NCC Spotlight: SAMHSA MFP Fellow of the Month Allison Joyal

Allison Joyal, MS, NCC, LPC-A, a 2022 NBCC Foundation Minority Fellowship Program Fellow, has been chosen as the December Fellow of the Month by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 

Joyal is a doctoral student at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Texas, where she is also a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate working with children, adolescents, women, and mothers. She primarily works with children experiencing grief, the effects of trauma, court-related experiences from custody cases, and other developmental concerns. “I also work with women and mothers who have faced trauma, and maternal mental health concerns and those who are on a journey of self-discovery,” Joyal says. 

“Witnessing the growth in the children and women that I work with is a beautiful thing,” she continues. “I am in a unique position to help parents, families, and my community to promote the social, emotional, and psychological well-being of children. The ability to facilitate a trusting and supportive relationship with my clients is incredibly rewarding. I enjoy the collaborative nature of my job with the other clinicians I work with. We all share the mission to empower individuals and our community, making our office a safe, accepting space for individuals from all backgrounds to embark on their counseling journey.” 

Becoming an MFP Fellow has helped her tremendously along her career path. 

“Through mentorship, I have shaped my counselor identity and discovered the direction that I want to follow in my attempt to reach my goals. I have an enhanced ability to define how I want to make an impact and what I want to accomplish. There have been many opportunities that I would not have been aware of, or thought I was capable of, without the MFP. The MFP was an experience vastly different than any other experience that I have had in the field during the early stages of my career. The mission of the NBCC Foundation and the MFP offers a platform that provides minority clinicians an opportunity to feel represented, accepted, and essential to the profession. I believe that this is what truly makes the MFP so unique.”  

Being named SAMHSA’s December MFP Fellow of the Month is a wonderful reminder of her time in the program, she says. 

“I truly felt grateful when I received the notification that I had been selected, and it was a reflective experience for me. I reflected on the time when I decided to take a chance to apply for the MFP as a master’s student and the year I spent as an MFP Fellow. There are so many times when I find myself feeling grateful for the connections I made and the opportunities that I have gained through the MFP. The news of being selected as Fellow of the Month was one of those moments.” 

She encourages interested students to learn more about the MFP and apply. 

“Take full advantage of the experience! This opportunity is tailored for a well-rounded experience as a student and a professional beyond financial assistance. Your MFP is what you make out of it, and everyone involved with the MFP experience is ready to support your endeavors.”  

Joyal plans to continue working toward full licensure and become a Registered Play Therapist. She also hopes to become a mentor for MFP Fellows. 

“I am a first-year doctoral student in counselor education, and I plan to become more involved in writing and research that expands the knowledge base on the mental health of underserved populations that I am passionate about serving. I aspire to secure a full-time faculty position and to contribute to the increasing number of Latina counselor educators in higher education,” she says. “I also plan to continue increasing my involvement within my community to enhance the accessibility and quality of mental health services for my target populations. I plan to apply for the MFP at the doctoral level to potentially continue my journey with the NBCC Foundation within the MFP and our shared mission to impact underserved communities. I hope to one day serve as a mentor for the MFP to provide a positive and growth-oriented experience for future Fellows.” 

Isabel Gomez, Vice President of Foundation and Professional Services, says the need for MFP mentors is great. 

“MFP Fellows benefit tremendously from the professional relationships they develop with the mentors who help guide them, and volunteering only requires a one-year commitment. Please consider sharing your wisdom and expertise with a counseling student in the MFP program.”  

Learn more about the MFP program, including mentorship opportunities and how you can help shape the future of counseling, on the NBCC Foundation website.