Below are Ms Holum’s answers:
The highlight of my career is getting to watch people grow into more confident, self-aware versions of themselves. There is nothing better than seeing someone go from feeling stuck or overwhelmed to realizing they actually have the tools to handle their life. Being trusted with people’s stories is something I do not take lightly, and it is incredibly meaningful work.
One of the biggest challenges is that progress is not always quick or easy. People are dealing with real-life stress, trauma, and complicated situations, and change takes time. It can also be emotionally heavy work, so I have to make sure I am taking care of myself too. Another challenge is helping people understand that therapy is not about “fixing” them. It is about supporting them.
I originally worked in education and spent many years as a teacher. During that time, I saw how much students were struggling with things beyond academics, including mental health, family stress, and life challenges. That led me to go back to college to become a licensed therapist. I wanted to support people in a deeper and more direct way.
A lot of people think therapy is just sitting and talking, but there is actually a lot of skill and training behind it. Therapists use specific techniques, strategies, and evidence-based approaches to help people make real changes. Also, therapy is not one-size-fits-all. Every person is different, so the work is always tailored to the individual. In many ways, it is a lot like teaching.
To become a therapist, you can have an undergraduate degree in almost any field. After that, you need a 60-hour master’s degree in counseling or clinical social work from a CACREP-accredited program. The final requirement of graduate school is a 700-hour internship.
After that, you apply for your provisional license, which means you are working under someone else’s license. A Provisionally Licensed Counselor (PPC) must complete 3,000 supervised clinical hours and pass a national licensing exam to become fully licensed. It is a process that takes several years, but it prepares you to work ethically, responsibly, and effectively with clients.
