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Counselling Personal Statement Examples

Looking for inspiration for your counselling personal statement ? Check out our collection of counselling personal statement examples to get a better idea of what to include and how to structure your statement. 

Counselling Personal Statement

With over 10 years of experience as a counsellor, I believe I am an ideal candidate for a Master’s in Counseling. I am a mature and compassionate counsellor with solid communication skills and a proven track record of helping clients navigate challenges and find resolve.

I want to pursue a Master’s to enhance my knowledge and skills and provide an even higher level of care. The programme will allow me to expand my repertoire of methods and problem-solving skills to better serve clients. The field of counselling is constantly evolving, and continuing education helps ensure I am utilizing the latest research and techniques.

I look forward to exchanging knowledge with peers and conducting research to strengthen my practice.

Through work with adult, elderly and mental health clients, I have developed expertise in areas like risk assessment, treatment planning, and progress reviews. I have a strong foundation as a caring and supportive counsellor and aim to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. I welcome the opportunity to have my skills challenged and strengthened through practical experience in the programme.

I am an enthusiastic, diligent and motivated counsellor dedicated to helping each client achieve success. While the work can be complicated, I have the empathy, active listening skills and adaptability required to understand and convey even complex needs. I tailor my communication to meet the needs of each client and to collaborate with external partners like housing services or emergency responders.

My Muslim and ability to speak Spanish, Hindi and Punjabi allow me to provide culturally sensitive support to clients from various backgrounds. I believe an effective counsellor must commit to constant learning and development. A postgraduate degree in Counseling will provide the knowledge and competence I need to guide clients through difficult situations and choices.

I have a proven track record, relevant experience, and dedication to becoming an even stronger counsellor. I appreciate your consideration of my application and look forward to the opportunity to advance my education through your programme.

Recommended for reading:

• How to Write a Personal Statement for a Master’s
• How to Write a Personal Statement That Stands Out
• UCAS Personal Statement: A Writing Guide And Tips For Success

Counselling Personal Statement Example

I have always had the desire to understand human thoughts, feelings and behaviour. I am driven to answer not just why people act in certain ways but also how they can improve their situations and mental well-being. I aspire to become a therapist or counsellor, helping people overcome challenges and live happier lives. I believe an undergraduate degree in psychology or counselling would provide the necessary foundation, which I would then build upon through a Master’s in Counseling and Psychotherapy.

Through volunteering, I have seen both the psychological impacts of disabilities as well as the benefits of therapeutic activities. At a riding centre for disabled children, I witnessed the fear and anxiety experienced by both children and parents in their daily lives. However, I also saw the joy the children felt while doing horsemanship, an activity that allowed them to express themselves as freely as able-bodied children.

During my time shadowing a health visitor, I witnessed firsthand the emotional toll that postnatal depression and societal stigma can take on new mothers. I aim to help people overcome conditions that inhibit well-being and healthy relationships. My experience with equine therapy has helped me strengthen my skills in interpreting behaviour and finding solutions, which would serve me well as a counsellor.

I have studied sociology at the GCSE and A-level, gaining valuable skills in analyzing people and societies. However, this has inspired me to study individuals in more depth through psychology and psychotherapy . My coursework in sociology, English literature and history has also allowed me to strengthen my skills in essay writing, analysis and structuring arguments.

I believe I would excel in this program due to my ability to show both compassion and critical thinking on a subject about which I am passionate. While some may question why anyone would choose a career surrounded by distress, I see it as an opportunity to create positive change where it is needed most. Misery can only be overcome by facing it, and I appreciate the chance to do so as a counsellor.

With my relevant experience, skills and drive to become an effective therapist or counsellor. I appreciate your consideration of my application and look forward to the opportunity to advance my education in psychology and counselling through your program. 

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Effective Guide: Personal Statement for Mental Health Counseling

Table of Contents

A personal statement is a reflection of a person’s life and experiences. A personal statement for mental health counseling should be no different. It showcases your skills, values, and motivations while providing insight into your thinking process.

This document highlights why you are interested in becoming a mental health counselor. This document can also give potential employers an idea of the type of individual they could be working with. As a result, it may increase their interest in interviewing you.

This article provides an effective example of a personal statement for mental health counseling. It also offers tips to help you draft one that draws the reader’s attention.

What Is a Personal Statement for Mental Health Counseling?

A personal statement for mental health counseling is a document to set out your reasons and qualifications for wanting to become a counselor. This document can provide admission committees with insights into an applicant’s motivations, experience, and professional goals . A well-crafted statement can be instrumental in helping an individual secure admission into a graduate program in counseling.

How Do You Write a Mental Health Personal Statement?

A personal statement focuses on the purposes of your mental health counseling skills, academic and experience background, and how they relate. It also highlights your career goals that are related to mental health counseling. When writing your personal statement for mental health counseling, keep the following tips in mind:

Be As Specific As Possible

Think about what has led you to want to become a counselor. Highlight why you are interested in working with people who experience mental health challenges. Be specific!

Highlight Your Experiences

Focus on your experiences (both academic and professional) that have prepared you to work with this population. What did you learn from these experiences? How did they help shape your understanding of mental health?

Provide Real-Life Examples

Use concrete examples from your own life to illustrate how you have been affected by or interacted with people who experience mental illness. This will help convey that you understand firsthand the struggles faced by those living with a mental illness.

Keep Your Tone Polite and Non-Judgmental

Make sure your tone is respectful and compassionate throughout the entire statement. Mental health can be sensitive, so it’s essential to come across as supportive and non-judgmental.

Personal Statement Example for Mental Health Counseling

Below are two examples of a mental health counseling personal statement that you can use to write your own:

I have always been passionate and eager to learn more about mental health counseling. Having experienced depression and anxiety first-hand, I understand the importance of seeking professional help. I believe in utilizing evidence-based practices to help individuals cope with mental health challenges.

My interest in mental health counseling began while I was an undergraduate at UCLA. I took a course on abnormal psychology there, which sparked my curiosity about how people experience mental illness. In addition to pursuing my education in psychology, I have also gained extensive experience working with diverse populations within clinical settings. I worked in outpatient clinics and schools in the inner city of Los Angeles area communities where resources are scarce. This hands-on clinical training and my academic background uniquely prepare me for a career in mental health counseling.

Beyond possessing the necessary skill set, what drives me to pursue this field is the privilege it affords me to connect with others. It helps me build trusting relationships that can foster change down the road. It’s incredibly fulfilling for me to see clients make progress and reach their goals. It might be overcoming major life transitions or managing chronic conditions like depression or anxiety disorders.

After years of exploring options, it became evident that becoming certified as a counselor would allow me to provide personalized care using my skills. As I study at [university name], I hope to use the knowledge I have accumulated over the years to better understand mental health counseling. I picked this path to realize a lifelong dream of mine: being one of the top mental health counselors.

I would like to pursue a Master’s degree in Counseling at [University Name] with an emphasis on Mental Health. I firmly believe that counseling is one of the most effective ways to help people struggling with mental health issues.

My interest in this field began during my undergraduate studies. I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant for a professor who studied schizophrenia. This experience gave me valuable insight into the different aspects of mental illness and how they impact patients and their families. It was also during this time that I realized how passionate I am about helping people with these kinds of challenges.

In addition to my academic background, I have extensive experience working directly with clients suffering from various mental illnesses. For years, I worked as a case manager for an organization that provides support services to mentally ill adults living independently in the community. In this role, I was responsible for assessing each client’s needs and developing individualized care plans accordingly. In many cases, this involved providing counseling services myself.

I feel confident that my skills and experiences make me well-suited for a career in mental health counseling. But even more importantly, I am passionate about providing significant assistance to those suffering from mental illness. And I eagerly wish to pursue a Master’s degree in Mental health counseling at [University Name] to be more competent in the field.

To get your spot in a coveted counseling program or job, you need to write an effective personal statement in the application process. This article provides valuable tips and examples to help you craft a personal statement that impresses the admission committee.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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How to Write a Strong Professional Statement

Your Zencare professional statement serves as high-level overview of your practice, covering the clientele you serve, your therapeutic approach and style, and any basic information a client needs to know prior to starting therapy with you. Read on to learn how to make the most of this 3-5 paragraph written introduction.

(Don't want to deal with writing? Not to worry! You can request the Zencare team to write your professional statement .)

Professional Statement Writing Guide Click on any item to jump to that section.

1. basic guidelines.

2. Writing prompts

3. Sample template

4. Excellent examples

5. Reviewing your work

6. Advanced considerations

As you get started, here are some basic guidelines on formatting your professional statement!

• Length: We suggest writing about 250 words , with a minimum length of 100 words and a maximum length of 300 words. This tends to be a digestible amount of content for therapy seekers, and allows you to communicate just enough key information about your practice without becoming overwhelming.
• Structure: We recommend writing 3-5 paragraphs , written in the third person , in this rough outline (more detail below!): First paragraph: Describe your specialties and clientele Second paragraph: Describe your treatment approach Third paragraph: Describe your therapeutic style Fourth paragraph: Describe your relevant professional experience and any key logistic information about your practice.
• Tone: The professional statement is an opportunity for your clients to learn about you both as a professional and a person. Try to use a tone that conveys your expertise and professionalism, and include details that make you personable and relatable.

2. Sample template

Writer's block is real! We completely understand the uncertainty that can come with staring at a blank document. To make things easier for you, here's our " Professional Statement Mad Libs ."

Fill this out to get your professional statement written – and try to add some creative wording to it as well to make it unique to you! More information on each section below.

{Your full name} is a {credential}  in {neighborhood}. They work with {client demographics}. Many of {Your name}’s clients come in when {common challenges, symptoms, development points}. {Your name} is particularly passionate about serving {population}. They also have advanced training in the area of {niche specialty}.

{Your name} is trained in {approach}, which uses {describe how approach works}. In session, {Your name} focuses on {what happens in session with you}. This approach supports clients to {result of treatment}.

{Your name's} style is {describe style}. When a client first comes in, {describe therapeutic environment or how you build the treatment plan}. {Your name} is dedicated to providing a relationship that is {describe relationship}.

{Your name} received their {degrees, universities, study focus}. They gained experience at {fellowship, training institutes, previous employment} which enables them to {significance of experience}. Outside of private practice, they {personal or professional note}.

Download Your Professional Statement Guide

3. writing prompts.

As you're writing your professional statement, here are some prompts to get your creative juices flowing. Think how you'd describe your practice to a friend who wants to refer a colleague to you – how would you share each of these parts of your practice?

(1) First paragraph: Specialties and clientele

In the first paragraph, you want to immediately draw the reader in. Your first few sentences should give prospective clients a sense of "Oh, this therapist could be a great fit for me because they see clients struggling in the areas I need support with!"

The majority of therapy seekers are looking for help with general concerns, so be sure to include and allude to these if you see clients experiencing: anxiety, depression, stress, work and career, life transitions, relationship issues.

Here are some questions to help you think of your unique specialties and any niche clientele you want to market to:

• Who are the clients you work with most frequently? Who are your ideal clients?
• What are they struggling with when they enter your office?
• Why do they come to therapy with you?
• Are there any populations you are particularly well-positioned to serve?

(2) Second paragraph: Describe your treatment approach

In this paragraph, think of both the specific types of modalities that you are trained in, as well as how that translates to the client's experience. For example, you may be trained in cognitive behavioral therapy – to a client, that could mean understanding the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and learning specific skills to interrupt unhealthy patterns.

Here are some prompts for communicating your treatment approaches:

• What therapeutic orientations are you most trained in and informed by?
• What happens in a therapy session with you?
• What skills or approaches do you use to guide clients in addressing challenges?
• How are their lives, relationships, self-concept, emotional responses different after treatment?

(3) Third paragraph: Therapeutic style

This paragraph is a great opportunity to describe your therapeutic style – are you more of a listener or active in therapy? Do you provide homework? Set concrete goals and measure progress? Focus on healing through the therapeutic relationship?

Here are some prompts to get you thinking about your therapeutic style:

• What do your clients most appreciate about you? What words do they use to describe sessions?
• What kind of relationship or environment do you seek to offer to new clients? What happens in a first session with you?
• How do you think about progress in therapy?

(4) Fourth paragraph: Professional experience and logistics

In this final paragraph, describe your relevant professional experience and any key logistic information about your practice.

• Think about the credentials, training, and work experiences you've gained. What trainings or experiences outside of private practice most influence your therapeutic framework?
• This is a good place to include any logistical information about your practice that can help clients access care. How, when, where do you currently offer sessions? For example: do you offering remote therapy? Do you have an office close to public transit and/or with lots of parking space? Do you have a therapy dog that accompanies sessions?

Here are some examples you can reference as you get started!

Example one

Marian Cooper is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Queens, NY, who works with individuals across the lifespan, with a focus on professional women. Many of her clients have found great success in their careers or academically, but struggle to feel connected in their relationships or at peace in their daily lives. Marian is particularly sensitive to clients facing moments of transition, like a move to the city, job loss, or breakup, when the delicate balance can seem to tremble, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and self-doubt can emerge.

Marian’s approach is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, an evidence-based approach that focuses on helping clients understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, so that they can begin to make targeted change. She works to help clients understand their physical response to external stressors, and begin to problem-solve ways to introduce moments of calm, to choose to respond rather than react in the face of change.

Marian is focused on ensuring that her clients see real progress: her style is interactive, non-judgmental, and positions clients as the experts on where they are now, and where they want to go. A trauma-informed therapist, Marian is sensitive to the influence of past experiences on present challenges, and works closely with clients to reframe the narrative of their life in a way that increases self-confidence and compassion.

Marian’s first priority in starting with a new client is ensuring that they feel safe, heard, and like an equal partner in the therapeutic process. As a seasoned telehealth provider, she offers the convenience of remote sessions to help make therapy a core component of your self-care calendar.

Example two

Dr. Melba Nicholson Sullivan is a licensed clinical-community psychologist committed to promoting individual and collective resilience. Her clients are big thinkers, dreamers, and decision makers who sometimes find themselves held back by painful experiences of the past. Dr. Nicholson Sullivan treats old wounds with curiosity, creativity, and compassion, creating an opportunity for clients to move with greater freedom into their bright future.

Many of Dr. Nicholson Sullivan’s clients navigate feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression that have become overwhelming, and impact how they show up at work and in relationships. She works with clients to explore core beliefs about themselves, others, and the systems they exist within, co-creating practical strategies tailored to each client and their life journey.

Dr. Nicholson Sullivan’s therapeutic approach is rooted in mindfulness and human rights. She draws from her training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and executive coaching strategies in order to expand clients’ internal and external resources for healing, rest, and joy.

Dr. Nicholson Sullivan is committed to maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive practice, which serves as a safe harbor for people who identify as LGBTQIA and people of the global majority. In addition to her Midtown office, Dr. Nicholson Sullivan offers the flexibility of remote therapy sessions, and welcomes new clients to her online practice.

Example three

Dr. Todd Kray is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a private practice in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, where he welcomes both individual adults and couples who are seeking to create change in their lives. Many of his clients bring in emotional pain, whether the symptoms of anxiety and depression are taking a daily toll, relationships feel unbalanced and disconnected, or stress and self-criticism are impacting performance at work. Together, he supports clients to pull back the layers of present challenges in order to release painful past experiences and re-engage with their careers, their loved ones, and themselves in more meaningful ways.  

Therapy sessions with Dr. Kray integrate both insight-oriented and skills-based approaches. He gently challenges clients to explore the root cause of their symptoms, gaining new awareness into their emotional and relationship patterns. At the same time, he focuses on practical strategies, with an emphasis on relaxation and meditation practices, to help clients feel better in the here and now.

Having served as a consultant at local hospitals, Dr. Kray is uniquely skilled in working with those experiencing chronic pain, chronic illness, and other serious medical illnesses. He brings a special awareness to the healing power of the mind-body connection, and his office serves as a safe harbor to freely process pain and find relief.

Dr. Kray is committed to maintaining an inclusive practice. With a background in the arts, he is particularly sensitive to the creative process, and welcomes a wide range of creative professionals, freelancers, executives, parents, and young adults to his practice.

5. Reviewing your work!

Once your professional statement is written, here are some things to look out for and avoid :

• Therapy jargon
• Acronyms and abbreviations
• Rhetorical questions
• Vagueries, clichés, and anything that is unspecific to your practice
• Long lists of every diagnosis you would see or training experience that you've had
• More than one sentence on your speaking, writing, teaching, or other activities outside of private practice
• Quotes from other people

Get the next email on managing your private practice!

A writer at heart? Here are some tips for the advanced marketer!

General vs. specialized practices

There are two ways you might about how your Zencare professional statement is focused:

• General: For providers who may have specific interests, but are open to seeing clients outside of one demographic or diagnosis. This is the option we recommend for most providers, due to the nature of how therapist directories work: it’s helpful to appeal to the broadest base of potential clients, so that you can capture the attention of a wide pool and tailor your conversations to them as they proceed through the intake process. Read more on the case against specialization . For a more general professional statement, think about the structure of your professional statement as an inverted pyramid : start broad, covering information that will be relevant to most therapy seekers, and becoming increasingly narrow as you read through, highlighting details that speak to your current  and unique interests towards the end of the statement.
• Specialized : For providers who are experts within a highly specific niche, and only want new referrals for clients within that niche (ie providers who only see couples or only individuals recovering from eating disorders) . Note, choosing this path may mean a below average referral volume , since your profile may not appeal to the majority of therapy-seekers, but also less time fielding inquiries from clients who are not within your scope of practice. In tandem with other marketing strategies (offline networking; a well-rounded online presence), a specialized statement can be a good way to deepen your reach within the niche. In particular, know that through your word-of-mouth efforts, when a new prospective client is given your name, it’s highly likely they’ll still Google your practice to learn more and assess if it’s a fit for them. When they are seeking support for a specialized challenge, it’s helpful for you to be positioned as the clear expert in the field. so f ocus on your niche from the opening sentence , and make sure each paragraph ties back to it. What are the trainings you've taken that make you the expert in this niche? What skills or approaches do you use to address it? What does progress within this area look like?

Reviewing your profile as a whole

Remember that your professional statement is only one piece of a whole puzzle, and should it be considered within the context of the rest of your profile.

In particular, make sure that the areas you focus on in your professional statement are also captured within your Specialties, General expertise, Treatment approaches, and Clientele: these are the sections that determine what filters your practice appears under from the search page.

These sections should also be consistent with what you write in the professional statement to avoid any potential client confusion (for example, if your professional statement reads that you work with "adults of all ages," clientele should probably not include "Children").

Lastly, remember that you don't have to fit everything in your professional statement if it's covered elsewhere on the profile! For example, if a complete list of your previous employment is visible under Work and Education, you only need to mention the most important experiences in your statement.

Still stuck? If you're left starting at a blinking cursor on a blank page, we're here to help. Request the Zencare team to write your professional statement .

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Personal statement example psychotherapy and counselling: practices and principles personal statement.

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Psychotherapy and Counselling: Practices and Principles Personal Statement

I have always desired to understand feelings, behaviour and the human mind; always been driven toward solving the questions that start with why. However, after leading many spontaneous counselling sessions with friends, witnessing the empowering feeling it brings to simply aid someone find a way forward, instead, I also became driven toward solving the questions that start with how. I would deem it a privilege to take the time with someone to answer how they can move forward from their situation and how they can deal with whatever hand life has dealt them, as well as being able to diagnose any conditions before initiating treatment. All of these feelings have led me to aspire toward the rewarding career path of becoming a therapist or counsellor and I believe this degree would lay down the foundations I would need for this to happen. Following on from this, I would strive towards a Master’s degree in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy to get closer to my chosen career and enhance my undergraduate skills.

Upon volunteering with Scropton Riding for the Disabled Centre, I was able to witness the psychological impacts living with disabilities had, such as the extra sense of fear implemented in everything both the children and parents did. But on the other hand, I saw the psychological benefits the horsemanship brought to the children, even just for a small time, as they were able to express their enjoyment for an activity the same as an able-bodied child simply through laughter and smiling. As well as this, I have also participated in shadowing a health visitor, in this I saw new mothers suffering from postnatal depression but also struggling to understand the normality of this condition. From studying sociology I learnt society places many stigmas upon psychological conditions such as postnatal depression through a lack of understanding about it; I was able to apply this knowledge and analysis when observing how the mothers suffering deemed themselves as inadequate. All of this experience inspired me further toward working to help people overcome psychological conditions which inhibit their way of life and relationships with those around them. I have recently begun learning about “Straightness training” with my own horse; this is used to enhance an understanding of the psychology behind why horses act a certain way and help to find solutions. This has enabled me to witness an alternative approach to interpreting behaviour, but in a way in which the participant is not able to communicate or explain through speech. Because of this, I have been able to further develop skills in observing feelings and emotions, which I feel would greatly benefit me when doing so with humans in counselling practice.

I have studied sociology at both GCSE and A-level and from this, I have learnt invaluable skills in analysis of society as a whole, however, this has only motivated me more to learn about the individuals that make up this society. I feel studying about psychology or psychotherapy would allow me to do this through understanding not only different conditions but also the motives behind people’s actions. I have also developed the skill of being able to use studies made by sociologists in my essay writing. My essay writing skills and structuring have also developed through A-Level English Literature, as well as my analysis skills developed further through A-Level history.

I feel I would be most suitable for this course as I am able to display compassion and sympathy but also critical thinking toward a subject I am greatly passionate about. Many people wonder why someone would choose to work in an environment infiltrated with misery; however, I have reached the realisation that the ever-changing world we live in is indisputable and as opposed to dwelling on the unfortunate events, it is essential that focus is placed upon the recovery. Quite simply, I believe the perfect opportunity to make any positive change is only granted through being surrounded by what was once misery.

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Postgraduate Personal Statement Example: Counselling Psychology

Reading through several examples of personal statements before you write and submit your own version can be exceptionally valuable. 

After all, personal statement examples can teach you how to write and structure your application, and you can quickly learn how to write a personal statement by examining others.

But with so many university personal statement examples available, how do you know if you’re reading a good one?

Postgraduate personal statements should highlight relevant academic and practical experience, research skills and ambitions and their suitability for the course. This postgraduate personal statement example for Counselling Psychology clearly illustrates these three critical elements.

I’ve broken down this personal statement example section by section, with a commentary on each element. 

That way, you’ll see its strengths and weaknesses and get some inspiration for your own personal statement .

Once you’ve read the personal statement example and analysis, you’ll be able to download a pdf of the whole document, to use as inspiration for your own!

Personal Statement Example: Introduction

“As a member of “Generation Z”, I am keenly aware of the potential impact of the so-called ‘age of disruption’. Many people say that the job market is going to look significantly different by the time I graduate from university, so I consider it critical to have the ability to respond positively to any form of disruption or challenge I encounter. I intend to position myself in a way that will not only result in a prosperous career but also a career that allows me to give back to society. Consequently, I aim to devote myself to social work and philanthropy. As George Bernard Shaw said: “I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.” The human mind can be enigmatic, unpredictable and vulnerable, but it can also be understood by other human minds intuitively, and one mind can connect with another very naturally. Therefore, I believe that people can connect as a result of spending time working together closely. I want to pursue this goal by using my communications and management abilities from the business sector in my study and practice of Counselling Psychology.”

Commentary and Analysis 

This introduction is complex, confusing and engaging all at once, which is quite an achievement!

On a positive note, the writer has certainly made this introduction personal, and you get the feeling that it genuinely reflects their voice, approach and sense of purpose. That’s an excellent strategy, and an effective way to communicate a message. Readers don’t want to see highly descriptive passages in personal statements, they want to see individuality, engagement and authenticity.

However, the issue I have with this introduction is that it doesn’t get to the point quickly enough. It is very hard to unpick the subject the candidate is applying for, the relevance of the content and the logical progression of thought in this example. It ‘sort of’ all ties up in the last sentence, but by that time, the reader is a bit lost. 

It would be much better to begin with a commitment to the postgraduate topic the writer plans to study and then explain how their worldview has positioned them to take on that study successfully.

If you’re struggling with your personal statement introduction, check out my article on how to write perfect opening paragraphs here .

Personal Statement Example: Academic Background

“After finishing high school, I entered a university which allowed me to engage with a wide variety of people from diverse cultural origins, socioeconomic statuses and ethnic backgrounds. In my first year, I frequently conversed with people seated next to me at breakfast, which was the first time I truly understood the gravity of mental health issues. Other students, despite their age, spoke openly and comfortably about their problems as if they were discussing what they had for dinner the night before. This made me think that in high school, people kept their problems to themselves and substituted phrases like “I’ve been pretty busy lately” for their reluctance to discuss their mental health. My interest in psychology and mental health was sparked by hearing about the mental health crises that individuals experience and by supporting those around me to manage the challenges of undergraduate study. Subsequently, I determined to pursue the subject from an academic perspective. 

Commentary and Analysis

Again, this personal statement is rich with individual connections but limited in details. The writer has expressed a personal engagement with the subject, and this is very common (and often essential in some respect) for a subject such as this. However, when focusing on undergraduate study, an admissions reader will expect to see evidence of specific and relevant skills gained, none of which feature here.

The effect is that the writer seems unqualified, academically lacking and to be working from a place of instinct rather than education. That might not be the case, but it is how the reader, who does not know the applicant, might interpret the personal statement.

If you’d like to learn more about how to structure your personal statement or statement of purpose , check out my awesome Personal Statement Template eBook here . It’s full of detailed examples of what to include!

Personal Statement Example: Practical Experience 1

“I moved in with my roommate, who was also a high school friend, in my third year. Having known her for five years, I was astonished to learn about her troubles when she revealed that she had been managing depression since she was 14. The first time we spoke to one another honestly and in detail, she told me about her parents’ high expectations for her, how she felt like she never fitted in anywhere, and her distrust of relationships. Presented with this information, my mind went blank, so I suggested that she talk to a counsellor. She then shared her challenging experience of seeing a counsellor. Her parents initially refused to pay the exorbitant fees because they saw it as a sign of fragility rather than a health problem. Then the counsellor took notes of her experiences and reported them to her parents. Hearing about someone’s troubles in such depth is a little like getting to know a brand-new person, but in doing so, I began to recognise that counselling and psychology might be future career options for me. I couldn’t help but think that if I were an expert in this field, I could help her with a practical strategy or, at the very least, say something to make her feel better.”

This section is representative of a trap that many applicants fall into. They are so keen to build a justification for their choice of course and to convince the reader of their suitability that it all comes from the heart and not from a factual, strategic perspective.

There are a number of problems with this section. Firstly, it does not focus on the applicant. Instead, we read a narrative about someone else entirely. As a result, we get almost no additional information about the applicant’s suitability for the course. Secondly, there is no reference to specific aspects of the undergraduate degree, research, knowledge or skills that will add value to the application. Thirdly, none of the content connects specifically to the course being applied for. Lastly, and just as importantly, the writer is verging on disclosure of sensitive information, and showing a degree of naivety about the confidential nature of therapeutic counselling. As a result, they may not be portraying themselves as a particularly suitable candidate for this course or career.

Check out lots more examples of personal statements here , and see how they can inspire your application!

Personal Statement Example: Practical Experience 2

“During the summer of my third year, I accepted an invitation from a Clinical Psychology professor to participate in his solution-focused brief therapy seminar. He hypothesised that ‘strategy talking’ and ‘future talking’ techniques that centre on an individual’s problem can help refocus their queries and shift their attention away from the problem onto potential solutions. I was playing an observer during the role-playing portion of the seminar when the client and the therapist broke into tears as they discussed how she never felt worthy of her mother’s attention. She was successfully led to open up about her feelings and then encouraged to think about ways to prevent the negative emotions by the graduate student acting as the therapist whose research centred on solution-focused brief therapy. The entire process was highly engrossing, and as I watched, I kept thinking about what I would say or do to help her and with whom I would start this dialogue.”

Commentary and Analysis: 

This is a better paragraph, as it gives tangible evidence of relevant experience and knowledge. Again, it turns into a highly descriptive passage, and the value of one or two sentences is stretched out over a significant proportion of the personal statement.

Whilst the brief academic content is relevant, there is not enough of it. By this point in the application, there should be layers of relevant skills and experience on show, with clear connections to the course the writer is applying for. None of that has been evidenced yet.

Additionally, courses that are related to any form of therapy expect to see examples of wider reading and research, clinical placements and internships, academic skills and industry/sector knowledge. The candidate writing the personal statement has provided almost none of these elements. Consequently, I would imagine that by this stage, an admissions reader would be likely to reject the application due to a lack of academic and experiential depth.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the writer hasn’t got those experiences. It just means they haven’t included them here, and haven’t made clear connections between their skills, ambitions and the course being applied for.

The one thing that all successful personal statements have in common is that they are concise, engaging and accurate in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Consequently, I always recommend Grammarly to my students and clients. 

It’s an outstanding tool for ensuring your personal statement is rich with detail whilst hitting those all-important word limits. Check out the free version of Grammarly here , or hit the banner for more information.

Personal Statement Example: Conclusion

“My experiences with mental health concerns help me to understand and define my personal and professional goals. I want to be helpful to society by providing genuinely positive value in each role I undertake. Studying Counselling Psychology is a way of surviving the age of disruption, establishing lasting connections between myself and others and helping potential clients to gain the techniques needed to achieve clarity of mental and emotional well-being. After experiencing the transfer from one culture to the other, I gained the skills and positivity to help others embrace and overcome difficulties and the emotional maturity and academic skills to undertake this advanced study course. I will endeavour to bring these qualities to this program and look forward to playing an active and positive role as a member of your respected learning community.”

The conclusion, unsurprisingly, continues in the same style. There’s no tangible connection to the course being applied for, no real sense that the writer understands or is prepared to manage the academic and practical demands of this subject, and little sense of personal suitability for the career.

On a positive note, the writer shows passion, genuine humanity, purpose and moral and ethical fortitude. They are conscious of the greater value of therapeutic practice in relation to the demands of the world around them but have not indicated their suitability in any real sense.

If the writer’s academic qualifications are of a high standard (which may be the case), then they might be asked to provide more details, but if this is not the case, it is unlikely that a vague personal statement like this would lead to an offer.

In summary: show tangible knowledge of the subject, relate specific undergraduate skills to the specific course being applied for, and evidence diverse wider reading and research that supports your application. Very little of that is in evidence here.

For more great advice, check out my article on writing an excellent final personal statement paragraph here .

Click here or on the banner below to get your free download of this complete personal statement example . 

Whether you’re looking for personal mission statement examples or an example of personal purpose statement, I hope this personal statement example has been helpful. Above all, I wish you every success in your academic career. 

If you’d like to work with me to develop your personal statement 1:1 and write a powerful mission statement, I’d be delighted to hear from you. 

Find out about my personal statement support services by clicking here or on the image below.

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet .

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

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Psychology and counselling personal statement example.

'Nurture shapes nature' - Albert Bandura.

Does society determine who we are? Moving to a new country and experiencing such a culture shock made my future seem somewhat bleak, but it wasn't my demise.

Simply observing and comparing the practises in Nigeria to the practises in London made me think about several ethical issues with disciplining students and the factors that make students in Nigeria perform to such a high standard in private schools; whether it is genetic components or the nurturing they have received living in that environment? Or perhaps a different debate altogether; the unethical disciplinary methods might lead to final causal determinism.

Subsequently I began volunteering at Holy Cross Public Primary school in a village where practises seem to differ even more so; upon speaking with the children I realised that having the privilege to school in London, had clouded my judgement and I was essentially being Eurocentric; who is to say that discipline and teaching methods over in Nigeria are archaic?

Whilst in Nigeria, I became more enthusiastic about learning why people behave the way they do, what drives them? From that I developed a particular interest in Social Psychology.

As part of my experience in Nigeria, I took part in leadership training at Apapa Sea School Training Camp where essentials such as bathing water had to be earned through commitment and effort in gruelling tasks and then working at a rental company as a secretary gave me several transferable skills such as interpersonal and organisational skills before coming back to the UK.

Travelling to the Netherlands to conduct my own research enabled me to improve my research method skills; I made observations in forests, took samples of various plant life, used statistical tests in analysing my results, and wrote a report which I then presented to my fellow students and teachers which further strengthened my ability to engage an audience.

Similarly in my other A levels, I prepare presentations based on research I have conducted outside of college, such as how the English language is used differently by males and females and correlational analysis between self-confidence and income; this has further inspired me to read psychology at university level.

The concept of attending university excites me as I am eager to conquer all the challenges that await me both academically and socially and with the experience I have gained, pursue a career in counselling.

Being an active member of the college student council, I am involved in organising social and charity events; we conducted a 'help for Haiti' campaign where we raised more than GBP100 and collected clothes for donation.

Alongside this, as an active member of my church I have been conducting Sunday school for a year together with volunteering at a citizen advice bureau, all these positions demonstrate my ability to handle responsibility, my variety of interests and commitment.

My favourite novels belong to the Malorie Blackman Noughts and Crosses trilogy, a trilogy that centres on race and class discrimination; set in an environment similar to that of Martin Luther King's time where racism was at its peak in America. However, in these books roles are reversed and it is the black people oppressing the white people.

These remarkable books lead me to draw comparisons to the Zimbardo study; why do people act so atrociously when adapting to the role society has given them?

One can not deviate into the mind of an abusive or racist person to deduce the reasoning behind their behaviour, but I intend to continue my investigation into resolving as many enigmas that exist in everyday life all around us with my psychology and counselling degree just as the beginning.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by Niaokz for application in 2011.

Niaokz's Comments

Um.. well.. i think it's pretty unique, and it got me accepted in all 5 choices soo..

This personal statement is unrated

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Tips for Writing a Personal Statement

Keep your writing straightforward and honest..

Posted October 16, 2019

Here are some situations that require writing a personal statement:

• Applying to college
• Applying to special camps or programs
• Applying to graduate school, law school, or medical school
• Applying to an internship program
• Applying for a job
• Applying for a promotion
• … and more!

Like it or not, you’ll be writing personal statements (sometimes referred to as a "statement of purpose") pretty much throughout your adult life. I bet that some retirement communities may even require personal statements in their application process!

As a college professor for over two decades, I’ve advised and edited hundreds—even thousands—of personal statements for students. I take this work seriously, as I know how these statements have the capacity to make or break an application.

Based on this experience (see my new book Own Your Psychology Major! A Guide to Student Success ), below are some tips for making your personal statement sing, along with some classic no-nos in the process.

Tips for Making Your Personal Statement Sing

First and foremost, realize this: A large but often-unstated purpose of this statement-of-purpose assignment is to allow folks to get a sense of your writing skills. Keep this point in mind the whole while. Here are some other tips:

1. Keep it short! Students often develop this idea that the longer their paper is, the better. As my mom would say, the opposite! All things being equal, you should use as few words as possible in trying to make your point. Think about the points you are trying to make and then make those points.

Efforts to add fluff are always pretty obvious. Further, the people reading your application may have dozens or even hundreds of applications to sift through. Do them a favor by keeping it short!

2. Avoid the big-word trap. Sometimes, students feel a need to use all kinds of fancy, multi-syllabic words in their writing. Try to avoid this trap at all costs! All things being equal, I suggest this approach: Write exactly as you speak (minus slang and, of course, any profanity!).

Sure, you may use some fancy words every now and again in your speech. But speech is all about communication—trying to get someone else to understand something. Writing is no different. Big words used for the sake of using big words are not doing anyone any favors.

3. Follow the guidelines. Whatever the details of the particular application process, know that there are going to be specific guidelines. This all may pertain to word count, specific questions that you are asked to address, etc.

Here is the simplest possible suggestion I can give you: Read those guidelines and follow them 100 percent in every single way. Doing so will make sure that you make it into the pile of applications to be even considered.

4. Proofread your work. Imagine this scenario: You are applying to a job at Southeast State University. After you have submitted the application, you reread your cover letter. Check it out:

“… I am thrilled to be considered for this position at Southeast State University. …. In conclusion, let me say that I am excited about this opportunity at Fresno Institute of Technology. …”

Given that you are applying to multiple positions and/or programs, it is very likely that you are writing statements that are “tailored” for each particular position and program. That is fine and is typical. But the second that you write the name of the incorrect institution in your letter due to a lack of detailed proofreading, you might as well be throwing your application into the recycling bin. Proofread your letter carefully before sending it.

5. Have an “expert” look things over. When I was a senior in college, I recall my advisor, the formidable Dr. Gwen Gustafson of the Psychology Department at UCONN, suggesting that I bring a draft of my personal statement for her to look over before applying to Ph.D. programs. So I did.

I was surprised by how much red ink she put on my paper. But I was also grateful . And I also learned a lot. Every suggestion that she had made sense. And, at the end of the day, I took those suggestions, worked hard, and got into a great Ph.D. program in psychology that shaped the rest of my life in positive ways.

Your professors and mentors have sat on admissions and hiring committees for years. Use their wisdom to your advantage. And pay things forward when you are older and wiser.

Personal Statement No-No’s

1. Don’t overemphasize personal details. A letter that focuses on your own personal traumas and history will only go so far. Sure, it is often the case that someone has a significant personal event or history that is influential in shaping his or her interests. Myself included.

But letters that over-emphasize one’s own adversities lose a bit when it comes to getting members of a committee to see the applicant in a professional setting. Sure, you may have baggage. And it may well ultimately have come to shape you in a positive manner. But unless the guidelines of the letter are asking about that in particular, don’t make that your headline.

2. Remember that you are not texting your friend. Be professional in your statement of purpose. Don’t use emojis. Don’t use acronyms. Use your most professional and respectful writing and communication skills. You can send all kinds of silly texts to the group chat about it after you’ve been accepted...

3. Seem like you care about them. A statement of purpose, or a personal statement, is largely about you. But the last thing you want to come across as is unempathetic and disinterested in the organization and/or program that you are applying to.

If you are applying to the master’s program in mental health counseling at Western State College, learn about who they are. Care about who they are. And include something in your statement which demonstrates that you both know about them and care about who they are.

Bottom Line

Modern professional life these days includes writing personal statements/essays at various junctions. Pretty much forever. Don’t be daunted by this task. You should be proud of who you are and capable of describing yourself, your interests, and your goals in a clear, engaging, and powerful manner.

Write from your heart. Follow the guidelines. And follow the common-sense suggestions here. You’ll go far.

Geher, G. (2019). Own Your Psychology Major! A Guide to Student Success. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Glenn Geher, Ph.D. , is professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz. He is founding director of the campus’ Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) program.

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Personal Statement of Purpose for Counseling Psychology PhD and PsyD Applications

All counseling psychology doctoral (PhD or PsyD) programs require applicants to submit one or more written essays about why the applicant is interested in and qualified to enter that graduate program.

Each program calls these essays by different names, including “Personal Statement”, “Statement of Interest”, “Statement of Purpose”, “Statement of Professional Goals”, “Career Goals Statement”, “Personal Essay”, and various combinations of those terms. Programs may have you write a single statement or multiple statements (e.g., Personal Statement plus a Diversity Statement).

Writing a good statement is one of the hardest parts of applying to counseling or clinical psychology graduate programs.

One of the things that makes it hard to apply is the ambiguity and mystery that surrounds statements: what should I talk about? How long should it be? Do I talk about my experiences and interests in research, applied psychology (e.g., helping others by being a supportive listener), working with diverse groups of people, or what?

To help prospective applicants to counseling psychology doctoral programs, members of the HAMMER Lab analyzed what programs told applicants they should write about in their statement.

Check out our Counseling Psychology PhD and PsyD Personal Statement of Purpose Questions google spreadsheet to see the detailed analysis. See the bottom of this page for how we went about collecting data.

Before we review the take-home points of our analysis below, a brief reminder: be sure to check out my other  Psych Grad School  resources using the menu above, such as  Graduate School Advice ,  Counseling Psychology Faculty Research Interests List ,  Best Doctoral Programs in Counseling Psychology , and  What the Ideal Graduate School Applicant Looks Like .  I also recommend completing the  Mental Health Professions Career Test , which will give you interest scores on 21 different mental health occupations, including counseling psychology and clinical psychology.

Take-Home Points

Below are the key results from our analysis, the take-home points that every applicant should keep in mind:

• Most programs provide provide a suggested or required statement page or word length in their instructions. The most common request is 2-3 single-spaced pages . On the shorter end, some programs restrict applicants to 500 words maximum.
• 90% of the counseling psychology doctoral programs we sampled (N=50) instruct applicants to talk about their professional goals and career aspirations. In other words, no matter what programs you apply to, you should discuss this in your statement. Specifically, you should talk about your professional goals and how getting the specific doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) at that specific program (given the unique strengths and opportunities afforded by that program) will facilitate these goals.
• 52% instruct applicants to talk about their background and relevant experiences but may not clearly specify the type of experiences the applicants should discuss. (Many programs do specify the type of experience to talk about; see bullet points below.) As a rule of thumb, when applying to PhD programs, you should be ready to discuss research, applied (i.e., helping, listening, counseling, clinical), and multicultural experiences. When applying to PsyD programs, you should prioritize discussing applied and multicultural experiences (you can mention research too, especially if that program specifically requests it).
• 52% instruct applicants to clearly indicate why they want a counseling psychology doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) specifically. In other words, why not a clinical psychology degree, counseling psychology master’s degree, or a master’s in social work degree instead? Some PhD programs often want to know why you are specifically interested in the PhD instead of a PsyD (and vice versa). Even when a program does not ask you to address this specifically, I recommend always discussing how that particular degree will help you work toward your career goals.
• 59% of PhD programs (13% of PsyD program) instruct applicants to talk about why they are interested in that program specifically (versus similar programs at other institutions across the country). As a faculty member at University of Kentucky’s counseling psychology PhD program, I understand that people who apply to our program are also applying to other programs. (I always advise students to apply to 7 to 10 programs across the country that fit their professional goals, since getting into a given doctoral program is hard and you need to apply to multiple programs to maximize your chances of being offered admission.) However, even if an applicants is applying elsewhere, I still want to know “why us?”. I want to know that the applicant has carefully considered the strengths and opportunities that our program has to offer and has applied because of those unique attributes. If an applicant does not mention specific aspects of our program, then I don’t know if they are truly interested in our program or are just treating us as a “safety school” or “backup plan”. Since finding the right graduate program is more about “fit” between applicant and program rather than “being the best applicant”, I want to hear how the applicant sees themselves uniquely fitting with our program. Thus, even when not asked explicitly to address this, I recommend always discussing what attracts you to that particular program.
• 41% of PhD programs (13% of PsyD programs) instruct applicants to talk about their research interests. This serves two purposes. First, because PhD programs train students to be both scientists and practitioners (and some also train people to be advocates), the doctoral admissions committee want to see that a student has thoughtful research interests (not too broad, not too specific, and sufficiently flexible given that students are still early in their professional development) and is serious about wanting to get additional research training as a doctoral student. Second, some PhD programs prefer to admit students whose research interests overlap with the research interests of one or more program faculty members. More on that in the next bullet point. I recommend always discussing your research interests when applying to PhD programs even if not explicitly asked to do so by the program’s application instructions.
• 27% of PhD programs (0% of PsyD programs) instruct applicants to talk about how their research interests fit with the research interests of specific program faculty members. These programs tend to use an “apprenticeship model of research mentorship”, meaning that doctoral students apply to work under a specific core faculty member in that program, who will work closely with them to train them in the theories and techniques used to do research on the topics of interest to that faculty member. The expectation usually is that the student will help that professor out with the professor’s program of research while the student is enrolled in the program (and that the professor will help the student start to build the student’s own line of research, which will usually be topically related to the professor’s line of research). Therefore, programs that use this apprenticeship model often value selecting an applicant for admission based, not only on that student’s fit with the wider program, but on how well that student fits with a particular professor’s research team. Our counseling psychology PhD program at the University of Kentucky uses this apprenticeship model and this is why we explicitly ask all applicants to pick one (two at the most) professors with whom they could fit research-interest-wise. However, while only 24% of programs explicitly instructed applicants to address research fit with a professor, some programs implicitly expect you to address this . This is part of the “hidden curriculum” of graduate school–sometimes people expect you to know certain things, but you won’t unless you have a mentor who clues you in to this insider knowledge (or you happened to read it on the internet or a how-to guide). The tricky part is that you won’t always know if a given program wants you to talk about research fit with a professor. When the program’s website or application instructions does not provide clear guidance, I recommend that you make a case in your statement for how your research interests fit well with the research interests of one (maybe 2) of the professors in that program. Bear in mind that some programs do not use an apprenticeship model and instead select students based on overall fit with the program rather than research fit (they will often make this clear on their website/instructions), in which case you don’t have to spend time in your statement articulating research fit.
• 24% of PhD programs (13% of PsyD programs) instruct applicants to talk about their research experiences and qualifications. Even if a given PhD program does not explicitly request this information, you should always talk about this, as it’s an implicit expectation. However, make sure you are not just restating the information you listed under the “research experiences” section of your CV.
• 16% instruct applicants to talk about their past experiences with diverse people or cultures. However, even when a program does not explicit ask for this, I do recommend that you talk about this when discussing past research/applied/professional experiences. My anecdotal experience suggests that most programs like to see evidence in your application that you have experience working and/or living alongside people who share both cultural similarities and differences from you in terms of race/ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, (dis)ability, religion, etc. However, because some people grew up in culturally homogeneous places (surrounded by people with similar cultural identities), what’s even more important than past experience with diversity is a genuine desire moving forward to (1) learn about yourself as a cultural being with multiple identities that may carry privilege and marginalization, (2) learn to work productively with colleagues and clients who are both similar and different from yourself, and (3) learn about how interlocking systems of power influence your life and the lives of others (e.g., racism, sexism).
• 16% instruct applicants to talk about their interests, beliefs, aspirations, and/or contributions to social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, etc. This is related but different from the “past experiences with diversity” aspect mentioned above. These pieces go beyond past experience and capture what you value and how you (plan to) contribute to making the world a more just place. This is increasingly at the heart of counseling psychology as a specialty. As with the prior bullet point, even though a minority of programs explicitly instruct applicants to address this in their statement, my anecdotal experience is that most programs want to see you incorporate this into how you talk about your experiences and goals related to both research and practice.
• 26% instruct applicants to talk about their past applied (i.e., helping, listening, counseling, clinical) experience. All counseling psychology doctoral programs train their graduate students to be talk therapists, which requires being a good listener, showing empathy, problem solving abilities, a willingness to tolerate ambiguity, an openness to both positive and constructive feedback, and demonstrating cultural humility and sensitivity. To determine which applicants show promise as future psychotherapists and would therefore be suitable for admission into the doctoral program, one thing we consider is your past applied experience. Faculty want to see that you have (1) some practice with basic helping skills, (2) at least one letter of recommendation from a supervisor of one of your helping experiences that states that your helping skills are good and that you show promise as a future talk therapist, and (3) a clear track record of wanting to further develop your helping skills by seeking out relevant opportunities. Talking about your past applied experience in your statement is one way we can gather evidence about #1 and #3.
• 25% of PsyD programs (6% of PhD programs) instruct applicants to talk about their theoretical orientation, their understanding of mental illness, and/or their understanding of how people heal and change. An applicant’s answer to these questions can provide hints to faculty about how sophisticated that applicant’s clinical abilities may be. These are hard questions to answer well without having taken graduate-level therapy coursework, and more sophistication will be expected of applicants who would be joining the doctoral program after having completed a talk-therapy-related master’s degree than would be expected of applicants who joined the doctoral program after having completed only a bachelor’s degree. Most programs do not ask about this topic and there is not an implicit expectation on behalf of programs that you address this in your statement.
• 16% instruct applicants to talk about their professional strengths and/or weaknesses. Most programs do not ask about this topic and there is not an implicit expectation on behalf of programs that you address this in your statement. For those programs that do, remember that you need to strike a balance between “selling yourself” appropriately in terms of strengths and not sounding arrogant when doing so. Likewise, some weaknesses are going to be socially acceptable (e.g., typical areas of growth for new graduate students like managing mild perfectionism) whereas others will cast a shadow on your application (e.g., poor interpersonal skills, cultural insensitivity, difficulty with time management, difficult with autonomous functioning), even if they are true. While you might not need to talk about strengths and weaknesses in your statement, it’s likely you’ll have to talk about this during interviews, so make sure to put some thought into this before going on interviews.
• 38% of PsyD programs (10% of PhD programs) instruct applicants to address how the program will benefit them. This question is a combined way of asking the 3 questions of “What are your professional goals?” and “Why do you want a _____ degree specifically” and “Why are you interested in our program specifically?”. Regardless of whether a program explicitly asks this or not, there is an implicit expectation that your statement always address how your completing this chosen program will bring you closer to achieving your career goals.

In regard to our data collection strategy, our team used APA’s list of accredited counseling psychology doctoral programs (both PhD and PsyD, both counseling psychology and “combined” programs, N=84 at the time of data collection in September of 2019). We navigated to each program’s “how to apply” page to look at what instructions they provided regarding what the student should talk about in their statement(s). We copied and pasted this information into in the Counseling Psychology PhD and PsyD Personal Statement of Purpose Questions google spreadsheet. You’ll notice that we de-identified what instructions come from which program, as the point of this analysis is to get an overall snapshot, rather than to learn about a specific program (you’ll want to see the program website for that info). Some programs did not provide this information on their website but required applicants to create an account in the application portal in order to access the instructions; for our purposes, we did not include these programs in the analysis. Thus, readers should bear in mind that our analysis is based on a subset of programs that is not guaranteed to be representative of all programs. Our final sample was N=50, of which n=42 were PhDs and n=8 were PsyDs. We analyzed the set of instructions to look for topical themes (e.g., career goals), which we then coded for across programs so that counts and percentages could be created. We also calculated descriptive statistics broken down by program type (PhD vs PsyD).

talks fertility & genetic counseling

• katieleecgc
• Oct 27, 2021

Personal Statements 101

Today on my YouTube channel, Katie Lee CGC Talks Genetic Counseling, I discuss tips to write an excellent personal statement for genetic counseling graduate school.

Check out my video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBfljxcIvko

For many applicants, writing a personal statement is one of the most challenging steps of the application process. These three tips will help you get started with that pesky personal statement (or 10).

TIP #1 : BRAINSTORMING

The first and most important step to writing an impactful personal statement is identifying poignant examples to include. You should plan to spend at least a couple of hours brainstorming personal experiences that will illustrate how or why you will be an excellent genetic counselor. You should think about experiences that have taken place through working, volunteering, shadowing and in your personal life as well. You may identify experiences where something about genetic counseling really clicked for you or where you demonstrated a characteristic that will make you an excellent student of genetics or counselor, or perhaps an experience that you learned from that ties back into genetic counseling.

If you are preparing to apply for this cycle, set a timer for an hour and journal out some of the experiences that come to mind in detail. Repeat for another hour after taking a short break. Don’t skimp on your reflections of these experiences.

If you are applying in a future cycle, I recommend that you start a google doc or journal where you record relevant experiences that could be used in your personal statements. You will thank yourself later for having detailed experiences to use in your PS and interviews.

Check out my YouTube video for an example that I pulled from my experiences that I think would make for an impactful personal statement. The experience does not need to be groundbreaking, but you should demonstrate your self-reflection and what was learned or can be taken from the experience.

A very common mistake first time applicants make is that they simply summarize their CV in the personal statement. The personal statement should contain detailed and specific examples of experiences that may be included on your CV, but the details should be completely novel.

TIP #2 : RESPOND TO THE PROMPT

When writing your personal statement it is very important that you answer the specific prompt provided. Each GC program will provide a prompt which will include questions they want you to cover. Most programs will also list length and formatting requirements on their program website. For bonus fun some programs don’t list any requirements, which may mean a length is not specified. Check with the program if you have checked for this information at least three times and you cannot locate the details on their website.

Take a look below at three prompts from three GC programs for the 2022 application cycle. Notice that while the prompts certainly overlap, different programs have requested that you touch on slightly different topics. Stanford’s prompt asks that you describe future career plans; this is not mentioned in the Sarah Lawrence or Augustana prompts. Augustana’s prompt specifically asks about your exposure to genetic counseling and how the exposure has prepared you for a career in genetic counseling. SLC’s prompt is more general and requests that you describe any experiences that have shaped your interest in genetic counseling. So while the prompts all sound very similar on the first read through, many do guide you to write about specific examples and topics. Read carefully! You should not write one generic prompt and use it for all programs. However, you can write a generic prompt and modify the length, specific examples, and number of examples and make it work for most programs.

Stanford’s Prompt:

The Statement of Purpose should succinctly describe your reasons for applying to the genetic counseling program, your preparation for this field, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the review committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for genetic counseling. Please limit your personal statement to 2 pages. We prefer double spaced submissions.

Sarah Lawrence’s Prompt

Please submit a personal statement describing how your academic, extracurricular, and life experiences have shaped your interest in genetic counseling and prepared you to be successful both in graduate school and the profession.

Augustana’s Prompt

You must upload a personal statement--1250 words or less--highlighting your motivation to become a genetic counselor and emphasizing your prior and current experiences and exposure to genetic counseling, and how both have prepared you to enter and will benefit you in the profession.

TIP #3 : PICK EXPERIENCES THAT HELP YOU STAND OUT

Once you have your experiences listed and understand exactly what the prompts from your programs of interest are asking for, pick the experiences that set you apart the most from the average applicant while answering the prompt. Make sure you select experiences that help you stand out and display characteristics that make up a strong applicant.

HOW TO GET STARTED

I recommend pasting all of the prompts for your schools of interest in a google doc and outlining what you plan to touch on for each personal statement. If you can identify multiple prompts that are very similar in length and topics, group them together as one and refine after you get a draft down.

Once you have outlines for each prompt, start with whichever prompt feels the easiest. Copy and paste the most relevant experiences from the brainstorming/journaling session in step 1 and either expand or cut down the length and level of details depending on the prompt and the length requirements. Begin to think about how to make your personal statement a cohesive story with an introduction and conclusion as you edit the meat.

The hardest part of the personal statement is just

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Today on my YouTube channel, I share five tips to help you find the perfect advocacy role in preparation for applying to genetic counseling graduate school. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/

How to reach out to a GC for shadowing or an informational interview

Genetic counseling graduate programs require applicants to have exposure to genetic counseling. One of the best ways to gain firsthand exposure in the field is to shadow a genetic counselor or to con

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