A strong professional counselor identity is vital for supervisees in training (Hansen, 2003). Supervision has been linked to enhancing the development of a professional identity in supervisees (Bernard & Goodyear, 2004). In a study of counselor interns, Weaks (2002) found supervisees require three core conditions in supervision necessary for developing a professional identity: equality, safety, and challenge. In a similar study, Howard, Inman, and Altman (2006) found beginning practicum supervisees experienced five critical incidents in their professional growth: professional identity, personal reactions, competence, supervision, and philosophy of counseling. The purpose of this study was to explore how practicum and internship supervisees across the two varying educational levels (practicum and internship) experience the development of a professional counselor identity in supervision. This study examined (a) whether internship supervisees experience the same five critical incidents in their development of a professional identity as practicum supervisees (Howard, Inman, & Altman; 2006), and (b) whether practicum supervisees require the same three core conditions (Weaks, 2002) necessary for developing a professional identity that internship supervisees experienced. My study found that internship supervisees experienced the same five critical incidents with fluctuation in their development of a professional identity as practicum supervisees in Howard et al.'s (2006) research. Conversely, practicum supervisees in my research did not require all three core conditions necessary for developing a professional identity that internship supervisees experienced in Weaks’ (2002) qualitative study. This study was significant in that it provided empirical research to assist supervisors and counselor educators in understanding the experiences of practicum and internship supervisees.

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