{"id":5361,"date":"2026-03-09T09:55:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T13:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bridgeport.edu\/news\/?p=5361"},"modified":"2026-03-09T09:55:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T13:55:37","slug":"counseling-student-q-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bridgeport.edu\/news\/counseling-student-q-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Compassion and Connection: Q&A with Counseling Student Matthew Bellard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Career paths aren\u2019t always linear \u2014 and for many counselors, their lived experiences play a powerful role in shaping how they show up for others.<\/p>\n

For 越南直播 student Matthew Bellard, a 15-year career as a chef, combined with personal experience navigating substance use recovery, ultimately led to a calling in counseling. Now balancing two jobs, family life, and graduate school through UB\u2019s online Counseling program<\/a>, Matthew is committed to providing empathetic, authentic care to individuals who are often stigmatized or overlooked.<\/p>\n

At the heart of Matthew\u2019s journey is a belief that effective counseling starts with connection. Through compassion, patience, and dedication to professional development, he is working to meet clients where they are without judgment.<\/p>\n

Advocating for authenticity<\/h2>\n

Can you tell us a little bit about your educational and professional journey before you enrolled in UB\u2019s Counseling program?<\/h3>\n

I was a chef for almost 15 years. I had my own restaurant, which didn\u2019t work out, and I fell out of love with it.<\/p>\n

I was thinking about what I wanted to do next. I really liked psychology in high school, but I wasn\u2019t the most academically focused student and wasn\u2019t sure if I would get very far. Then, friends and family told me I should go to school for substance abuse counseling. I have a bit of a personal history with substance abuse, so it felt like the right thing to do.<\/p>\n

How have your experiences motivated your work as a substance abuse counselor?<\/h3>\n

My history and background were a big part of it. Going through what I went through, I had a lot more bad counselors than good ones. I wanted to change that.<\/p>\n

How does that perspective inform your practice?<\/h3>\n

While I met a lot of bad counselors, there were also good ones. For me, the biggest thing was their empathy and authenticity. I think those are the two most important tools a counselor can have. If there\u2019s no empathy, there\u2019s no connection. I\u2019ve found that even with the most guarded clients, if you show them you care and are willing to be patient with them, they\u2019ll begin to open up \u2014 even if it takes several sessions.<\/p>\n

Working in substance abuse counseling, many clients are stigmatized, too. They\u2019re sometimes in and out of rehabilitation centers or penitentiaries. I work at a local methadone clinic, and many clients come from lower-income backgrounds. They\u2019re coming from places where they\u2019ve been judged, and they\u2019re tired of it. They don\u2019t want to be judged \u2014 and if you\u2019re being judgmental, they\u2019re just going to shut down even more.<\/p>\n

Advancing at UB<\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Why did you choose to pursue your MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through UB\u2019s online degree program?<\/h3>\n

I work two jobs and have a family, so it would be difficult to drive to Bridgeport all the time.<\/p>\n

In addition to the flexibility, what have you enjoyed about the remote program?<\/h3>\n

I like having Zoom classes. When I was in school for my bachelor\u2019s degree, it was all online. It just wasn\u2019t the same. With Zoom, you still get that same interaction with your classmates and professors. And being in the counseling field, interactive practice is an essential part of professional growth.<\/p>\n

So far, are there any classes you\u2019ve found to be particularly impactful?<\/h3>\n

The Cultural Development class definitely impacted me. I already work with a population that includes many marginalized clients. It was very important to learn as much as I could in that class, especially about populations I have less experience working with.<\/p>\n

I also really enjoyed my first class, Motivational Interviewing. I\u2019ve been a substance abuse counselor for four or five years. To be in that class and fine-tune the skills I already have made me want to advance in the field even more.<\/p>\n

Have you been able to apply what you\u2019ve learned in the Counseling program to your current role?<\/h3>\n

In this field, you\u2019re always growing \u2014 there are always new ideas to learn. As I\u2019ve continued to grow and practice my skills, I\u2019ve definitely seen a difference in some of my work. I\u2019ve already been able to apply many new ideas in group and client sessions.<\/p>\n

Creating change in counseling<\/h2>\n

Looking ahead to your future in the field, how do you hope to continue growing and making a difference?<\/h3>\n

Private practice is the biggest goal for me, though I would also be okay continuing the work I do in methadone clinics. I also wouldn\u2019t mind creating videos that make counseling strategies more accessible to clients. Many of the counseling videos out there are dry and unengaging. I\u2019ve played some for clients before, but they get bored or lose track of the videos\u2019 purpose. I\u2019d love to make something more engaging that clients will find helpful.<\/p>\n

If you were speaking to someone with similar lived experiences, what would you tell them about pursuing a career in counseling?<\/h3>\n

We need more people with personal, lived experience in the field. But at the same time, you\u2019ll need to pursue your education. It may be easier for me to have empathy because I\u2019ve lived in my clients\u2019 shoes, but without learning the theories and science behind counseling, all I could do is pat them on the back.<\/p>\n

\"Drone
越南直播\u2019s campus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With flexible online and on-campus scheduling options, UB\u2019s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program<\/a> is here to help you make your impact \u2014 combining career-focused learning with community-based practice. Learn more about earning your master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling<\/a> today!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Career paths aren\u2019t always linear \u2014 and for many counselors, their lived experiences play a powerful role in shaping how they show up for others. For 越南直播 student Matthew Bellard, a 15-year career as a chef, combined with … Continue reading Compassion and Connection: Q&A with Counseling Student Matthew Bellard<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":5368,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127,94,130],"tags":[67,2,275,69,258,318,409],"class_list":{"0":"post-5361","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-academics","8":"category-featured","9":"category-science-and-society","10":"tag-counseling","11":"tag-featured","12":"tag-masters-in-counseling","13":"tag-masters-degree-in-counseling","14":"tag-ms-in-counseling","15":"tag-online-counseling","16":"tag-qa","18":"fallback-thumbnail"},"yoast_head":"\nQ&A with Counseling Student Graduate | 越南直播<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Matthew Bellard, a graduate of UB\u2019s online Counseling MS program, shares his experience providing empathetic, authentic care to patients. 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