Community Project
Major Counseling Theories Presentation
My philosophy of counseling blends many theories of counseling. One major counseling theory that i do align with is rational emotive therapy. I have a very no BS approach, there is freedom of speach and behavior in my office where clients are not shamed for utilizing swearing or anger or making messes. We feel and we show that we feel in my counseling theory. We confront our thoughts, and are honest about motives and identify where we are being rational or irrational and whether we have the desire to change those parts of us. As we know ourselves, we learn to accept parts of us that we may not always enjoy because we learn the purpose it serves in our lives. I believe the client has the answer, im simply helping them to find the clarity in understanding it.
Supervisor vs Mentor:
A supervisor is responsible for you and your performance while on the job and performs evaluations on your behalf while giving you instructions to succeed. This is a more formal relationship with a focus on task and goal completion. This serves to ensure you learn your job correctly and meet targets as required.
A mentor is an individual who guides you with a focus on your long-term career and personal development while offering advice and support without any formal evaluations or power over you. This creates a more personal connection and bond. This serves to help you grow and succeed in your personal career and life and shares a supportive relationship.
Selection of a mentor:
A mentor should have strong experience and background in counseling, so their guidance is relevant to the career I am seeking. The mentorship style should match my learning style to ensure effectiveness, and they should have the skills in the counseling topics I wish to pursue. Flexible Availability is needed to ensure adequate mentoring and great communication skills are a must. A mentor with genuine interest in my personal growth and career development that offers solid encouragement and feedback that can feel safe and non-judgmental and fosters my personal and professional growth.
Mentor Support Goals:
Goal 1: Trauma Competence
I will increase my trauma competence by attending at least 1 trauma focused workshop or CE training that is recommended by my mentor and discuss the key learnings in three separate mentorship sessions and apply the trauma informed interventions with at least 3 clients and documenting the intervention and the outcome in my supervision notes and on thunder tracker and review them with my mentor and my onsite supervisor.
Goal 2: DBT Mindfulness Skills
I will co-facilitate 4 mindfulness groups with my onsite supervisor, attend 1 mindfulness workshop or CE training recommended by my mentor, and discuss the feedback and key takeaways with my mentor, as well as my onsite supervisor to improve my client delivery and engagement. I will lead at least 1 mindfulness exercise and seek feedback to increase confidence in delivering DBT skills measured by post-session reflections and supervisor and mentor feedback.
Professional Development Reflection
Self Care Assessment and Reflection
Self care is an element of the counseling profession that we must take seriously. We must lead by example in this area and take the time to care for our selves and our wellness in order to stay healthy to remain involved in other peoples traumas and experiences. Without self-care a therapist is sitting in the wrong seat in the room.