Question Description
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Definitions, implication, incidence, risk factors, characterisistics, and prevention are described as outlined in the instructions and with an appropriate level of detail. A clear definition of counselor impairment is provided. This sections is 4 pages. |
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A meaningful discussion of the results and reflection from assessments is provided. In addition, an indentification of a comprehensive plan to address personal professional wellness is developed. This section is 2 pages. |
The abstract is centered in upper-case and lower-case letters. |
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Spelling and grammar are correct. Sentences are complete, clear, and concise. Paragraphs contain appropriately varied sentence structures. References are cited in current APA format. |
Counselor Impairment And Wellness Paper Instructions
OVERVIEW
In more recent years, the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) have recognized that professional counselors, like all helping professions, are at a higher risk for burnout, vicarious trauma, and impairment. The purpose of the Counselor Impairment and Wellness Paper is for you to be able to objectively explain issues that arise from being a professional counselor and how to mitigate those through personal wellness and self-care strategies.
INSTRUCTIONS
For this assignment, you will:
- Write a 6 page paper in current APA format including a running head, title page, abstract, and reference page. The abstract must provide a brief, but detailed, overview of the paper in 150250 words. The title page, abstract, and reference page do not contribute toward the page requirement.
- Your paper should address the following:
- Define Impairment (this should include a discussion of how and why counselors become impaired, what that impairment looks like, and how it can impact the practice of counseling). This section should be 2 pages long.
- Implications of Impairment including a discussion of ethical misconduct, specifically noting the most frequently occurring ethical violations in your state [the article below will give some guidance but you are also strongly encouraged to research this on your states counseling board website]). This section should be 1 page long.
- Impairment Prevention (this should include a discussion of what counselors can do to protect against impairment). This section should be 1 page long.
- Wellness Plan and Reflection (this section can be written in 1st person). You will assess your own risks and develop a personal wellness plan. This section should be 2 pages long. Begin by taking the following assessments:
- Stress Reactions Inventory
- Self-Care Assessment, Self-Care Life Pie Worksheet, and Self-Care Social Support Worksheet.
- Discuss the results of the assessments and in what ways you see your results reflecting your current life.
- Develop a Wellness Plan as a result of your assessments. Include reflections of the following question:
- In addition to the textbook reading and chapter video, visit the American Counseling Association website (https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas) and its journal, VISTAS, and read the following articles:
- Ahia, C.E. & Boccone, P.J. (2017). Licensure board actions against professional counselors: Implicationsfor counselor training. VISTAS. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas.
- Hunter, S.T. (2016). Beyond the breaking point: Examining the pieces of counselor burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondhand depression. VISTAS. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas.
- Listen to this podcast: Smith, J. (Producer). (2020, January 28). EP155: The Quest for Wellness A Conversation with Dr. Gerard Lawson [Audio Podcast]. The Thoughtful Counselor. Retrieved from https://wp.me/p7R6fn-Xct. *The views in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Liberty University.
