As with any academic venture there are times when a student is engulfed in self doubt and is distressed by the inevitability of change. Although these factors present themselves throughout many parts of the educational process, there remains a sense of purpose rooted in the belief of true compatibility. Nestled within this attraction is the opportunity to develop an external character that mirrors the beauty of the internal. It is this congruency in which one is motivated to continue on the journey to become a counselor. Throughout this journey I have been afforded the opportunity to become aware of the strengths and growing edges that I possess. When I consider the time I have spent in the counseling program thus far, I am reminded that in such a short amount of time I have evolved from an individual who was guarded and very much afraid of change and the efforts of social interaction, to a man exhilarated by human interaction and the opportunities provided to further my personal evolution. In order to expand on this idea of growth I will reflect upon my current strengths and weakness, my personal reservations, and current interpersonal factors as they relate to intentional interviewing skills.
Strengths and Areas of Improvement
As I reflect upon the counseling relationship, I am drawn to the idea of genuine human interaction, an interaction characterized by openness to communication and a general setting free of judgment. It is within this relationship that I will be able to offer the ability in which the universe has gifted me. It’s within this true interaction in which I my true strength reside. Throughout the time I have been provided to learn and study the art of counseling, I have come to the conclusion that attending t...
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... peace has grown, and the capability of recognizing my growing edges has allowed my evolution to them to a more enlightened individual.
A reflective tool such as this paper has allowed me to delve deeper into what becoming an effective counselor really means. It has allowed me to understand a part of myself that I have neglected, a part of me that is an essential part of who I am, but I have shunned due to fear of acceptance. It has been through this process that I have come to the conclusion that although I may possess moments of weakness, it is the manner in which I react to these moments, in which I will be judged and the substance that I take from having them in which I will succeed. Having considered myself in counseling and the strengths in which I possess, I aspire to enrich the lives of others by assisting them to overcome barriers to true happiness.
A common struggle for counselors can sometimes be to find the right balance between “the demands or managed mental health requirements and obligations to clients” (Braun & Cox, 2005, p.426). Often times counselors may be t...
Hanna, F. J., & Bemak, F. (1997). The quest for identity in the counseling profession. Counselor Education and Supervision, 36(3), 194. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/201301734?accountid=27965
Nugent, F. A. An Introduction to the Profession of Counseling (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,
I was really nervous about doing this first practice recording. While I knew how I wanted to start the conversation, I was stressed out about the unknown that comes along with these sessions. I am constantly listening to my friends talk, but how I had to respond for the counseling session was very different than what I am typically used to. I usually give my friends my opinions and advice on how I would handle the situation. It was hard for me to just sit back and let my classmate talk. I wanted to respond to many of her statements, but I had to take a step back and really just listen. In these types of counseling sessions my thoughts and opinions are not important. Rather, the focus should only be on the person you are counseling.
My interest in pursuing a doctorate degree in counseling psychology has been influenced by a combination of life experiences and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Though the path which has led me to this destination is complex, the journey has provided me with the clarity and insight necessary to understand human behavior from a holistic perspective. As I approach the completion of my masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I am faced with the unsettling realization that I have more questions than I do answers. This has fueled my innate desire and motivation to continue challenging myself by attaining a doctorate degree from the University of North Texas.
¬When considering what my own personal philosophy of counseling would be, it was eye opening to consider who I was a person and how much I have grown. The self analysis was new to me because I never thought about how I do that on a day to day basis. Reviewing the questions I found that a lot of my focus surrounded family, my significant other, and close friends. Constantly living in a diverse population and having that as my surrounding also made its mark in my answers. I also noted that both past and present influences, but primarily the present, play a large role in my own perspective. By following the prompt, I was made to understand that my thought process makes me think of what is occurring in the present and how I can alter these happenings to help shape the future that I want.
Corey, G. (2013). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (9th Edition). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
The counselor accomplishes the above by expressing empathy, developing discrepancies, going along with resistance and supporting self-efficacy. Moreover, the counselor guides the client toward a solution that will lead to permanent posi...
Counseling skills has provided me with a valuable insight into the helping relationship and how it is both created and maintained in order to encourage growth and development in the client. The factors involved within the helping relationship include considering Roger’s core conditions, congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy as the three main characteristics necessary in a helping relationship. In order to fully incorporate all three of Roger’s core conditions, I as the counselor must be self-aware, as a lack of self-awareness may inhibit truly listening and understanding the client; self-awareness can be enhanced through exercises such as Johari’s window. Counseling skills such as body language and active listening also plays a role within encouraging the client to open up and can help me as the counselor convey empathy.
Values, Morals, and Beliefs are components that play a role in an individual’s self-identity. The establishment of these components shape human nature, behavior, and the development of an individual’s purpose. The basis of these fundamentals has contributed to my desire to become a counselor. This paper will discuss my views of human nature, factors of behavior changes, goals of therapy, the roles of a therapist, and the counseling approaches that I chose to incorporate in a practice.
The counselling process is one that may last for as little as one session or for years, it is within the middles stages of the helping relationship that particular counselling skills such as a focusing, challenging and immediacy can be implemented, as well as use of advanced empathy that can be applied due to increased familiarity with a speaker. Many actions may occur within middles stage of the helping relationship such as transitions that occur for a multitude of reasons and the outcome of which can vary based on the attitude of the speaker. Self-awareness remains vital throughout the entire counselling relationship due to the continual influence of empathy in the helping relationship and remaining aware my own motives and values when using advanced empathy and specific counselling skills. Ethics and boundaries are also involved within the counselling process as within a counselling relationship, I as the counsellor, must be careful with the balance or expenditure of power when challenging.
This essay will attempt to highlight and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the three main theories of counselling within the module covered this term. The three approaches in discussion are psychodynamics, cognitive behavioural and humanistic.
Corey, G. (2011). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. (ninth ed., pp. 291-301). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
The following essay will look at what it takes to be an effective and professional counsellor through discussing what counselling is, its processes, the setting in which it is undertaken, the characteristics, necessary skills needed and the ethics involved in counselling.