The main components related to counselor self-care
The counselors should prioritize themselves in a physical, mental, and spiritually healthy life. The physical component of counselor self-care takes into consideration aspects that affect the counselor physiologically. These aspects could include diet, exercise, sleep, and rest (Coaston, 2017). The counselor should stick to a healthy diet that improves immunity. Exercise after long hours of sitting improves physical well-being. The counselor should engage in a thirty-minute walking exercise daily.
Adequate rest and sleep are important for people working in stressful fields such as counseling. Studies show that lack of causes irreversible damage to brain cells (Coaston, 2017). The counselor should have a regular sleep schedule and include relaxation hours in their daily activities. Counselor mental self-care depicts taking care of his or her mind. The component takes care of the mental and emotional health of the counselor.
Taking care of ones’ mental health is salient in preventing a cognitive and chemical decline in the brain (Coaston, 2017). When stressed, the counselor should adapt to talking to a friend to help alienate the mental torture heshe is undergoing. The counselor’s self-care spiritual component accounts for the counselor’s psychology and spirituality, and it is significant even though they are religious or not. If the counselor accords to a specific faith, his spiritual aspect could be developed. Spirituality can be associated with how the counselor develops attachment with others and to a superior being. To grow spiritually, the counselors should stick to their beliefs and values to grow spiritually.
As a counselor, I plan to maintain my self-care by scheduling my activities as per my physiological, mental, and spiritual well-being. I will stick to a balanced diet meal comprising vegetables, fruits, and water. In a day, I will take thirty minutes-walk or running. My sleep schedule will consist of at least seven hours, and in between the day, I will have reading sessions to help in relaxation. In case of stress, I plan to talk to my fellow counselors, friends, and family members. I plan to attend masses every Sunday and take part in church activities to support others.
The special considerations regarding healthcare organizations, insurance, and counseling practice, and their necessity
Regarding healthcare organizations, insurance, and counseling practice, the practitioner must consider the ethical and legal issues, autonomy and beneficence aspects, and the financial and professional resources. In the medical and counseling profession, autonomy is the component of the patient having complete control over his physical, emotional, and mental health (Morris et al., 2020). The decision to seek treatment, where to receive the care, and whom he or she gets the care from is an independent decision made by the patient only. Beneficence charges the care providers with giving care that should benefit the client.
Healthcare organization, insurance, and counseling practice should be considered as an investment. For value improvement, the practitioners will have to invest money, time, and technical skills. Having people who have specialized in these fields provides a focus on the area of interest. In servicing the three aspects, time is salient in achieving required standards. Practitioners in either of them should be ready to sacrifice their time freedom and work extra hours.
Finances play a role in acquiring materials and equipment used in the treatment and hiring other professionals to assist when the need arises. Each practitioner in healthcare, insurance, and counseling has a responsibility to uphold trust from everyone. To have public trust, one has to uphold high ethical and legal morality (Morris et al., 2020). Professional responsibility requires the caregiver to maintain patient confidentiality and maintain a formal relationship.
Practitioners need to have insurance policies that will protect them in any eventuality. Breaking any ethical rule and right of the patient can lead to a lawsuit and legal penalty. Being insured will guarantee security and compensation in any accident or legal lawsuits. Observing the ethical and legal issues, financial issues, and patient autonomy is vital in practice. The considerations are necessary for ensuring that the care provided is of the required standards. These considerations also protect both the practitioner and the client by ensuring that their interactions meet the required ethical requirements. By observing the requirements, the caregiver will be able to act in accordance with his/her training.
How counseling practice is different between community agencies, group practice, and private practice
Community, group, and private practice in counseling aim at one goal of helping the clients heal from their suffering, and each has its mode of operation that is different from the others. Community counseling takes the services to community residents, unlike the other methods. It takes different forms, and it offers its services in venues such as schools, churches, and business centers, all of which are closer to the clients. Services provided by community counselors are more specialized and have more comprehensive coverage (Scheel et al., 2018). It uses many counseling specialists and often targets large populations. Group counseling practice, on the other hand, has an entirely different form of exercise.
A group practice takes the form of belonging to a circle of support people. It also employs the technique of human connections where the clients and counselors understand what every member is undergoing and offering support to them. The practice involves a small group of counselors and another group of clients, and the primary method is everyone sharing their stories openly as everyone listens to you.
Private practice counseling is entirely different from both community and group as it sticks to client confidentiality strictly between the counselor and the client. The private practice operates from specific locations such as their offices, and they use their schedules (Scheel et al., 2018). The client is attended only by one practitioner who maintains complete privacy of the client’s information. In private practice, there is little supervisor, and therefore, for effective therapy, the counselor has to be highly competent.
As a counselor, I would prefer working in group practice because of the advantages it offers. Group practice enables the members to get to learn what others are also going through. The other clients also serve as role models to others, thereby facilitating healing. Group practice is also very affordable because the few resources can be devoted to serving all the clients at once. Improved outcome of the process is assured because of teamwork with other counselors in more complicated cases. As a counselor, group practice also gives me an opportunity of learning from other counselors.
References
Coaston, S. C. (2017). Self-Care through Self-Compassion: A Balm for Burnout. Professional Counselor, 7(3), 285-297.
Morris, E. R., Lindley, L., & Galupo, M. P. (2020). “Better issues to focus on”: Transgender Microaggressions as Ethical Violations in Therapy. The Counseling Psychologist, 48(6), 883-915.
Scheel, M. J., Stabb, S. D., Cohn, T. J., Duan, C., & Sauer, E. M. (2018). Counseling psychology model training program. The Counseling Psychologist, 46(1), 6-49.