Honors Theses
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Completion
Spring 4-30-2026
Academic Year
2025-2026
Department
Behavioral Sciences
Academic Major
Psychology
Faculty Advisor
James Huff, Ph.D.
Abstract
Counseling students hold a unique position in the mental health field, balancing the responsibility of providing emotional support to others while navigating their own personal and professional challenges. This study explores how pre-professional counselors perceive and navigate their experiences of professional shame. Examining the phenomenon of professional shame within this context is essential to understanding how these experiences impact student professional and identity developments and, ultimately, their future interactions with clients. This study examined the experiences of three pre-professional counselors using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three themes were developed from the analysis: 1.) Encountering the emotional toll of becoming a counselor, 2.) Experiencing the complexities of the supervisory relationship as both a challenge and a method of professional growth, 3.) Confronting the persistent self-doubt as an ongoing source of inner conflict while striving for confidence and professional clarity. By focusing on students, this research fills a crucial gap, exploring how those still in training experience and navigate the emotional landscape of professional shame. Understanding the dynamics of professional shame in counseling education holds broader significance, offering counseling programs valuable insights into how they might better support students in managing these feelings, ultimately improving their well-being and enhancing the quality of care they provide to future clients.
Recommended Citation
Bell, Olivia and Huff, James Ph.D., "Characterizing the Shame Experiences of Aspiring Mental Health Professionals" (2026). Honors Theses. 46.
https://scholarworks.harding.edu/honors-theses/46
