Counselor as Scholar Practitioner Shawn P. Mahan Walden University Counselor as Scholar Practitioner Mental health counseling encompasses a wide variety of knowledge and skill sets. Obtaining a clear grasp and interpretation of these useful tools requires observance of efficacious guidelines. One of the skills necessary to demonstrate proficiency as a mental health counselor is that of becoming a research specialist. The author intends to isolate these key characteristics of development needed to meet the demands of scholar-practitioner. Through this identification, the reader will attain a greater understanding of the requirements needed for competent mental health counseling.
Treatment planning provides a road map for the counseling process (Erford, 2010). Assessment and diagnosis play the most important role in case conceptualization and treatment planning because it allows the professional counselor to gain a better understanding about the client’s issues and needs. Professional counselors’ assessment involves intake interviews, test and inventories, behavioral observations and relevant information from other sources (Barlow & Durand, 2003; Nystul, 2006). According to Erford (2010) the assessment process helps the professional counselor put together a diagnosis and set up a treatment plan. Professional counselors also need to consider how issues such as race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, family structure, trauma, and sexual and gender orientation affect a client’s presenting concerns and what impact these variables have on the acceptability of , and the access to, counseling (Erford, 2010).
Roni Leighah Darcy - Beadle Process, Relationship and Change within Three Distinctive Approaches to Counselling and Psychotherapy This essay will discuss and contrast three approaches to counselling and psychotherapy, these being Gestalt Therapy, Jungian Analysis and Transactional Analysis. Each will be evaluated in terms of features of the therapeutic process and their contribution to client change, and the assumptions inherent within each approach about client change will be considered. It will look at how each approach influences the therapist-client encounter, and the strengths and shortcomings of each approach will be taken into consideration. Where appropriate, ethics and professional issues will be examined. Differences and similarities between the three approaches will be taken into account, and a synthesis of the approaches will be offered.
The use of the words ‘different perspectives’ gives inclusion to the range of therapeutic models and individuality. It is important to have my own philosophical viewpoint because although, when practicing, I may use certain therapeutic models that follow a set structure, I will also bring myself into the relationship, my own level of empathy, understanding and presence. I find the following definition of counselling to be clearer in its goal and enjoy the way it pinpoints the individuality of each person accessing counselling. ‘Counselling provides you with a supportive, non judgmental and confidential environment in which to explore any emotional, psychological or study problems you may be encountering. Counselling can assist you to identify your own personal resources and capabilities, which are sometimes lost or buried in times of confusion
In the event a therapist is faced with an ethical dilemma he or she may follow the steps of the ethical decision making process. The ethical decision making process provides guidance to therapists assisting each therapist to respond to ethical dilemmas. As Pope and Vasquez state, the steps may help therapists to identify important aspects of a situation, consider positive and negative consequences of the ways in which therapists may respond, and discover better approaches. Therapists’ decisions and actions have an effect on the welfare, dignity, and independence of the client. One of the most common dual relationships in therapist psychology refers to an intimate relationship between therapist and client.
This essay will explore person-centred and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) respectively, it will then discuss some of the ways in which each therapy differs from the other and it will also highlight any parallels. Firstly, the Person-centred approach has been known by many different terms such as client-centred, non-directive and Rogerian, after the founder Carl Rogers (McLeod, 2008). The aim of person-centred counselling is to promote the clients into solving his or her own difficulties, whilst the counsellor takes a non-directive role. This approach to counselling believes that the client is the best authority on his or her own experiences but can only act upon them under the right conditions, (McLeod, 2008). Rogers discovered that for an individual to be able to express themselves fully and to experience therapeutic change, three 'core conditions' must be established within the counselling environment, (McLeod, 2008).
These views can be compared to Boud et al. (1985), cited in Farrelly (2010: p.26) which states that reflection is; “A complex and deliberate process of thinking about and interpreting experience in order to learn from it.” These three definitions demonstrate that reflection is a process of evaluating an incident and changing things, in order to provide better understanding and practice. This is supported by Schön (1983) who described that reflection is the way in which the knowledge that underpins practice can be discovered and improved. Miller et al. (2008) suggest that in order for professionals to challenge their practice, they must reflect on their practice.
The Right of Informed Consent is both an ethical and a legal requirement and one which must be woven into our therapeutic process from the beginning. Informed Consent helps us to form a therapeutic alliance with our client by being honest and intentionally advocating for them and with them. This allows us to communicate respectfully and honestly about the process and purpose of the therapy.
It is also critical to recognize that the “ use of counselling skills is properly associated with therapeutic, helping or healing ends and not with self centred agendas” ( p. 4). Counselling skills are used in a wide range of settings where ‘people helping’ is involved. It is a medium for enhancing the professional role. The use of basic counselling skills not only helps in individual settings but is also
During this time, we will set short-term, long-term goals, and process goal to give us the direction of counseling and the purpose. There must be ongoing, meaningful evaluation of its useful purposes. Progress of my clients should be measurable and definable. During my interactions with clients, I must understand their feelings, behavior, and motivations so that I can help clients to identify any negative cognitive and behavioral patterns. As I fulfill my mission as a counselor, the therapeutic process must be given the time to work if the client is to achieve their personal goals and gain the necessary insight into their lives.