Graduate students nearing completion of their studies in the counseling field are getting real world experience and practice at the Center for Counseling and Diagnostic Services at Sacramento State.

Debra Marcus, coordinator of the center, which provides services for the community, said that graduate students practice counseling in many different areas including vocational rehabilitation, individual, family and marital counseling.

Lee Miguel and Lynn Filiatreaux completed their one-semester practice counseling at the center last semester and are currently doing their field study in anticipation of graduating in May.

Miguel, whose concentration is career counseling, is doing part of his field work as a classroom facilitator for a multicultural ethnic counseling class on campus. He said his work in the counseling center was important for his growth as a counselor.

Both Miguel and Filiatreaux began their counseling studies because of their life experiences.

Filiatreaux came to her new career from a slightly different path having formerly been successful in business as general manager of a rice-drying facility,

“I really wanted to facilitate social change,” Filiatreaux said. “I found I had a natural ability in counseling. In the corporate world, I profited a lot. I feel the need to give back.”

Miguel and Filiatreaux face many challenges in pursuit of their counseling degrees. Miguel said it is important to understand the population of the community you are counseling.

“Understanding builds trust,” Miguel said. “Trust and safety are built at the first session.”Filiatreaux, whose concentration is in marriage family therapy, sees a different challenge, one of getting as well rounded of an experience as is possible.

In any career field, there are aspects that are less likeable. For Miguel there is the frustration of not being able to see a client’s development to the very end.

He said his hope is to “maybe plant a seed” to assist the client’s continuing growth.

Filiatreaux, currently doing part of her field study at Women Escaping a Violent Environment, finds she dislikes working with HMOs and trying to get insurance companies to pay.

Both Miguel and Filiatreaux have a lot of work ahead of them after they graduate.

Filiatreaux’s career as a marriage family therapist requires licensing by the state. She must complete 3,000 hours under licensed supervision and then take the state test. She would then like to have her own private practice someday.

Miguel sees himself putting together a patchwork career including teaching, working in a career center, private practice and setting up his own career consulting business.