Wellness Plan/Self-Care

A. The ACA Code of Ethics promotes not only the well-being of clients but is also genuinely concerned about the well-being of counselors. The Code of Ethics suggests choosing frequent activities that enhance emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being (American Counseling Association, 2014, Section C). The ways I engage in these areas are by spending time with family, walking in my neighborhood, getting enough sleep, and praying. Spending time with my family enhances my emotional well-being because I feel gratified and happy when we spend quality time together. Talking long walks in my neighborhood enhances my physical well-being because it keeps my heart healthy, as well as reduces the risk of certain diseases. Engaging in consistent sleep hygiene enhances my mental well-being by giving my (overactive) brain a rest so I can cope with stress and regulate my emotions and behavior. And, lastly, what enhances my spiritual well-being is praying everyday with a heart of gratitude. Not only do these types of activities keep me feeling well, but I am being ethical at the same time. Ethically, counselors can maintain their professionalism by taking care of themselves.

B. Being passionate about a job or career and not bringing it home can be challenging. Doing great quality work during normal work hours and letting it go after that sounds easier than it is. Home is where I need to find comfort in my surroundings and inner peace through wellness and self-care, a sanctuary away from the workplace to drop the workday, not continue the workday. Bringing too much work home in the past only interfered with my "real life" and affected my family. When this happened to me, I ended up taking a lot of unpaid absences so that I could avoid going to work in some sort of inverted balance. Eventually, I left the position because I was overly invested in my work and it became miserable and depressing. I have learned that many supervisors are not paying attention to their employee's work-life balance and I need to set boundaries with them and for myself in order to maintain enthusiasm for a position. I have also learned to hone in my self-imposed high standards and fight back against perfectionism because it leads to burnout, plus "the work is still going to be there tomorrow." 

References

American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf