Professional Counselors Essay Example

1997). To form a professional identity, counselors need to comprehend and promote fundamental principles that shape the counseling field, including wellness, resilience, and prevention.

Professional counselors often aim to develop resilience and prevention in their clients. The goal of prevention is to facilitate healing and recovery, working alongside resilience to guide clients towards a fulfilling life that encompasses mind, body, and spiritual connectivity. Additionally, wellness prioritizes overall well-being. Counselors encourage a comprehensive self-assessment and self-realization process for clients, which benefits both fundamental and intricate functioning.

The concept of wellness is believed to help in evaluating clients, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and developing effective treatments to decrease dysfunctional behaviors and promote personal growth (Myers & Sweeney, 2008). Various models have also been created to explain the connection between wellness and healing, offering a framework to understand how wellness principles affect quality of life, health, and lifespan.

The Wheel of Wellness is a model that portrays spirituality as the central aspect of the wheel. It extends outward to twelve spokes representing various life tasks related to self-direction. These tasks include a sense of worth, control, realistic beliefs, emotional awareness and coping, humor, nutrition, exercise, self-care, stress management, gender identity, and cultural identity. These spokes guide individuals in regulating or directing themselves as they respond to Adlerian life tasks such as work, leisure, friendship, and love (Myers & Sweeney, 2008 p. 483).

The components in this model are interactive and work together to represent 'life balance'. If any of the components are modified, the other components will also be affected. This model served as the basis for the IS-WeI Wellness model, which provides a more

focused and enhanced understanding of the empirical relationships between each component and how they influence and impact each other (Meyers & Sweeney, 2008).

Understanding what makes a counselor effective and successful is the starting point for defining their professional identity. By focusing on the key philosophies of the profession, one can determine how these philosophies contribute to being an effective counselor. Regardless of their specialization, all counselors should aim to have a well-rounded skillset in certain universal areas.

In an article by Sue Wheeler, 2000, she argues that a therapist's quality can be assessed based on three factors: evaluation from colleagues, satisfaction of clients, and the effectiveness of their treatment outcomes. Wheeler (2000) further suggests that the most successful and esteemed counselors possess a genuine sense of empathy and demonstrate high regard for their clients and their difficulties. According to Wheeler (2000 p. 68), these qualities contribute to the therapist's ability to persuade clients to trust both the therapist as an individual and the therapeutic process itself.

The survey of counseling educators indicates that both knowledge base and personality traits should be equally considered when determining a professional identity in the counseling field. Even though it may be easier to ensure counselors have the appropriate education, there is still a need to understand the unique qualities that differentiate this profession.

By engaging in professional development, counselors can enhance their effectiveness in personal and professional growth, as well as in acquiring knowledge and skills relevant to their career. Identifying areas of professional development and creating a tangible plan for continuous growth and progress is crucial for counselors. Such areas may include staying updated on

current treatment innovations and studying noteworthy case studies of patients with uncommon conditions.

Proficient professional counselors should familiarize themselves with established, practical treatment plans for the disorders they often come across in their patients. However, it is vital for professionals to consistently update their knowledge on newly emerging variations and adaptations that are continuously being discovered and researched. Occasionally, techniques that were once efficient may become obsolete or insignificant. Hence, it is crucial to refrain from being confined to a singular mindset when delivering care to a client.

Being well-informed about the latest research and innovative case studies is crucial for counselors in order to maintain a range of valuable options. Psychology plays a vital role in shaping societal norms, influencing lawmaking, marketing strategies, behavior modification techniques, and criminal proceedings.

Having a solid comprehension of significant case studies is crucial for counselors. These studies, particularly the ones that establish standards for future therapies, legislation, or ethical norms, can provide counselors with a respected viewpoint and enhance their capacity to evaluate and care for patients. To support counselors in their ongoing growth and development of expertise, several national organizations have been established to collect valuable resources specifically designed for their diverse roles.

The AAMFT and NAADAC are two organizations that offer specialized initiatives and guidance to counselors. While there are other organizations for different types of counselors, these two provide continuously updated research and treatment trends for a growing population.

The AAMFT is an organization that values a strong professional community and serves as a collective voice for marriage and family therapists. Membership in this organization grants therapists access to educational

opportunities, legal advice and advocacy, job searches/opportunities, and current publications on industry trends. One distinguishing feature of the AAMFT is the availability of their resources for trainees.

The NAADAC provides a membership for students transitioning into associates, supporting their admission into becoming fully licensed clinicians. They also offer free access to Family Therapy Magazine, which covers case studies, research, and innovations in treatments and therapies. Similar to the AAMFT, the NAADAC represents and advocates for a community of professionals specializing in addiction treatment.

The NAADAC provides several resources to addiction professionals. These include in-person development seminars, magazine articles that offer unique perspectives on conditions and treatments, and online independent study courses for earning continuing education (CE) credits. As a national organization, they advocate for a standardized certification system that ensures consistent credentials for all addiction professionals. They offer three main credential levels and also provide specialization credentials in various areas.

Different organizations offer professional development opportunities for counselors, including training in areas such as Nicotine Dependence, Adolescent Addiction, and Spiritual Caregiving. These organizations provide both general training options and specialized training options. While there are national initiatives to standardize credentials, each state has its own licensing regulations. In California, residents must fulfill specific educational and clinical requirements to obtain a license as a Marriage and Family therapist.

The board requires that all applicants must have an M.S. or Ph.D. from a California-based institution that meets the education criteria of accredited programs. Those who completed programs outside of California should ensure they include all required coursework in their program, as no further coursework can be taken after obtaining the degree. This requirement

applies to professionals specializing in addiction treatment.

The NAADAC provides various resources and opportunities for addiction professionals. These include in-person development seminars, magazine articles offering unique perspectives, and the option to earn CE’s through online, independent study. As a national organization, NAADAC supports the idea of a nationalized certification that standardizes credentials for all addiction professionals. Through their institution, they offer three main levels of credentials and specialization credentials in areas such as Nicotine Dependence, Adolescent Addiction, and Spiritual Caregiving.

Every organization offers different chances for counselors to participate in continuous professional growth in both general and specialized fields. Although national organizations aim to establish uniform qualifications, each state has its own regulations regarding licensing. In order to be licensed as a Marriage and Family therapist in California, individuals must meet certain educational and clinical prerequisites.

The board requires that all potential applicants have either an M.S or Ph.D. from an institution that meets the in-state education standards for accredited CA programs. If applicants have completed their programs outside of California, they must include all necessary coursework in their program as no additional coursework can be done after obtaining the degree. Along with education, applicants must also complete 104 weeks of supervised clinical hours, which is about 3,000 hours of supervised work experience.