To Whom It May Concern:
It is with great pleasure that I recommend XXXX for admission to your Master’s Program in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness. As founder and director of the undergraduate Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program at XXU, I encounter many students who aspire to work as therapists and practitioners in the field. XXXX, however, will be most memorable, standing out from the crowd for her level of enthusiasm and engagement with both the material and the people with whom she comes into contact. Thus, I could not be more confident that she will make a most excellent contribution to your program and go on to serve on the cutting edge of Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
I had the privilege of being XXXX’s mentor throughout two of my courses since she completed a minor in my field, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. In almost every course that I have taught, there are one or two students who are at the forefront of class discussions, thankfully, helping to make teaching more interesting, engaging, dynamic and exciting. In both of my courses taken by XXXX, she was that outstanding student on her toes all the time and keeping me on mine as well. It was an honor to have her as a student.
I shared most memorable moments working with XXXX towards the completion of her midterm project for my Adolescent and Child Psychopathology course. The assignment involved performing a psychiatric evaluation alongside a clinician of a child or adolescent at the XXU Child Study Center. I was able to closely observe both her charismatic ability to gain the confidence of children, almost immediately, and her analytical prowess in the formulation of a well supported diagnostic evaluation. XXXX’s intuitive as well as empathetic nature and character make her an excellent candidate for state-of-the-art research into the mental health of children and adolescents - in addition to being a practitioner.
What I most admire about XXXX is her sheer passion; which I see as central to what makes a great mental health counselor. We had several lengthy and enjoyable discussions about a range of topics related to the mental health of children and I found her grasp of the literature to be most impressive. Her unbridled excitement is contagious, and when she left my office I felt energized myself to explore new areas and angles in our profession. What she shared with me about the prevention of eating disorders was especially insightful, demonstrating her thoroughgoing grasp of the physical sciences as well as early childhood development. On this point in particular, I felt as if I were engaging with a junior colleague in the department rather than a student. I can assure you that XXXX is a top tier candidate for our program and it would be a pleasure to provide you with any further information.
Sincerely,