Foundation Connections

What inspires and sustains a volunteer? How can counselors give back to the profession in ways that both benefit others and encourage personal growth? According to Kirsis A. Dipre, PhD, NCC, LPC (IL), “sometimes the most impactful thing we can offer is our presence, our advocacy, and our belief in someone’s potential.”

Selected as a 2020 Mental Health Counseling Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Dipre found herself amid a warm and generous community of like-minded individuals. “The NBCC Foundation is a community that truly values authenticity and lived experience,” she says, “so there is no expectation to be perfect, only to be present.”

Throughout the fellowship, she found that the support of past Fellows was something she valued and wanted to pass on to the next generation of counselors. Through the connections she made with the Foundation staff and other members of her cohort, she began to explore the wealth of opportunities available to remain engaged and support the Foundation’s mission.

Dr. Dipre began mentoring incoming Fellows, an experience she says had a significant impact on how she approaches both counseling and education: “I will never forget my first mentee . . . being able to hold that space for her, while also witnessing her resilience, reaffirmed the importance of representation and culturally grounded mentorship.”

Now a member of the Editorial Review Board of The Professional Counselor and in her second term on the MFP Advisory Council, Dr. Dipre continues to look for ways in which she can support and advocate for current and future Fellows, but she cautions counselors to be sure that they balance their volunteering and professional work with grounding and support for their own well-being.

“One of the greatest challenges counselors face is balancing service commitments with the emotional demands of our everyday clinical work. . . . We are holding space for others while carrying our own experiences of the world.”

So, what can counselors do to preserve their ability to continue being engaged in volunteer work? “I would encourage counselors to approach volunteer work with openness, intention, and a willingness to grow. My advice is to find the role that aligns with your strengths and passions rather than trying to stretch yourself in every direction.” In addition, Dr. Dipre says that building external support systems and seeking therapy themselves are vital steps for counselors to take when devoting themselves to volunteer work. “Sustainability requires boundaries,” she says. “We cannot offer more than we truly have to give. Sometimes that means stepping back from service opportunities so that we can eventually return to the work with fullness rather than depletion.”

Dr. Dipre says she chose NBCC and the NBCC Foundation as her main engagement avenues because of their shared mission and values. From her work supporting the fellowship through administration and fundraising to her thoughtful and constructive feedback on submissions to The Professional Counselor, Dr. Dipre says she feels supported and embraced as part of a community striving for improving access to competent mental health services.

“In a field that is competitive and demanding, choosing service that genuinely aligns with my purpose is essential for both my well-being and my professional growth. Rather than spreading myself thin across multiple organizations, I chose to invest deeply in the community that poured into me.”

Regardless of the volunteer opportunities they choose, Dr. Dipre says, counselors must be aware that their work matters and so does their health. “I often tell my students to be like a turtle; wise, self-knowing, and steady in their pace. As long as we keep moving, whether that movement is outward service or inward care, we remain aligned with our purpose.”

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