effect on my brother and family, I have decided that I want to focus my career, future research, and Ph.D studies on counseling individuals, families, and groups affected by a serious medical illness.
My master's program and work experiences helped sharpen my knowledge of counseling theories and skills. While pursuing my degree at _____, I worked for Dr. _____ at ______. While employed there, I gained a basic understanding of social-constructivist theory. I also read about solution-focused and reality therapy to aid my job of working with children and adolescents. After Dr. ____’s death, I began counseling at ______.
In this position, I worked with clients in formulating possible solutions and alternatives in preventing unwanted pregnancy, rather than focusing solely on the mistakes that had led to an unwanted pregnancy. Exploring women’s emotional and spiritual concerns about their ability to cope with a pregnancy termination interested me in how the meaning and purpose placed on life events influences coping expectations and abilities.
After working at ____, I accepted a position working as a therapist at ____ because I desired to conduct ongoing counseling rather than seeing clients only one time. I strive to praise improvements rather than dwell on mistakes. I continue to observe examples of how finding meaning and purpose in life events influences clients’ thoughts and behaviors.
The counseling experiences I have gained from my positions at _____, _____, and _____ have helped me to channel my interest in populations affected by a medical illness and feel prepared to further my education in your Ph.D program. From experience, I have seen how existential factors relate to coping, have observed how meaning and purpose influence thoughts and cognitions, and have read research on the importance of a sense of meaning and purpose for medically-ill patients’ quality of life. With this focus, I feel confident in my ability to complete a Ph.D in Counselor Education and Supervision.
My clinical experience has been primarily with individuals and groups, incorporating aspects of solution-focused, reality, cognitive-behavioral, and person-centered theory. In your Ph.D program, I hope to develop advanced theoretical skills in these areas as well as in conducting family therapy.
I have limited experience conducting clinical research and would like to expand upon those skills in your Ph.D program. Most recently, I helped design, enter data, and supervise two research assistants for a study exploring women’s coping expectations before a pregnancy termination at ______ in conjunction with the University of California-San Francisco. I’m interested in future supervisory roles in research and education due to this experience. I believe this exposure to the research and supervision process, as well as my analytical strengths exhibited in graduate school, will help equip me with the skills necessary to conduct strong original research in your Ph.D program under an advisor’s guidance.
I would like to be advised in your Ph.D program by Dr. ____ because my interest in and experience with a social-constructivist influenced counseling orientation follows his clinical interests. Additionally, it resonated with me when Dr. ____ shared his interest in working with individuals and their families affected by a medical illness when I met with him in April to discuss this program.
As a graduate of ______'s CACREP-accredited Ph.D program, other professionals would feel confident in my research, clinical, teaching, and supervisory skills. Within the next five to ten years, I would like to collaborate with medical and support professionals in counseling individuals, families, and groups affected by cancer and other medical illnesses. Additionally, I want to evaluate and share the efficacy of counseling interventions used with this population. Lastly, I would like to teach and supervise counselors interested in working with a variety of populations.
Thank you for taking the time to read through it!
I'm applying for a PhD program in Counselor Education and Supervision. I already have my MA in Professional Counseling. This PhD program is strongly based on clinical experience and in conducting research for clinical application, not so much on developing general theories. I would appreciate any and all feedback about my personal statement. I know it starts off with a trite anecdote about why I'm personally interested in my area of clinical interest, but I tried not to focus too much on how it personally affects me and instead on how it influences my clinical interest. I have it at 2 double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1" margins.
When my brother was diagnosed with cancer, I learned firsthand about the emotions and fears that a family experiences when a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious medical illness. After witnessing cancer’s effect on my brother and family, I have decided that I want to focus my career, future research, and Ph.D studies on counseling individuals, families, and groups affected by a serious medical illness.
My master's program and work experiences helped sharpen my knowledge of counseling theories and skills. While pursuing my degree at _____, I worked for Dr. _____ at ______. While employed there, I gained a basic understanding of social-constructivist theory. I also read about solution-focused and reality therapy to aid my job of working with children and adolescents. After Dr. ____’s death, I began counseling at ______.
In this position, I worked with clients in formulating possible solutions and alternatives in preventing unwanted pregnancy, rather than focusing solely on the mistakes that had led to an unwanted pregnancy. Exploring women’s emotional and spiritual concerns about their ability to cope with a pregnancy termination interested me in how the meaning and purpose placed on life events influences coping expectations and abilities.
After working at ____, I accepted a position working as a therapist at ____ because I desired to conduct ongoing counseling rather than seeing clients only one time. I strive to praise improvements rather than dwell on mistakes. I continue to observe examples of how finding meaning and purpose in life events influences clients’ thoughts and behaviors.
The counseling experiences I have gained from my positions at _____, _____, and _____ have helped me to channel my interest in populations affected by a medical illness and feel prepared to further my education in your Ph.D program. From experience, I have seen how existential factors relate to coping, have observed how meaning and purpose influence thoughts and cognitions, and have read research on the importance of a sense of meaning and purpose for medically-ill patients’ quality of life. With this focus, I feel confident in my ability to complete a Ph.D in Counselor Education and Supervision.
My clinical experience has been primarily with individuals and groups, incorporating aspects of solution-focused, reality, cognitive-behavioral, and person-centered theory. In your Ph.D program, I hope to develop advanced theoretical skills in these areas as well as in conducting family therapy.
I have limited experience conducting clinical research and would like to expand upon those skills in your Ph.D program. Most recently, I helped design, enter data, and supervise two research assistants for a study exploring women’s coping expectations before a pregnancy termination at ______ in conjunction with the University of California-San Francisco. I’m interested in future supervisory roles in research and education due to this experience. I believe this exposure to the research and supervision process, as well as my analytical strengths exhibited in graduate school, will help equip me with the skills necessary to conduct strong original research in your Ph.D program under an advisor’s guidance.
I would like to be advised in your Ph.D program by Dr. ____ because my interest in and experience with a social-constructivist influenced counseling orientation follows his clinical interests. Additionally, it resonated with me when Dr. ____ shared his interest in working with individuals and their families affected by a medical illness when I met with him in April to discuss this program.
As a graduate of ______'s CACREP-accredited Ph.D program, other professionals would feel confident in my research, clinical, teaching, and supervisory skills. Within the next five to ten years, I would like to collaborate with medical and support professionals in counseling individuals, families, and groups affected by cancer and other medical illnesses. Additionally, I want to evaluate and share the efficacy of counseling interventions used with this population. Lastly, I would like to teach and supervise counselors interested in working with a variety of populations.
Thank you for taking the time to read through it!