DIGEST-V7-i4

1 TPC Digest 1 | TPC Digest T his is the second article in the ongoing Lifetime Achievement in Counseling Series. The purpose of this series is to highlight seminal figures in the field of counseling and their contributions to the profession. We hope that readers will utilize this series to better understand the continued development of the counseling profession, and be motivated to respond to current and future challenges presented by the interviewees. The second interviewee in this series is Amy King, clinical site supervisor for the University of Mississippi and doctoral student in counselor education at the University of Mississippi. Ms. King has worked diligently within the public school system for 25 years, first as a teacher and then as a school counselor. After changing roles and beginning her work as a school counselor in 1999, Ms. King also was recognized as the Oxford Middle School Counselor of the Year in that same year. Additionally, Ms. King earned her master’s degree in educational psychology in 1996 from Mississippi State University and later received a specialist degree in counselor education in 2008. In her current role as clinical supervisor, which she has held since 1999, Ms. King focuses her exceptional work on training master’s-level school counselors. Ms. King has significantly impacted the training and education of school counselors and aspiring school counselors. She has presented on a wide variety of topics relating to school counseling, both at the local and national stage. Most recently, she co-presented at the 2017 American School Counselor Association (ASCA) conference in Denver, Colorado, and the Mississippi Counselor Association (MCA) conference in Biloxi, Mississippi. Ms. King is an active member in both (ASCA, MCA) professional organizations. In this interview, Ms. King responds to several questions addressing her career; challenges and barriers experienced by school counselors; advocacy and social justice within the profession; experiences with professional organizations; and the future development of school counseling. Ms. King discusses her experiences as a practicing school counselor and her role as an advocate in the community. She mentions the need for educating school administrators about state legislation regarding school counseling to enhance the profession. Ms. King concludes by discussing her thoughts for future school counselors, and the overall advancement and development of school counseling. Joshua Smith is a doctoral student in counselor education and supervision at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Neal D. Gray is a professor and chair of the school of counseling at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Correspondence can be emailed to Joshua Smith at jsmit643@uncc.edu. Read full article and references: Smith, J. D., & Gray, N. D. (2017). Lifetime achievement in counseling series: An interview with Amy King. The Professional Counselor , 7 , 298–304. doi : 10.15241/jds.7.4.298