...Why I chose to become a mental health counselor Counseling others is a difficult job that requires people to listen, take notes, and respond in ways that are positive and helpful. It is important that trust be built between the counselor and the patient so that the patient will feel comfortable speaking about issues that are private or embarrassing. There are many different types of counselors including drug counselors; marriage counselors, grief counselors, job counselors, diet and exercise counselors, and others that can help people improve their lives in different ways. Counselors are trained to offer advice and listen to issues that may be bothering other people. They are not allowed to prescribe medication or expected to provide medical advice. Approximately 25 percent of North Americans suffer from diagnosable mental health issues each year. With the increasing awareness of the related social, political and economic impacts of these problems, there is a greater need for professional mental health counselors. Additionally, health care insurance providers, driving the demand for more qualified professionals, recognize most mental health counseling. After earning a master's degree in mental health counseling, most people choose to get licensed or certified in a specialty such as: • Rehabilitation counseling • Substance abuse counseling • Marriage and family counseling Mental health counselors work with individuals, groups and communities on a variety of mental health...
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...Biblical and Professional View of Addiction Laura L. Suggs Liberty University Abstract McMinn stresses the use of the bible, Gods Word in counseling and much prayer with the client, he also advises practitioners to practice this concept in therapy. McMinn (1996) believes those who pray often tend to experience more purpose in life, greater marital satisfaction, religious satisfaction, and a general sense of well-being. This paper aims to make other aware of the similarities and difference in Professional and Christian counseling. They both have the best interest of the client in making sure that they are going to be able to maintain stability in the home. The Biblical aspect of counseling adds a spiritual and religious aspect to counseling. The Bible is full of words that we use in our everyday life. These words are listed and defined in depth below. Biblical and Professional Views of Addiction McMinn stresses the use of the bible, Gods Word in counseling and much prayer with the client, he also advises practitioners to practice this concept in therapy. McMinn (1996) believes those who pray often tend to experience more purpose in life, greater marital satisfaction, religious satisfaction, and a general sense of well-being. Understanding addiction has to do with knowledge and attitude. The Bible acts as guidance and aims to attempt to steer Christians in the right direction. This paper is about how Biblical...
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...Current Professional Issues, Relevant Etiological Models, and Key Actionable Items Name Institution Current Professional Issues, Relevant Etiological Models, and Key Actionable Items Introduction Thesis Statement: A healthy therapeutic alliance depends upon the resolution of professional issues facing the client-counselor relationship in addiction counseling practice. Counselors encounter regular professional challenges. These problems are exacerbated in substance abuse counseling due to the link between criminal activity and addiction. Counselors must weigh the risks and gains of various solutions to arrive at suitable decisions. This paper examines five current professional issues in addiction counseling, including the relevant etiological models and key actionable items for addressing these issues in a real world environment. Professional issues encompass topics of debate on practical or ethical conduct that underpins appropriate professional practice. In addiction counseling, five such issues are client rights (confidentiality, privileged communication, and privacy), physical and psychological self-care by the counselor, dual relationships, countertransference, and record keeping. Professional Issues In addiction counseling practice, it is common for interested parties (family members, medical doctors, probation officers, psychologists, or other counselors) to ask a counselor to share information concerning a client. Such a request could...
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...Multicultural Awareness Mental Health Counseling After reviewing the results of my multicultural self-assessment scores, I have found that overall; I am very comfortable with myself and choices. In counseling, before understanding someone else you must first be able to understand yourself. Also the awareness of your own comfort range must be apparent. If it was not apparent, then how could you counsel someone else when you are uncomfortable with yourself? This self-assessment allowed me to realize factors that seemed to be unapparent before but, led me to see that they were important after all. “If you are lucky enough to be other, don’t ever change” I identified mostly with Jason Patton, PhD when he spoke about his first day at kindergarten, and he was made to feel other. What most got my attention was that he mentioned that he was an only child and spent a lot of time with adults, and was eager to be interacting the children his own age. I too was an only child and spent a lot of time with and adults. They adored me and made me feel loved, wanted and special. My first day at school was awful. The children looked at me as though I was an alien. I remember distinctly being called a chocolate girl, and then the comments about me being so tall began. From that point on I really did not enjoy school at all. I was afraid of being different. Being different meant that people might not like me. In my mind being called chocolate...
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...New Consensus Definition of Counseling David M. Kaplan American Counseling Association Vilia M. Tarvydas The University of Iowa Samuel T. Gladding Wake Forest University Author Note David M. Kaplan, Professional Affairs, American Counseling Association; Vilia M. Tarvydas, Department of Rehabilitation and Counselor Education, The University of Iowa; Samuel T. Gladding, Department of Counseling, Wake Forest University. The authors wish to thank Jason Wilke for his assistance. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to David Kaplan, American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304. E-mail: dkaplan@counseling.org Abstract With the promulgation of the 20/20 consensus definition of counseling, there is finally profession-wide clarity as to what it means to engage in professional counseling. This article describes the development and discusses the implications of the definition: Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. The 20/20 consensus definition of counseling has been endorsed by 29 major counseling organizations. Keywords: counseling, definition, 20/20, consensus, professional identity 20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling: The New Consensus Definition of Counseling For well over half a decade, the counseling profession has been actively planning its future through the initiative...
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...Dilemma Due: June 15, 2012 By: Katrina Hines The purpose of this paper is to analyze a hypothetical ethical dilemma within a hypothetical work environment, describing professional role within the environment, structure within the professional role who does one supervise and who supervises one, identifying the population that will be served in the professional role and the diversity of the population, addressing social and cultural diversity. Selection; of the appropriate code of professional ethics and ethical decision model; evaluating the function of the work environment in relation to the legal and accepted standard of practice for setting. Selection of the environment Helping Hands is North Carolina’s leading provider of children’s behavioral healthcare. The Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) accepts children from throughout the state. The organization is accredited by the joint Commission, which is recognized nationwide as a symbol of healthcare quality reflecting the highest level of performance and certified by the North Carolina Department of Human Services as a Critical Assess behavioral Health Agency (CABHA). The agency offers a comprehensive array of treatment options for children with emotional and behavioral difficulties. Helping Hands mission is to provide quality professional treatment to children with emotional and behavioral problems; effective and efficient array of services, enabling children and families to exercise self- determination...
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...elements and contents of the information that is found on any online therapy website along with the information of the professionals that are involved in that therapy. I will outline the way in which most of the communication relating online therapy. I will also highlight the policies and regulations that provide fundamentals to run an online therapy. The paper also comprehends the state regulation authority to observe and scrutinize online therapy and present the information relative to the ethical and security issues like confidentiality along with informed consent. The paper will end up with a small discussion regarding the benefits and risks of the online therapy. The first selected website of online therapy that retrieved was www.lzcybershrink.com where the services are advertised by Elizabeth Zelvin. Elizabeth Zelvin is acknowledged as a licensed clinical social worker along with a psychotherapist. All services are provided by the single person that is her. Ms. Zelvin as retrieved from her biography holds 20 years of experience and was involved in a private service in New York State. Ms. Zelvin handled communication relating online therapy through implication of a chat room setting. This chat room provides opportunity to clients to arrange a schedule of treatment and appointment with Ms. Zelvin before actual arrival through employing email. The professional involved provide a password for her patients and start conversation through signing in at same time through online...
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...confidentiality of their information. Therapy may be considered a client's maximum force in obtaining control of their problems they face during their lives. In current years therapy has evolved into a higher-level of treatment and can be taken online. Online therapy is cost effective, convenient, and helps with time management. On the web currently there are uncountable amounts of online therapy organizations available for individuals to benefit from, if needed. To obtain knowledge of the details of online therapy I have researched some of online therapy organizations to find out whom they serve, what they provide, moral and safety issues, and the disadvantages and advantages, and obligations of the professionals of online therapy. Licensed human services professional must not forget in order to counsel on the web, they are subject to the identical laws that standardize the practice of telemedicine and telehealth. Sunrise Counseling The first site I researched was with Sunrise Counseling. This content of this website was traditional and to the point. It was easy to maneuver and provided many topics. It listed examples of how individuals may feel and ways to respond to their situations. The website offered links to questions and other helpful websites. I found it really easy to use. Dawn Sutton is skilled therapist on this website. Ms. Sutton offers potential openings of confidentiality, encoded email technology and...
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...to why individuals commit crime but I want to get to point of knowing what influenences are there are mental health issues one of the reasons why our prison system is being overflowed and are these individuals being overlooked. These factors motivates me as an individual which I believe will prepare me to become a competent counselor. I feel as though we are not in the individuals life to judge but to motivate, to achieve a common goal of seeking and resolving a issues/problem that he/she is conflicted with. I intend continue to grow within the counseling field by continuing to research issues that effect society today, such as mental health and seeking solutions for these individuals to be able to live normal lives without the ridicule or label. Being able to write about mental issues and ways to resolve it is a lifelong dream but I feel as though with any profession comes experience and the more experience one has the more knowledgeable one becomes and it is at this point that I feel as though I would be able to achieve this goal and I also feel as though experience and knowledge can’t be measured only achieved. There are also many ways we as counselors can assist others who may be seeking or have obtain the same opportunities. By participating in leadership workshops, it will help develop a sense of accomplishment, because one can be able to present to their colleagues...
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...University Supervision The job of a supervisor of a mental health professional counselor encompasses many roles and responsibilities. Many supervisors subscribe to different supervision models, however this paper focuses on the discrimination model and will explain how to apply each of the supervisory roles with the case of Michael, the supervisee in the case study. This paper will also incorporate a description and justification of a skills that is most relevant to the role. Lastly, I will explain the supervisor’s role and skill set as noted in the discrimination model of supervision. Applying and Explaining Supervisory Roles This is where you introduce the ideas of effective characteristics and behaviors. Be sure to support your points with the learning resources. Using multiple resources will support your points further. Supervisors of mental health professionals train, mentor, teach, encourage and challenge counselors who are new to the field (Young & Bashman, 2010). They are individuals that have been counseling for a while, who take time out to guide and assist people that are new to field (Young & Bashman, 2010). There are many roles and responsibility that a supervisor has and a number of theories that they may incorporate into their personal doctrine. The discrimination model is a theory that includes three skills (intervention, conceptualization and personalization) and roles (teacher, counselor, and consultant) that one uses as a supervisor. Michael is mental...
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...profession is a broad landscape with many paths, directions and journeys. When one decides to expand on their personal or professional lives by delving into the helping profession, many questions arise to help make an informed decision as to where their efforts will be more useful. Even taking into consideration their own history, personality and desires. These attributes, when looked at from an informed perspective, allow individuals to put forth their best and become effective counselors. But what does being an effective counselor look like? For one, being an effective counselor begins with the question “what is motivating me to be a counselor?” (Sheperis & Ellis, 2014, pg. 162). According to the media provided, Gail Mear, Bob Walsh and Norm Dasenbrook explained some of the characteristics they thought are used during therapy sessions. These characteristics ranged from being a helping person, being able to set boundaries, being empathic so you are able to understand your client’s feelings and grasp where those feelings are coming from and collaboration. This paper will expand on some of those characteristics and also provide critique on a session to help understand not only those characteristics which are effective, but those that may be ineffective during a counseling session. Effective Characteristics Kottler believed that the professional counselor should inhabit characteristics in order to motivate and connect with clients struggling with a varying range of problems...
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...hospital by his foster parents. His conditions were not good at all for he had bruises on his spine and another bruise slightly below his eye. The nurse happened to questioned her about the same. She said it was as a result of being jostled in seat in the car. The nurse kind of didn’t make any note of this observation. Moreover, she happened to fail to call CPS to report the possible abuse for she was much in agreement of what the foster mother told her. Four days later, Dominic was for the second time brought to the hospital. This time, he suffered from head trauma. Unfortunately, he passed on. The nurse, was in hot soup. She was accused of failing to report Dominic’s abuse. The nurse might have ignored the clause that gives health professionals the mandate to report any...
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...Tatrina Bailey Career Counseling-Mid Term Dr. Jill Thompson Prairie View A&M University March 14, 2015 Defend the statement: Career development is a continuous process. Explain how it is a discontinuous process. Career development is a continuous process, which concentrates on the processes of seeking, receiving, and processing the information about one self, educational and occupational alternatives, role options and life style. In other words, career development is the process, which makes people understand themselves in relation to the working field and environments, and the role they play in it (Zunker, 2012). Today, in the 21st century, the world of work is very different form the one it has previously been. Globalization of the job markets and the economy, and rapid advancements in technology create an increased competition. The main focus of the global economy is information generation and delivery of services. The modern world dictates the conditions for the business world, providing continuous outsourcing of work, reduction of companies, and modification of jobs. Due to that, people have temporary and part-time jobs, while a growing number of people are self-employed. Therefore, the majority of careers may be described with such words, as uncertainty, insecurity, unpredictability, work intensification, fewer opportunities for promotion, part-time work, self-employment and non-standard contracts. In this regard, individuals...
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...In order for counselors to affect change, they must prove there is a need for the change; they must “have a vision of change; be persistent . . .” (Gibson, 2010, p. 352), and be able to provide evidence to back up the issue they are advocating for. The issue I would like to advocate for is the integration of animal-assisted therapy into more counseling settings. This type of therapy can be used effectively in a variety of settings, including private practice, prisons, nursing homes, detention centers, hospitals, schools, etc. It is particularly effective with at-risk children and adolescents, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations (Franchy, 2011). When animals are used in therapy, it makes it easier for counselors to build positive therapeutic alliances with their clients. Many children and adolescents prefer to communicate in non-verbal ways; therefore, when a counselor brings an animal, such as a dog, into the counseling session, it becomes much easier for a child or adolescent to open up and express their thoughts and feelings by “project[ing] their own feelings onto the dog” (Shallcross, 2011, A Comfortable Relationship section, para. 5). The child or adolescent is more likely to establish a relationship with the dog, which then transfers to a relationship with the counselor. The animal helps clients feel more comfortable with the counselor, which in turn, facilitates more trust, warmth, and acceptance. Animal-assisted therapy “facilitates breakthroughs with clients”...
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...GRADUATE PROGRAM IN COUNSELING MINISTRY SCHOOL OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES AT CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY CBS510 – LAW AND ETHICS FOR CHURCH BASED COUNSELORS GUIDED STUDY, SUMMER, 2016 Aine Bergin, Psy.D. An examination and explanation of current laws and ethical issues affecting Pastoral Counselors and Church Based Counseling applications. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS POLICY * All written assignments must conform to APA style and standards, and it will be necessary for the student to purchase the most current edition of The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY * A petition for Incomplete Work is filed only in cases of extreme and unforeseen emergencies. * Approval for an Incomplete is gained by petition to the dean of the school/college in which the course is offered. * It is the responsibility of the student to initiate and complete the process for incomplete work prior to the end of the semesters. (See CBU Catalog for details.) GRADE CHANGES * Students who believe a grade has been recorded in error have the responsibility to initiate the grade change request with the instructor. * There is a 5-year limit on requests for grade changes based on computation and recording errors. (See CBU Catalog for details.) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES * If you need special accommodations for a disability, you must register with Disabled Student Services to inquire about their services. Disabled Student Services...
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