Graduate Spotlight: Haendel says counseling degree is a ‘fresh start’

Abigail McQueen  |  01/19/2024

In December, Jennifer Haendel began a new chapter when she received a Master of Science degree in clinical mental health counseling from Lipscomb University. After 20 years of working administratively, she decided it was time to pursue a career she knew she would find meaningful. “I’m 46 years old, and this is a fresh start for me,” she says. 

Haendel came from a military family who moved around frequently. Before she graduated high school, she had lived in 11 states and attended 10 different schools. Personal challenges led her to spend time in therapy, where she was able to personally experience its healing and transformative power. She says that pursuing a counseling degree was less of a decision and more like “responding to a calling.”

Haendel moved to Nashville in 2006. When she began her journey of earning her master’s, she learned from local professionals in the field that Lipscomb had a strong relationship with many of the local counseling practices. She knew she could trust the process and get the practicum placements that would be best suited for her needs.

As Haendel says, “Because I had a family and obligations, I needed something that would work with my life.” Fortunately, Lipscomb’s clinical mental health counseling program, housed in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, allowed her to work full time and take care of her family while still pursuing her degree. She says she frontloaded her classes, which made it easier to leave her job in order to participate in the practicum and internship experiences that were part of the program.

As she worked through the difficulties of grad school, Haendel says she is “unspeakably grateful” for those who gave her their support.

“It’s no secret that grad school is extra pressure,” she says. “And yet, at no point in time did I ever feel truly overwhelmed. I felt like I was part of a team that was focused on me, on my growth.”

Haendel particularly found a mentor in Joy Samuels, a faculty member in the CMHC program. She says she hopes to one day emulate Samuels and feels Lipscomb is blessed to have her.

She also received unconditional support from her family and says she is grateful for their constant encouragement along her journey.

Now that she has graduated, Haendel says she hopes to find a placement with a private practice. Her goal is to work with adults dealing with depression, anxiety, developmental trauma or grief. Long-term, she plans to get her license and potentially start her own practice.

As she reflects on her journey, Haendel says, “I’m becoming someone I’ve always wanted to be and that’s forever a part of my story now, of how I understand and define myself. I am quietly proud.”