John Carroll University graduate student Timothy Desmond ’28, MEd, CCSP, published an inspiring and personal article in the March 2026 issue of Counseling Today, the national magazine of the American Counseling Association (ACA).
Desmond’s article, titled “Reinvention at Midlife: Lessons from Both Sides of the Desk,” challenges preconceived notions about middle age and discusses how shifting perspectives can bring about growth and reinvention.
The article draws from Desmond's own experience navigating a professional transition and returning to graduate school to pursue a career as a mental health counselor.
“So how did I get here?” Desmond asks in his article. “By letting go of the person I thought I had to be and making space for a new identity. Grunge may be gone, and Lollapalooza doesn’t look like it did in the ’90s, but midlife can be just as fulfilling. Perhaps the gift of growing older is to use wisdom not only for ourselves but in the service of others.”
Desmond’s story reflects a growing trend among adults who are reevaluating their careers and seeking positions that align with their values, experiences, and desire to make a difference.
That path led him to John Carroll’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program.
With demand for mental health counselors expected to increase by 23% over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical mental health counseling has become one of John Carroll’s most in-demand graduate programs.
Recent graduates reflect that momentum. The program’s 2024-2025 cohort achieved a 100% employment rate and went on to secure positions at leading organizations such as Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Signature Health.
For Desmond, the program offered something more than a new career direction. It offered an opportunity for him to give back in a way he had not previously considered.
“JCU made it really easy to enroll as a non-traditional grad student because they’ve laid out the process clearly. The professors and advisors have really helped guide me through the program and figure out how I might specialize as a licensed counselor. ”
According to Dr. Melissa Smith, Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling, John Carroll’s personalized mentorship approach is intentional.
“Small class sizes allow faculty to build strong mentoring relationships with students and provide individualized support throughout their training,” she noted. “Our students actively engage in role plays, discussions, collaboration, and applied learning experiences that help prepare them for real clinical work. Our faculty are deeply invested in student success and genuinely care about helping students grow both professionally and personally.”
At John Carroll, the deep connections students build with professors and peers, hands-on learning experiences, small class sizes, and strong post-graduate career opportunities help students develop the skills and confidence to serve clients in a professional setting. Available online and in person, the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program makes a John Carroll education accessible to students across the country and at every stage of their professional journey.
For students like Desmond, those experiences are helping him turn a period of personal reinvention into a meaningful career influenced by the Jesuit values of serving others.
