BerenC

Hello guys! I just came across this really important topic here and I am so glad that I'm not the only one who's super confused. Believe me when I tell you that I heard over 15 differing opinions on how to go about discussing personal experiences and how they motivated somebody to pursue counselling psychology. A psychotherapist who critiqued my letter said that based on her 20 years of experience, discussing who you are is so important as it shows that you can relate to others in practice. Also, some people who got in went in detail about their struggles and even discussed specific things like being homeless and substance use. Some people who got in talked about how overcoming their personal issues helped them find who they really are and how they can bring that to practice. On the other hand, some individuals who got in didn't bring up anything related to a personal struggle, so I really don't know how to go about this. It's definitely important to show the program who you are and that you're ready to work with clients with empathy and sensitivity. I got rejected from 4 programs last year and I never talked about myself at all. When I showed my letter to some professionals, some said it sounds good and some pointed out how I need to talk about myself as life experiences are appreciated in this field. I really don't know how to go about this at all now. I don't want to sound insensitive and too blunt in my letter but at the same time, I am so scared to share something that might ruin my application. After hearing over 15 opinions (nobody agreed on one answer) I am writing this to ask how you guys went about this.