It is said that we are who we are today because of the choices we made yesterday. Helping people with their choices is my way of supporting positive change in the lives of those who seek my counsel. My goal in enrolling for the Master of Arts in Counselling Degree Program at XXXX University is to practice as a professional counselor who can provide a supportive and nurturing environment that assists in providing a sense of safety to those taking the risks necessary to ensure meaningful change to their status quo. Having majored in international studies and political science for my undergraduate Arts degree from Michigan University, I believe that in advancing my studies to the master's level with a focus in counselling I would be preparing for a career that I have both the passion and commitment for after my life experiences at a personal and professional level.
Born and raised in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, there were early signs as a teenager that my life was purposed for greater things. Attending a special boarding school for young, gifted artists, Interlochen Arts Academy as a sophomore in high school, I was given the opportunity to develop the interest I had in understanding people and the dynamics of relationships, while studying as an actor in their rigorous theater program. There began my journey that has led to the passion I feel to help people make sense of their lives. Widely traveled nationally and internationally, I have a broadened worldview that has allowed me to relate to people from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds which has perpetuated my interest in human dynamics.
While living in Hawaii, which has a large population of Chinese immigrants, I was blessed with the opportunity of being a volunteer, teaching English to new arrivals to the state who taking their citizenship exams. Through this experience I learnt much about myself; I have the capacity to exercise patience with people, am non-judgmental, empathetic, and compassionate and have a high frustration tolerance. I also learnt that I am most effective when working with individuals or small groups, which makes me ideally suited at a personality level for my chosen career as a counselor. In studying for the master's program, I am looking forward to learning the practical skills and techniques that will give me the tools I need to help people achieve their goals.
 Applying theoretical knowledge to the skills I already have acquired in communicating and relating to people will equip me with the practical skills counselors use on a day-to-day basis. An academic background is a starting point to understanding human behavior. XXXX University has everything I am looking for to equip me with the knowledge base and hands-on experience I require in the Master of Arts Program in Counselling. In relating to students who share a similar passion and commitment while having access to Faculty with extensive wisdom and knowledge on the subject, I believe that the process of learning will be mutually beneficial.
I am specifically interested in exploring the area of online counselling; there are many people who face insurmountable odds in their desire to bring about change to their life circumstances who remain outside the reach of traditional and mainstream counselling centers. In the technologically advanced age that we live in, it is possible to bring counselling to people in a cost-effective, non-threatening manner through offering them alternative options to interact with those trained to assist them. The possibilities are endless to be able to offer people help when and where they need it most without having those already overwhelmed by their life circumstances being forced to sustain the initiative despite time and economic pressures to pursue helping organizations in the community. This would also open a door to hope for those driven to social isolation by the problems they have encountered in their lives.
My long-term goal is to help those who feel lost and confused by the many choices that confront them; people too anxious to navigate their way on their own. Rather than focusing on administrative routes to helping people, my commitment and passion is for working with people at the point of their need. At 33 years of age, through my life’s journey that has brought me to this point, I have come to know myself; my strengths and my weaknesses. I am an ideal candidate for this program, and I trust that you afford me the opportunity to embark on this next step in my journey towards the goal of helping others exercise wisdom and foresight in making informed choices that bring successful change to their existence, as mine have.
MA Counseling Personal Statement of Purpose Examples