| This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to gain an understanding of how Deaf counselors experience becoming professional counselors and whether there are issues related to language that may have affected, in their opinion, the development of a professional identity. The research questions posed in this study were "What is the experience of a Deaf person in becoming a professional counselor?" and "Are there issues related to language that may have affected, in his or her opinion, the development of a professional identity as a counselor?" Semi-structured interviews were conducted in American Sign Language (ASL) with seven counselors who are Deaf. The data collected from the interviews were analyzed, central themes were identified, and findings were presented grouped by theme. The significant findings of this study were: (1) the importance of language to the participants' professional identities, (2) professional relationships with hearing and Deaf persons, (3) issues in the integration of multiple identities (i.e., boundary issues with clients, the needs of the counselor, and cultural centrism within the field of Counseling), and (4) the incidence of professional burnout. Overall, the Deaf counselors in this study represented themselves, for the most part, as having a positive professional identity. |
