Personal beliefs play a tremendous position in influencing my ethical practice as a counselor. As a mental health expert, I’m guided by ethical concepts and standards. However, my personal ideals act as a foundational lens through which I interpret and follow those ideas in my counselling practice. For example, my unique ideals regarding the value of empathy and compassion directly impact how I interact with clients. Those beliefs drive me to approach every client with a non-judgmental and empathetic mindset, developing safe and supportive surroundings for them to explore their mind and feelings. However, I also know that my private beliefs should not lead to bias or discrimination in counselling.
Being an “authentic” counsellor means being proper to oneself, even retaining professional obstacles and ethics. In my counselling exercise, authenticity is about being authentic and transparent with clients, permitting them to connect with me as an honest and empathetic person. It is essential to bring to clients that I am not infallible and that I, too, have experienced challenges and vulnerabilities in life. As a counselor, I’ve experienced these challenges in navigating the fine line between authenticity and expert identification. It’s a constant technique of self-reflection and self-regulation to ensure that my authentic self benefits the therapeutic relationship rather than hindering it.
My perceptions of success as a counsellor have advanced throughout my career. Initially, achievement was often linked to the number of clients I could assist or the consequences they carried out. However, I’ve come to recognize that achievement in counselling is not entirely decided by external measures, such as the number of clients or their effects. Instead, achievement needs to be measured through the quality of the therapeutic relationship, the extent to which I adhere to ethical standards, and the personal and expert growth of myself and my clients. It is about growing a safe area for clients to explore their concerns, facilitating self-discovery, and empowering them to make positive changes. Analyzing community mental health reveals vast gaps in access to mental health services, mainly for underserved populations. As a counselor, I would take several steps to address those gaps. Firstly, I would work to increase cognizance about intellectual health problems in the community by participating in outreach programs and academic tasks. Secondly, elevated funding and assets for community intellectual health facilities regularly struggle with confined budgets and personnel.
Reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses in upholding core professional values in counselling, I excel in areas such as empathy, active listening, and creating safe and non-judgmental surroundings for clients. Those strengths contribute to building sturdy healing relationships and facilitating incredible change. However, I also acknowledge areas of development. I will enhance my practice by maintaining strict professional boundaries, especially in the context of self-disclosure. Whilst authenticity is crucial, I need to be careful not to overshare or make the counselling system about me. Another place of growth is ensuring that I stay current with the latest studies and evidence-based practices, as the sector of counselling is continually evolving.
Counselling practices that gain both my professional growth and my clients’ desires contain a dedication to proof-based techniques and ongoing education. Staying informed about modern studies and therapeutic strategies guarantees that I offer the most effective interventions for my clients. Moreover, I prioritize the development of sturdy therapeutic relationships. This benefits my clients by creating secure and supportive surroundings and contributes to my expert growth by constructing a positive reputation and growing client satisfaction. ultimately, self-care is a critical exercise. Taking care of my own well-being, both physically and mentally, is an expert duty and a personal commitment that directly affects the satisfaction of care I can provide to my customers.
References
Stoll, J., Müller, J. A., & Trachsel, M. (2020). Ethical Issues in Online Psychotherapy: A Narrative Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10(993). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00993
Goodman, A. (2019). AMHCA and ACA Separate Associations. Www.amhca.org. http://www.amhca.org/blogs/howard-goodman/2019/04/26/amhca-and-aca-separate-associations