ACC Career Counselors are licensed professionals with expertise and training in career development who hold graduate degrees in various counseling disciplines such as social work, vocational rehabilitation counseling, or counseling psychology.  

While the majority of students’ needs are effectively served by ACC Career & Transfer Specialists, ACC Career Counselors are available to serve individuals who need further exploration and guidance navigating life’s journey and its associated challenges.

Appointment Request

ACC Career Counseling may benefit individuals experiencing any of the following:

1. Reconstructing their professional identity
   Individuals who are entering/re-entering the job market after an extended absence (such as following divorce/death of a family member) or whose existing career is no longer viable due to labor market changes, serious injury, or disability may benefit from career counseling. In these situations, career counselors support an in-depth examination of one’s past and present personal and professional identities to help gain insight in discovering viable future possibilities.
2. Considering a significant career change
   Career counselors help individuals reassess their needs and values while exploring career possibilities and developing a plan of action.
3. Needing something beyond help choosing a major or finding employment
   Career counseling is an introspective approach that helps identify underlying reasons an individual may experience difficulty deciding on a major and why he/she may be experiencing barriers to developing a career plan.
4. Repeatedly changing their college major
   Career counselors help students explore the many factors influencing career choice and identify career goals.
5. Needing something more than the FOCUS2
   Career counselors have access to in-depth assessments and methods which expand an individual’s awareness and assist in making informed career decisions that encompass abilities, interests, values, and labor market information. The result is often identification of career opportunities that otherwise may have remained undiscovered.  (Note: FOCUS2 is a career exploration tool available for all ACC students through ACC Career Services.)

To request ACC Career Counseling services insert career counseling in the ASSISTANCE REQUESTED box next to OTHER when submitting the Career & Transfer Services Appointment Request form.

Limitation of Services

If unaddressed mental health challenges are impacting career development, ACC Career Counselors will refer individuals to community mental health services or to ACC Mental Health Counseling Services. ACC Career Counselors do not provide clinical mental health counseling services as a component of career counseling. However, ACC Career Counselors may work in cooperation with ACC Mental Health Counselors for students desiring the partnership of a licensed counseling support team.

Confidentiality

Career counseling is confidential except for the following circumstances:

(a) when an individual is in danger or at risk of harming self or others, and

(b) when required under Texas SB212 to inform a designated ACC official of an occurrence of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking committed by/against a student enrolled at ACC, or an employee of ACC, at the time of the incident.

• Dawn Allison - MSSW, LCSW, BC-TMH, GCDF
  

  • • Hello, my name is Dawn Allison and I am the Career Counselor for the North Region of ACC. I have the honor of assisting individuals who are seeking growth and purpose in their work. My philosophy is that a career is an important, but not the only, aspect of our identity and that is why I approach counseling with a strengths-based and holistic lens. Believing that everyone has a desire to contribute to their community and feel fulfilled, I help students identify their interests, unique experiences, values and potential to create a life plan that reflects their best self.

      I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Global Career Development Facilitator with over 10 years of professional experience in community non-profit organizations helping adults, children, and families heal from trauma and navigate difficult life circumstances. Since 2005, I have had the pleasure of working in higher education as a counselor and faculty member supporting students as they achieve their academic and career goals.    

      My personal educational journey has led me to be a proud Miner, Longhorn, and Riverbat! When I’m not on campus, I can be found torturing my family with recipes gone wrong, walking our dog, traveling to new places, and running in the Texas heat. 

      Credentials:

      Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

      Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF)

      Board Certified Tele-Mental Health (BC-TMH)

      Master’s of Science (MSSW, UT-Austin), Social Work

      Bachelor of Arts (BA, UT-El Paso), Psychology

      Bachelor of Arts (BA, UT-El Paso), English

       

• Shun-Heng (Henry) Tsai, M.Ed., LPC, GCDF, BC-TMH
  

  • • Hello, my name is Shun-Heng (Henry) Tsai and I am the Career Counselor for the Central Region of ACC. I am also an adjunct faculty who teaches freshman courses to help students build effective learning skills for college success.

      Career development is a continuing journey that we are all engaged in throughout our different life stages. We learn more about ourselves, explore the world of work, and search for the match that will bring us happiness and fulfillment.   

      My role as a career counselor is to help individuals who need support and assistance in the process of exploring career interests, examining personal needs and values, identifying the underlying reasons causing stress, constructing (or reconstructing) personal and professional identities, and making informed decisions.

      I have a great passion for serving students with diversity. Veteran, LGBTQ, international/ESOL, and socio-economically disadvantaged students are the population that I especially have had the privilege of getting to know and working with. My work experiences at different agencies and at ACC have increasingly advanced my professional knowledge and skills to better understand the specific challenges diverse groups face.

       In my leisure time, I enjoy cooking, playing piano, swimming, and walking/playing with our dog.

      I am trilingual in Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese, and English.

      Credentials:

      Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

      Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF)

      Board Certified Tele-Mental Health (BC-TMH)

      Master’s of Education (M.Ed., UT-Austin), The Counselor Education program, 

      Master’s of Education (M.Ed., Brock University, Canada) Curriculum Studies: Teaching English as a Second Language

      Bachelor of Arts (BA, Soochow University, Taiwan), English