LVC Counseling Student Selected for Emerging Leaders Program

Key Takeaways:

• LVC Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student Sam Estrada was selected for the Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s 2026–2027 Emerging Leaders Program.
• Estrada is building on his state government experience to explore the connections between counseling, public policy, and advocacy.
• Faculty mentorship and hands-on clinical training at LVC are helping Estrada prepare for a career in counseling.
• Estrada hopes to combine clinical practice, public policy, and advocacy to expand access to meaningful mental health care.

Sam Estrada, a Lebanon Valley College graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), will participate in Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s 2026–2027 Emerging Leaders Program.

Estrada was encouraged to apply for the program by Dr. Kathy Richardson, Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, after he had previously attended the associations’ advocacy day. Estrada sees the opportunity as a way to continue using the policy and legislative experience he gained working in state government, while learning from experienced counselors and fellow emerging leaders.

“LVC faculty confidence in me has been both humbling and affirming,” said Estrada. “I feel genuinely privileged to be under their wings and those of the clinicians who came before me, whose experience, generosity, and willingness to invest in emerging counselors demonstrate what leadership in this profession can look like. Their mentorship reminds me that becoming a counselor is not something we accomplish alone. We grow through the guidance, encouragement, challenges, and care of others, and eventually have a responsibility to extend that same support to those who follow.”

Estrada’s decision to pursue counseling grew out of a difficult transition. An unexpected career loss challenged his understanding of identity, achievement, and self-worth, prompting him to reconsider the relationship between what people do and who they are.

“That experience taught me to distinguish between the dignity of work and the inherent dignity of the person, which exists independently of what we produce,” he said.

His partner, who had navigated several career changes and was enrolled in LVC’s counseling program, helped him envision a new way to serve his community. Counseling appealed to Estrada for its opportunities to work with people across different settings and stages of life.

“What I’ve enjoyed most about counseling is discovering how it brings together curiosity, creativity, human connection, and a commitment to lifelong reflection,” he said. “It requires us to continually examine our assumptions, strengthen our clinical skills, and remain attuned to clients where they are, drawing on their existing strengths rather than imposing our own expectations.”

Making that transition has meant balancing graduate studies, clinical training, employment, and personal responsibilities. Estrada credits LVC’s program, his internship at TrueNorth Wellness Services, and support from Trader Joe’s with making that balance possible. His employer’s scheduling flexibility has allowed him to continue to work while pursuing a counseling career.

“In a world increasingly shaped by speed, technology, constant productivity, and distraction, I believe counseling offers something profoundly human: an intentional space to slow down, reconnect with ourselves and others, and recognize that vulnerability, uncertainty, and even failure can become opportunities for growth,” he said. “Looking ahead, I hope to bridge clinical practice, public policy, and advocacy to expand access to meaningful mental health care.”