Description
Reflection, Self-Care, and Development Plan
Introduction
Professional development involves both skill and personal self-care. Maintaining appropriate boundaries with clients requires awareness of both personal issues and professional skill development. The early career addiction professional may be best served by giving careful consideration regarding sharing personal information with clients, particularly regarding personal recovery. The risk of over-involvement with clients can be particularly risky for professionals who are in recovery and Counselor Self-Disclosure (Doukas, Cullen, 2010).
The journaling activities throughout the course and the activities during residency provide ample material for reflection to develop a plan for strengthening your skills and self-care in the coming months and years. The course project is structured to guide you through identifying skills you have demonstrated and your goals for the future.
Doukas, N., & Cullen, J. (2010). Recovered addicts working in the addiction field: Pitfalls to substance abuse relapse. Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, 17(3), 216–231. doi: 10.3109/09687630802378864
Objectives
To successfully complete this learning unit, you will be expected to:
1. Identify a plan to incorporate self-care techniques for maintaining personal and professional health.
2. Identify activities designed to facilitate continual cultural competence.
3. Identify activities designed to maintain knowledge regarding the application of ethical principles in professional interactions.
Discussion: 1 page needed with minimum of 250 words and 2 references.
Counselor Self-Disclosure
As counselors develop their therapeutic style and foundation, the question of self-disclosure arises both for group and individual counselors. Self-disclosure can be an effective therapeutic tool when used appropriately by the counseling professional.
As both group and individual counselors develop their therapeutic style and foundation, the issue of unfinished business must constantly be addressed as it can be a major hindrance in development. Being emotionally triggered is one way unfinished business can crop up. It can also cause counselors to avoid uncomfortable topics, to not use appropriate techniques, or to become unaware of one’s own need for self-care.
For this discussion, consider the policy that some addiction agencies have discouraging staff disclosure of recovery status. What may be some advantages and disadvantages of such a policy?