Interview Assignment: A Counseling Career

For this interview assignment, I got the opportunity to interview Jeff Gatlin, MS, LPC, Senior Clinician and Assistant Director at UTSA Counseling Services. Additionally, Jeff recently earned his supervisor title and is now an LPC-S. Jeff talked about becoming interested in counseling first and foremost because he needed a career, and he desired a profession that allowed him to have financial stability, independence, and professional flexibility. Other deciding factors were more personal and included Jeff’s interest and desire to talk with others about subjects that are truly meaningful in life and listening to people’s life stories. This interest stems from early in Jeff’s life when he often received feedback from his peers that he was easy to talk to, receptive, and trustworthy. Jeff completed a one-year internship at the beginning of his career,

For example, when Jeff discussed how it is necessary to work with other mental health professionals to provide clients the best care possible, I remembered that in the text the authors wrote about the reality of working as an LPC often requires having a professional relationship with other mental health professionals for the benefit of the client as well as the mental health professionals.

In conclusion, this interview assignment was one of those assignments that actually has real-world implications for us as students. Specifically, this interview with Jeff allowed me to have a chance to speak to someone working in an area I am considering for my future workplace setting. Additionally, I am so grateful I had Jeff Gatlin as an interviewee because his experience along with his generous mentor-like demeanor made me feel comfortable enough to be engaged in the conversation and absorb as much information as