DIGEST - Volume 9, Issue 2

8 TPC Digest T he American Counseling Association Code of Ethics emphasizes the value and importance of continuing education during the careers of counseling professionals. Although continuing education courses tend to focus on performance-based skills, optimal therapeutic outcomes also entail counselor attributes of openness to change, self-awareness, the practice of self-reflection, and attunement to the interpersonal connection between client and counselor. A significant avenue for developing these attributes is through defining moment experiences . A defining moment experience is a pinnacle moment or critical incident that occurred within a therapeutic context and contributed significantly to the professional development and personal growth of counselors. A negative defining moment experience may entail exposure to a difficult client, which may have a negative influence on counselor perceptions of clinical competency. In contrast, a positive defining moment experience may involve a novice counselor’s first experience of effectiveness or making a therapeutic breakthrough with a client. Whereas defining moment experiences often occur among novice and early career counselors, experienced counselors are more likely to be able to reflect and process the latent meanings of defining moment experiences for their own ongoing professional growth and development. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how experienced counselors make sense and meaning of their defining moment experiences with respect to their professional development and practice. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine experienced licensed professional counselors to investigate how defining moment experiences influenced their professional development. Five main themes relating to defining moment experiences were identified from the interviews: acceptance of reality; finding a balance; enhanced self-reflection and awareness; reciprocal transformation; and assimilation and integration. Professional counselors understood their defining moment experience as one that was a ‘wake-up call’ to accept the reality that counselors are not ideal for all clients and all presenting problems. Defining moment experiences also highlighted the importance of finding a balance between one’s own strengths and weaknesses, internal and external limitations, and finding a rhythm in unchartered or unfamiliar territories. Experienced counselors also understood their defining moment experiences to entail enhanced self-reflection and awareness. Indeed, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs aligns professional competence with counselor self-awareness of strengths and limitations via self-reflection. The findings also revealed defining moment experiences of professional counselors led to the development of a broader understanding of the reciprocal and transformative power within the therapeutic bond. Within the theme of assimilation and integration, professional counselors shared how meanings of their defining moments continue to be a solid foundation of inspiration for their purpose, passion, and advocacy work in the counseling profession. Overall, the findings of this study suggest facilitating conversations and reflecting on defining moment experiences may provide a focal point for continuing training of professional counselors. Providers of counselor education programs and supervisors could develop awareness of the potential for defining moment experiences to raise questions about the realities of counseling, finding a balance in the counselor role, and the transformative power of the therapeutic relationship. Diane M. Coll is a professional counselor at Argosy University. Chandra F. Johnson is an associate professor at Argosy University. Chinwé U. Williams is an associate professor at Argosy University. Michael J. Halloran is an honorary associate professor at La Trobe University. Correspondence can be addressed to Michael Halloran, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Kingsbury Dr., Bundoora, Australia, 3086, m.halloran@latrobe.edu.au. Diane M. Coll, Chandra F. Johnson, Chinwé U. Williams, Michael J. Halloran Defining Moment Experiences of Professional Counselors 8 | TPC Digest A Phenomenological Investigations