This week on the blog, our team sat down with Counselor Lee to help you learn more about him and his counseling approach to counseling.
Interviewer:
Tell us a little about where you are from.
Counselor Lee:
I am from the Albertville area of Alabama. I was born in Birmingham, but I spent my entire life until college in the Albertville area. The people are super friendly, and it is a place that is calm and easy to relax. I enjoy how accessible it is to beautiful views and nature, such as Lake Guntersville, where I grew up swimming all the time. I love that Alabama, as a whole, is a very diverse place as it relates to nature; there is everything from mountains, forests, lakes, and beaches.
Interviewer:
What are some books you enjoy reading?
Counselor Lee:
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor. This book was not supposed to be published as it was his personal writings, and it shows an emperor who had the same struggles as regular everyday people. Other books that I like include Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl and books by Stephen King.
Interviewer:
Tell us about a song that reminds you of mental health.
Counselor Lee:
I like the song One More Light by Linkin Park as it is about personal struggles of dealing with grief and loss. Sadly, the band lost their lead singer, Chester, to suicide later on. I thought the song was powerful in showing how no one is immune to loss and personal struggles.
Interviewer:
Do you have any favorite quotes?
Counselor Lee:
I have several… A few favorites are:
- “The mind is everything, what you think you become.” – Buddha
- “Seek first to understand then to be understood.” – Stephen Covey
- “You have power over your mind not outside of it, realize this and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurilus
Interviewer:
What is your favorite movie?
Counselor Lee:
I have a few favorite movies which include No Country for Old Men, based on the book by Cormac McCarthy, which is the most realistic depiction of a person with severe mental illness. Shutter Island which involves an island of people held there due to mental problems and the ambiguity of the main character struggling to remember if he is a patient or a detective there. I have also enjoyed Harry Potter movies since childhood as it allows you to put yourself into a fantasy world.
Interviewer:
What is a place you would love to visit in the future?
Counselor Lee:
I would like to go to Switzerland… The country is famous for good chocolate, beautiful nature, and nice people. My favorite tennis player, Roger Federer, is Swiss.
Interviewer:
Where did you attend college? What was your experience like there?
Counselor Lee:
I attended Birmingham Southern College for my bachelor’s degree in psychology. While at BSC, I had several brilliant professors who taught me a lot about research and critical thinking. I also enjoyed the smaller class sizes. The experience that I had in the classroom made me want to work with people and learn how they think, as well help them with any issues they were going through. Originally, I wanted to be a clinical psychologist but I applied to one program and did not get in… In hindsight, it was a beneficial thing that I did not get into that program.
For graduate school, I attended Jacksonville State University. I really enjoyed my professors at JSU. The experience in the classroom helped to prepare me for my actual practice experience. I completed my field practicum at The Bridge in Gadsden. The experience helped to open my eyes to the various things that children and adolescents go through and how those things can impact a person’s development. I was able to learn a lot about how the circumstances that a person is born into, as well as their experiences, can affect their mental health and make some issues more difficult to escape from. That experience also helped me better understand that although a person might be in an environment with drugs and violence, they are still a person.
Interviewer:
What led you to choose counseling for your career?
Counselor Lee:
I knew all along that I wanted to learn from others and help people be happier versions of themselves. Like I said earlier, I thought at the time that getting a PhD in clinical psychology was the way to go. I realized that working as a psychologist would require a lot of research, and I wanted to do something that was more hands-on.
Interviewer:
What have you found most rewarding about being a counselor?
Counselor Lee:
The honor of helping a person or family. Counseling is all about assisting and guiding the person to find the way. Some people just need someone to listen. It’s also rewarding being a positive role model because not all kids have one.
Interviewer:
What would you like for people to know about the counseling experience with you?
Counselor Lee:
Sometimes, I find it easier to relate to kids and teenagers because I am younger. I like to be goofy and have fun, and I think that even adults should be goofy and silly sometimes. I do my best to not hold any judgment and to not pressure anyone to talk about anything they are not ready to talk about. I am very relaxed, and I also have a very young looking face (some research says it is easier to trust a “baby face”)!
Interviewer:
What mental health concerns are you passionate about helping clients with?
Counselor Lee:
I enjoy working with depression and trauma in teenagers. I think that these things go together often. There are a lot of issues that can cause people to lose hope, but this is one of the strongest reasons that people lose hope. Children and teens have a lot of unique challenges in today’s society.
Interviewer:
What therapy method do you use most often?
Counselor Lee:
I think that most therapists use a person-centered approach by being non-judgmental. This then moves to a different modality depending on the needs of the client. I use a mixture of methods, including person-centered and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Interviewer:
What are some closing words that you have for someone who is ambivalent about counseling?
Counselor Lee:
I am a firm believer that counselors are not miracle workers. We can not force someone to think a certain way or to be happy. I believe that every person who I work with has the inner strength to overcome. However, sometimes, people need support to find this strength. For some, there is a stigma related to searching for help with mental health, but I think counseling can be beneficial for everyone out there, and I love being the one who can provide support to someone.
We hope you enjoyed this interview with Counselor Lee, and that it helped you get to know him a little better. Check back later for another interview in this series!
For more like this, you might enjoy: