Welcome to the Summer 2025 Semester!

Alumni Spotlight

We continue our new feature that shines light on some of our recent alums. Read below to hear what they are up to and advice they have for current students.

Meet Laurel Brubaker (she/her)!

What year did you graduate, and from what JMU Counseling Program? 

I graduated in 2020 from the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

What was your motivation to become a part of school counseling?

I decided to pursue clinical mental health counseling as a career for a variety of reasons. I've always considered counseling to be a deeply creative, dynamic, meaningful, and fulfilling vocation. Additionally, I have been moved by my own personal experiences with counseling, starting in early adolescence and at different points throughout my life.

What future do you see for yourself in School Counseling?

I see myself continuing to enjoy outpatient counseling work, both individual & group, as well as continuing to lean into developing my interest in the integration of ecotherapy and creative expression in my therapeutic practice. 

What are your research and/or practitioner areas of interest?

As mentioned above, I hold significant interest in integrating both ecotherapy and creative expression into my clinical practice. For me, this has looked like bringing expressive interventions (i.e., painting, drawing, sculpting, music, visual imagery, and sand tray) into sessions, as well as developing & implementing a variety of ecotherapy services offered through the JMU Counseling Center, including nature-based group therapy curriculum, Walk & Talk at the JMU Arboretum for individual sessions, and co-coordinating our Wilderness Therapy Program. I also hold a special interest in working with LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent clients and strive to engage in continuous learning and adaptation of my therapeutic approach in order to optimize accessibility, collaboration, efficacy, and an affirming environment. 

What advice do you have for current students?

I would encourage current counseling students to lean into opportunities for developing relationships with the clinical professionals in their lives (professors, mentors, site supervisors, community providers), as well as their peers. These relationships are invaluable as you move through school, graduate, and continue developing as a helping professional post-graduation. I'd also encourage students to take ownership of their learning: ask questions, request resources and trainings, do your own research, seek out your own professional development and advocacy opportunities, and network. At the end of the day, the clinician you become is up to you!

What advice to you have for a prospective applicant?

 If you're considering pursuing further education in clinical mental health counseling, take time to reflect and center yourself around your own personal "why"—why are you pursuing a career in this field? Why not something else? Why now? What personal values, ethics, and worldviews do you currently ground yourself in? How do you see these relating to counseling work? At the end of the day, what matters most to you as a professional? And if these answers are unclear, process with someone that you trust. They're bound to evolve over time, but it's helpful to come into this kind of experience with some personal awareness.