DON PURNELL

Graduate Counseling Intern

Who Am I?

Hello, and welcome! My name is Don Purnell, and I am in the final stages of completing my master’s degree program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Upon graduation, I will begin my residency toward licensure as a professional counselor. Alongside my studies, I currently serve on two Virginia counseling boards (Virginia Association for Couples and Family Counseling [VACFC] and Virginia Association for Counselor Education and Supervision [VACES]) as a graduate student representative, where I have the privilege of advocating both for the clients we serve and for the counseling profession as a whole. Representing my fellow graduate students in these spaces is an honor, and I warmly welcome conversation with students, colleagues, and community members alike.

I am passionate about working with couples and families because I believe the family is the core of society. When a family is supported and understood, individuals within it grow more resilient, and the wider community grows stronger alongside them. My work is generally guided by a person-centered, holistic perspective. In practice, this means that I meet each person exactly where they are, honor the story that each client brings, and consider the whole of their experience rather than any one part of it in isolation. Above all, my hope is that every person who sits across from me feels heard, respected, and genuinely welcome.

I love working with:

First responders and veterans, including those navigating the acclimatation from service into civilian life and the identity shifts that often accompany these changes.
Married partners and families who are seeking stronger communication, deeper connection, and a renewed sense of understanding with one another.
Adolescents (teens) and young adults who are finding their footing, forming their identities, and learning to trust their own voices.
Individuals seeking to make sense of past experiences so that these individuals may move forward toward a brighter future.

Some of my favorite approaches include:

I believe the therapeutic relationship itself is the foundation upon which meaningful change is built, so I tailor my approach to the person in front of me. With that said, three approaches consistently inform and guide my work:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A collaborative approach that brings awareness to the connections among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and offers practical tools for responding to each of these areas differently.
Narrative Therapy: An approach grounded in the understanding that people are separate from the presenting concern(s), and each of us are empowered to engage in the authorship of our own authentic stories.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT): A forward-looking approach that draws attention to strengths, existing resources, and the small, achievable steps that build momentum toward a preferred future.

These approaches complement one another well, and I draw upon them collaboratively, with the goals and preferences of the individual, couple, or family always leading the way.

My background and path to counseling:

I am originally from New York City, and I am proud to call Virginia home today. I earned my undergraduate degree in
Psychology from New York University, and I am presently attending Liberty University, where I am pursuing my
graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Before entering the counseling profession, I served in the United
States Army for more than twenty years prior to my retirement. That chapter of my life shaped my appreciation for
teamwork, for steady commitment, and for the quiet resilience that so many people carry with them into a counseling
room. Looking ahead, I am considering the idea of pursuing a doctoral degree in counselor education once I complete
my current program. I have spent my life in the service of others, and I will continue to serve for as long as I am able.
Serving as your therapeutic support is one more meaningful way to do exactly that, and I look forward to connecting
with you.