Kate M. Walker - My Next Steps: Create a Counseling Career Youll Love

As a professor, I teach my students information from textbooks and research journals. This book gives them a real world understanding of what life is like as a professional counselor. Kate Walkers experience as a counselor, supervisor, and business owner is a valuable resource for those entering the profession or looking for a way to rejuvenate their career. The variety of experts she has chosen to include in the book is an excellent demonstration of the diversity in the field. The book is filled with practical information presented in way that allows the reader to see Kates fun personality and passion for the field.

LeAnn Solmonson, PhD, LPC, CSC

Professor, Director of Counselor Education, Student Affairs, and

Higher Education, and Rehabilitation Services Programs,

Stephen F. Austin State University

Past President, Texas Counseling Association

Much like our clients do, Kate lets us into her world to find our own motivation for helping others. Walker and her group of experts present the honest dialogue of personal struggles one can face while noting how barriers to success can be overcome with continued work and effort. The words of encouragement, growth activities, tips, and suggestions provided will prove to be helpful for those who are considering a career in counseling and professional counselors who want to revitalize themselves and their careers. There is a great meaning and purpose in counselingthis book can help our future and current counselors get there and find it again!

Teri Ann Sartor, PhD, LPC-S, NCC, CHST

Assistant Professor of Counseling,

Lamar University

This book is a wonderful addition to counseling literature. The title does well in setting the tone to describe the books contents. It incorporates rich and varied current trends, knowledge, skills and practices. Nicely done!

Brenda Jones, PhD, LPC, NCC, CSC

Clinical Assistant Professor,

The University of Texas at San Antonio

President, Texas Association for

Counselor Education and Supervision

Kate has been dedicated to the counseling profession on multiple levels and has served as a trusted source for both practitioners and supervisors for many years. I highly recommend her book for novice or aspiring counselors and also for experienced professionals looking to re-invigorate their career

Paul Carrola, PhD, LPC-S, NCC

Assistant Professor, Mental Health Counseling Clinical Coordinator,

The University of Texas at El Paso

Senator, Texas Association for Counselor

Education and Supervision

If you are interested in becoming a counselor or creating a private practice, this is the guide for you. In her book, My Next Steps, Kate shares her expertise on how to create a balanced practice while avoiding career ending pitfalls. My counseling students and supervisees often ask about the business side of the profession and up until now there was no guide for them. Kates book helps those thinking of becoming counselors, counselors in training, supervisees, and seasoned counselors who may need to re-evaluate some of their professional practices. Pick this book up today!

Angie D. Wilson, PhD, LPC-S, LSOTP, NCC

Assistant Professor, University of North Texas

Past President,Texas Association for

Counselor Education and Supervision

Everything written in this book came from professionals with touching life experiences and clinical expertise. It is inspiring, hopeful, practical and doable. Also, it is designed for anyone who needs some wisdom and tools to proceed with the journey to their career.

Yu-Fen Lin, PhD, LPC-S

Assistant Professor, Internship Coordinator,

Counseling Program Coordinator,

University of North Texas Dallas

This book is a must have for both the novice starting their counseling career and the seasoned clinician who wants to take their practice to the next level. Dr. Walker does the same thing in writing this book that we are expected to do as counselors. She equips us with the necessary tools and motivates us to use them to be successful in our counseling careers. Thank you, Dr. Kate Walker!

B. J. Barksdale, MA, LPC-S, NCC

BJ & Associates, PLLC

Past President, Texas Counseling Association

My Next Steps: Create a Counseling Career Youll Love, is a powerful guide for counselors, but equally powerful for those in the coaching industry. Kates practical wisdom gently lights the path for professionals to gain clarity, remove fear, and take immediate action.

Dawn D. Mitchell

Author of Light After a Layoff

I needed this practical guide for myself and for giving career guidance to potential counselors over my forty years of counseling and guidance. This hands-on book is priceless wisdom and practical guidance for those just starting to actualize their dream, or needing to reboot an important area of their counseling practice. A must read!

Dr. Larry Keefauver, DMin

Founder of Your Ministry Counseling Services (YMCS)

MY Next Steps:

Create a Counseling

Career Youll Love

2019 Edition

Kate Walker, PhD, LPC, LMFT

My Next Steps: Create a Counseling Career Youll Love

By Kate Walker, PhD, LPC, LMFT

2017 Kate Walker

ISBN: 978-1-937514-72-3

Editorial Director: Dr. Larry Keefauver

Text Design: Lisa Simpson

Printed in the USA

By: Camden House Books, LLC Post Office Box 727

Broken Arrow, OK 74011

GetMyNewBook.com

All rights reserved solely by the author. The author guarantees all contents are original and do not infringe upon the legal rights of any other person or work. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without expressed written permission of the author.

Dedication

For David, Kyle, Ridgley, and Sarah

I am filled with humility and gratitude. When I think of all the people to thank for helping me make this book, it is hard to know where to start. To my husband David, thank you for loving me and walking with me on this adventure, even though you are on the other side of the world right now. I am grateful to Dawn Mitchell for holding my hand and getting this book out of my head; to my kids who are the reason I strive to achieve balance and make a living; and to Amber Haygood for holding down the fort and keeping the practice going while my I was trying to meet deadlines and birth this book. I am indebted to Sheila Gerth and Tammy Gross; two women who never met, yet over the decades and countless cups of coffee helped me make sense of my turmoil and turn it into stories.

I am grateful to friends who loved and nurtured me, and pushed me to stop working and get a workout, a pedicure, or a margarita. You know who you are. Thank you to the experts whose stories inspired me to write this book and to my mentors whose inspiration lit the fire under me and drove me to accomplish all that I have. A special thank you goes to my mentor Dr. Judy DeTrude. With a simple invitation to join you in private practice you changed my life. I will never be able to repay you for all you taught me about counseling, about being a professional, a supervisor, and a person of excellence. I still tell every class I teach, that if I dont know the answer I will call you. Im still thinking about making those What would Judy do? bracelets. If I can be half the educator you are, I will consider my life well lived.

Table of Contents

Save the World with Better Therapy

(and save yourself while youre at it)

My story narrates how one therapist set out to save her son, and ended up becoming an asset to her community, her clients, her family, herself, and if we believe the butterfly effect, the world. She did it by choosing to become a professional counselor and help hurting individuals and families, teach others, and give away her time.