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.
This essay concentrates on Carl Rogers’ person centred approach suggesting that therapeutic conditions such as congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy are key to successful personal counselling and growth. Along with this are the basic micro skills used in counselling such as attentive listening, paraphrasing, reflective responses, probing and summarising. It is essential to realise the importance of using basic counselling skills. According to Palmer (2000) in order to be an effective helper it is important that the skills are identified, understood, learned and practiced repeatedly. 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).
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.
Counselling in a diverse society 1. Understand issues which affect counselling in a multi-cultural society. 1.1 Using examples, evaluate the relevance of the following in the counselling process. • Stereotyping. • Language issues.
Current State of the Profession As a counselor in training according to Derald Wing Sue in his text Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice (CCD), one must understand his or her own reaction to issues of diversity, multiculturalism, oppression, race, gender, and sexual orientation; it is important to one’s development as a counselor (p. 6, 2013). I will focus on the significant historical changes in society that influenced cultural counseling. Discuss the changes in worldview, culture, ethnicity, prejudice, and privilege of counseling. Describe the contemporary issues, such as implications of a more diverse society, effects of discrimination, and availability of services. Finally, with a conclusion of why are cultural and linguistic standards for services important for 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).
Multicultural Awareness Nicole Barnes Walden University Multicultural Awareness Mental health counselor, one must consider the socio-cultural context of the client when conceptualizing client cases in choosing interventions (Laureate Inc., 2010). While being aware of the client’s socio-cultural context, it is equally important to be aware of one’s own, with its bias’ and beliefs so that the client conceptualization is not influenced by a lack of self-awareness (Laureate Inc., 2010). In order to effectively gain an understanding of one’s multicultural awareness and cultural competence a mental health counselor should participate in a self assessment. Multicultural self assessments should assist the mental health counselor in gaining and understanding of who they are, what they believe in, and how to separate those personal aspects from the counseling process (Laureate Inc., 2010). After administering a multicultural self assessment provided by Petrone, my hypothesis concerning my level of multicultural awareness and competence was found to be null.
Differences Although both associations, the ACA and the AACC, seek to encourage counselors to implement procedures and practices that will create healthy growth and development for their clients the means to achieve these goals are different. The ACA (2005) Code of Ethics seeks to accomplish their goal by gaining an understanding of the clients, “diverse cultural backgrounds” (p. 4). They also encourage counselors to identify and explore their own cultural identity
In order to be an effective helper and human service professional, one must be open to many different schools of thought. The first theory I have included in my personal model of helping is the Adlerian theory. I feel that having an understanding of the world and other people outside oneself is an important aspect of developing insight regarding how to connect with others and within one's own environment. I also believe family patterns need to be considered, because at times, roles are assigned and "reinforced by societal norms" (Cicirelli, 1994). Patterns need to be considered, because the conditions within a family at times affect behavior development and personality.
Structural Family Therapy aimed to reduce dysfunction and change behaviors by addressing the family system. As Structural Family Therapy gained popularity another model that was simiar was also identified. Both modles became interlocked into one and the name changed to Structual-Strategic Approach. The Structual-Strategic Appraoch continued to reguarded the family sysem and how it influences an individuals'