Help Art Therapy Counseling Graduate Get Licensed

I am raising funds to pursue my license as a Professional Clinical Counselor in California which costs about $3000 for 6 years!

If you know anyone in CA who wants therapy, please email/ask for me at https://www.anisehealth.co/

Your support goes towards:

Barriers to Licensure Post-Grad School:

Though I completed nearly 1,000 internship hours during grad school, I have an APCC 14047 (under supervisor Naomi Yu, LMFT#110092) starting with "0 hours" because of my out-of-state degree. Those who study in-state instead hold an AMFT/ACSW, which is more desirable to CA-based employers, and AMFTs specifically retain 500+ hours gained during their MA internship/practicum.

Pre-licensed therapists and counselors are paid very little as "W2 employees", must "not be 1099 contracted", or must "volunteer for free" as we gather 3,000 required clinical hours as proof of professional experience. Weekly supervision for clinical hours, continuing education, exams, and renewal applications require additional costs on top of this.

Renewal happens yearly and it allows me to continue working as an art therapy counselor. If I don't pass and renew, then my hours/work will not count and I could be fired. It can take up to 2-6 years for an associate to be officially licensed depending on whether they are given and able to hold a full-time caseload, or a second associate license if requirements aren't met.

I work as a part-time art therapy counselor. However, my job does not fund courses/exams/license renewal applications, nor do they provide enough at this time for me to live, have secure housing, and afford pursuing these career goals. Thus, I have multiple unrelated, non-clinical part-time jobs (as a teaching artist) to manage basic needs on top of pursuing this career.

My story:

My name is Ashley and I am a second generation Filipino who was born and raised in California. I came from a low socioeconomic background and have two parents who migrated here. My parents divorced when I was 10; my dad left and is not in my life and my mom is an elderly person with a disability who cannot help me financially.

I recently graduated from a 3-year MA program in Art Therapy with a Specialization in Counseling at a university in Pennsylvania where I was the only brown, queer and non-binary, and Asian/-American person in a cohort of 17 people. I experienced racial discrimination and became homeless when I was forced out of a house lease.

Through all 3 years of grad school, I struggled with poverty as loans could not fully cover my educational expenses. I worked 60 or more hours every week between 2-3 jobs at a time while studying full-time to take care of as much as I could for tuition and basic necessities.

I did my best to get help, went to local resource places for microwaveable foods and toiletries, and I filed a report with my school "dean of diversity" for help with housing or resources and they gave me no support. I filed for discrimination with the OCR via US Department of Education and they "investigated the school" but found "nothing wrong".

Homeless, I lived on couches or on the floor of my classrooms at school, public gyms, bus stops, and if I was lucky, an acquaintance’s house. Even now, I am struggling with financial instability and am doing my best to pursue my career despite these challenges.

I am pursuing my license to be a mental health professional that can serve those who are (or have had) similar experiences and seek support for their mental wellbeing and personal journeys to success.

What is Next?:

I am lucky to have graduated and moved back to California. I have achieved many things beyond grad school like publishing my art and writing, volunteering for nonprofits like Tree People and The Nature Conservancy, and teaching art for students struggling in marginalized communities.

I am trying to get another job, but it takes time to apply, call, interview, and officially get signed up and paid. I am studying from free handbooks online since I do not have money for the courses necessary to pass my exams.

You can support by donating to, liking and/or sharing my gofundme, purchasing a copy of my poetry book on grief and healing on Amazon, and/or following my journey below.

Any contributions to support my Spring 2025 license renewal would be greatly appreciated!

Life updates can be found on WordPress @Twiichii or other social media: https://linktr.ee/twiichii