Shelby Baker, LAC, LCDAC shares her counseling journey.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My faith is an essential aspect of who I am and who I am continuously growing to become. I have been through significant challenges in my life that I have had to rely on God to guide me through. Even when I have my own doubts, Psalm 23 has been instrumental in reminding me of God’s faithfulness especially in moments I don’t understand.
In my personal and professional life, I am empathetic, I am protective of the people I love, and I strive to be efficient. I am happily married to my husband, Colin, and we enjoy simply getting to do life together. Becoming a mom has been a joy also and has truly changed my perspective. Caring for and raising my son into the man he will become is a wonderful journey, and it continually reveals areas where I need to grow and change in my own walk with God.
What do you do for fun?
I really enjoy embroidering different designs because I’ve always been passionate about expressing myself through art and this is what works for me in my current season of life. I also enjoy watching a good TV show, with my guilty pleasure being reality TV.
What does your ideal day look like?
I enjoy getting to be on vacation with my family because it gets us out of the everyday busyness and allows us to be more present. This could be enjoying a nice pool day or taking my son to explore a new place, but it has to include good food!
Do you have any pets?
I used to have just 2 cats, but then, after fostering multiple litters of kittens for a year, we ended up adopting 2 more.
Cake or pie?
I’d definitely take cake any day over pie! Anything chocolate or a yellow cake with chocolate frosting is my favorite.
What was your journey to becoming a counselor?
I decided that I wanted to become a counselor after losing my mom to a battle with Leukemia. Because of that experience, I see a huge value in being able to be there for others when they are facing their own challenges. It’s important to have a place to process key events that shape the way we see and engage with the world around us.
My roots in counseling are primarily from a Dialectical Behavior Therapy perspective which I learned working in drug and alcohol inpatient facilities. This has helped me to be more intentional with balancing what the world feels are opposites so that we can hold room for both joy and grief.
Describe your approach to counseling.
I try to intentionally understand how each of my clients sees the world around them through the history-taking process. This enables me to encourage and challenge my clients in how the past may be preventing them from overcoming current challenges in their life. I seek to empower my clients to understand the impact of their decisions and make the decision that is best for them. A large part of this process is about being able to empathize and give grace to our past in order to move into a healthier future.
What areas of counseling are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about learning and teaching new and healthier ways of communicating, setting boundaries, growing spiritually, and overcoming defense mechanisms that are causing havoc on relationships. I do this by coming alongside couples and individuals to help them learn how to see their problems from a new perspective. There are so many times that we can view ourselves and others in a negative light. Being able to forgive and heal those parts of ourselves to better align with who God defines us as is an important part of this process.
Any advice for someone considering becoming a counselor?
Being a counselor is one of the most honored positions we can be in. We get to be there for those that are hurting and we get to hear people’s hearts in ways that they may never express to those closest to them. It is a privilege, but one that should not be taken for granted. If you’re considering it, understanding this is crucial to love and care for clients well.