Student Spotlight: Ann Bruck, MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

I’m pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in LGBTQIA+ studies. I’m an advocate for the part-time program, which is three years versus the two-year full-time program. As a part-time student, it allows me to continue working my full-time job and feel like my life has balance while still getting a great education. It has also given me the time to take on other leadership positions, such as with the College’s student council - I am the Leading Excellence Across Departments (LEAD) representative from Academic Councils Engaging Students (ACES)  and a co-student leader with the Rainbow Alliance.

I have been a personal trainer and yoga instructor for twenty years. In 2020, I completed a Master of Science in Gerontology from UMASS-Boston, as I wanted to be able to understand better how to serve my older clients. World events, though, showed there was a real need for mental health services across all age groups. I also saw the disparities in access to mental health resources in marginalized communities, as well as the lack of resources. 

Participating in the LGBTQIA+ concentration at the College aligns with my identity and personal goals. William James College is one of the only schools in the country with an LBTQIA+ concentration, and I’ll be in the second graduating class of students in the concentration; the first year, there were one or two graduating students, this spring there will be five or six of us, and next year there will be closer to ten. The concentration is a differentiator for the College and a draw for students and faculty.

The reputation of William James College and the extensive field education opportunities were the two main draws when I began looking at where I wanted to pursue my counseling degree. My practicum experience, at The Dimock Center-Acute Treatment Services, was working with people with substance use disorders. Through that experience, I was offered an opportunity to transition to their yearlong residential program as a per diem employee. My current internship site is at Seven Hills Behavior Health where I work as an outpatient clinician, focusing on their Gender Wellness Initiative. Upon graduation and licensure, I am looking forward to working with clients at the intersection of substance use and queer identities. I appreciate the level of preparedness I will have for this work as a result of my William James College education. 

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