August 18, 2009

Alumni Spotlight: Stacey Hatch, MA, MFT, LPC, LMFT, CADCII

Educational and professional background of a 2006 CPSY alumnus who is now in private practice full time offering mental health counseling and addiction treatment.  She offers advice for graduates who are working toward licensure as and Oregon Licensed Professional Counselor.
 

My name is Stacey Hatch. I graduated in 2006 from Lewis & Clark College’s Graduate School of Education and Counseling, with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a Specialization in Addictions Treatment. My internship placement for that degree was at a community-based agency where I learned valuable skills working with dually diagnosed teens (i.e., teens with both mental health and addictions issues) in both traditional and intensive outpatient settings. That internship turned into a full time position where I gained the necessary experience for certification as a drug and alcohol counselor.  My educational background also includes a Master’s degree in Marriage, Family and Couples Counseling from Portland State University.

I started my private practice, LifeSteps Counseling, in 2007. In 2008 I transitioned to a full time private practice. Earlier this year (2009) I completed licensure requirements and am now a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. It’s wonderful to offer both mental health and addictions counseling, and to be able to accept insurance at a time, especially since the current economy makes paying out-of-pocket difficult for many people.

Here’s my advice for counselors working toward state licensure: take the NCE exam while you are still in school and while your knowledge is fresh, keep a written record of the kind of monthly supervision you receive (at least 50% must be individual supervision), and be patient (it seems like a lot of supervised counseling hours, but time goes by faster than you think it will).

As an alumnus of L&C, I’d love to work with current graduate students in Counseling Psychology who need to complete the personal counseling requirement for their portfolios. Please visit my website for additional information about me and about LifeStep’s services. www.LifeStepsNW.com.  Anyone wanting to schedule an appointment is invited to call me at 971-255-3276 or email me at stacey@lifestepsnw.com.  LifeSteps, is located in Tigard, near Washington Square Mall.

Stacey Hatch, MA, MFT, LPC, LMFT, CADC II
LifeSteps Counseling