Introduction
Counselors must grow as well as their clients. Counselors must improve personally during their employment. Counselors must actively grow to be effective. Since personal growth is ongoing, counselors should prioritize self-awareness and client understanding.
Counseling has helped me grow. My theoretical and intervention knowledge has grown the greatest. As a counselor, you must grasp numerous therapeutic methods because each one can treat distinct issues. My knowledge of theoretical methods and interventions has grown via continuing study, training, and professional development, allowing me to personalize client services. I’ve also improved at building therapeutic relationships with clients. Counseling relies on therapeutic interaction. A positive relationship with clients creates a safe, non-judgmental atmosphere where clients can share their experiences and emotions. Building close relationships with clients helps me understand their strengths and concerns, which inspires personalized treatment programs.
I can also listen without judgment now. I used to help people quickly. However, I have learned that active and attentive listening lets clients communicate their emotions and views completely. Clients feel heard and respected, increasing satisfaction and engagement. Personal growth involves professional development and personal experiences and obstacles (Caena & Redecker, 2019). Self-care is important because of my personal experiences. To avoid burnout and compassion fatigue, counselors must prioritize self-care.
Person-centered Therapy, established by Carl Rogers, has helped me build stronger working connections (Rogers, 2020). This approach holds that patients need a supportive, empathic environment to express their thoughts and feelings freely. This attitude has helped me comprehend active listening, which involves repeating what the customer says and clearing up misunderstandings. Active listening helps me understand my customers and create a safe space for them to share their stories.
Person-centered treatment prioritizes the client’s history, beliefs, and values. As a therapist, I’ve learned that my clients are experts in their own lives and that I should help them grow. Counselor-client relationships are vital to Therapy. I may build trust with my customers by creating an empathetic and judgment-free environment. Trust, empathy, and honesty underpin the client-counselor connection. My Person-Centered training has helped me connect with consumers by making me more empathic and authentic at work.
Another idea that shaped my counseling career is cognitive behavioral Therapy (CBT). Goal-oriented CBT targets negative thought patterns and behaviors that cause mental health issues (Cai et al., 2023). This Therapy improves mental well-being. After understanding this theory, I can identify damaging thoughts and behavior patterns in my clients and offer constructive strategies to overcome them. I’ve helped customers achieve their goals and improve their mental health because of this.
CBT is a brief, issue-focused therapy. It suggests that changing one mental state or activity will affect others. As a therapist, I understand the need to focus on the present and future. I help my clients acquire coping skills to manage their symptoms and reach their goals.
I needed to know my strengths and weaknesses to grow personally and professionally. One of my skills is empathizing with consumers and providing a safe and supportive environment. Counselors need empathy to understand their clients’ past and present. Empathy helps counselors and clients build trust.
I may improve by listening more to my consumers rather than offering ideas. I’ve found that sometimes clients need someone to listen and confirm their experiences. Actively listening to my customers helps me understand and assist them. As a counselor, I give my clients the information they need to make informed decisions, not tell them how to live.
Christian faith shapes my personal and professional life on both counts. I believe in second chances spiritually. I can sense my customers’ potential and help them achieve their goals even if they’ve failed. The Bible verse “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, and the new is here!” inspires me. (2 Corinthians 5:17). This verse reminds me that people can change despite their past sins.
However, my Christian faith complicates my mental health career. Customers with opposing views present a challenge. As a counselor, I must respect my clients regardless of their opinions. Even when we disagree, the client’s needs come first. Spirituality can sometimes hinder service. Christians condemn premarital sex. I cannot evaluate or force my values on clients as a therapist. It’s crucial to give clients a safe space to express their feelings.
I face another challenge when a customer disagrees with me. Suppose a client’s opinions promote unethical or harmful behavior. In that case, it might be challenging to balance appreciating their ideals and upholding my ethical obligations as a mental health practitioner, especially if the client holds the beliefs. I use my knowledge and coworkers’ advice to make informed, client-centered decisions in situations like this.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mental health workers must keep growing to be more effective. As a counselor, I’ve gained* knowledge to establish a welcoming, empathic surroundings, properly listen to clients, and value each client’s unfamiliar experiences, ethics, and norms. Comprehending my ability and shortcomings enables me to improve as a therapist and serve my clients better. My Christian faith has supported and challenged me emotionally and professionally. As a mental health practitioner, I aim to help my patients achieve their goals and improve their lives while sticking to my field’s values. I’ve improved as a counselor by identifying my skills and weaknesses.
My Christian faith has strengthened and challenged my personal and professional progress. As a mental health practitioner, I want to help my clients achieve their goals and improve their well-being while following my ethical and personal values.
References
Caena, F., & Redecker, C. (2019). Aligning teacher competence frameworks to 21st-century challenges: The case for the European Digital Competence Framework for Educators ( Digcompedu). European Journal of Education, 54(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12345
Cai, J., Li, X., Chen, B., Wang, Z., & Jia, J. (2023). CatHill: Emotion-Based Interactive Storytelling Game as a Digital Mental Health Intervention. Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3585639
Rogers, C. (2020). Six Key Approaches to Counselling and Therapy. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=4nF5u3kR-IQC&oi=fnd&pg=PA98&dq=Person-Centred+Therapy
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