The paper will summarize the roles and responsibilities of a behavioral health counselor and provide current models of wellness and resiliency. Behavioral health counselors must be able to function in a face-paced primary care environment. Wellness and Resiliency Model When working with diverse populations it is vital as counselors to consider the whole person and be sensitive to cultural norms during the delivery of treatment services (“The role,” n.d.). This process can be confusing to clients and counselors provide structure to the nature and purpose of counseling. During the assessment phase of treatment, counselors distinguish the presenting problem, nature, severity, and duration of the consumer (Gladding and Newsome, 2013). As well as assess the level of readiness and motivation for change and be knowledgeable with tasks and interventions strategies on each level of development with age, gender, cultural background, psychosocial stressors, and level of functioning. For example, resistant consumers who are court ordered to attend treatment can either enhance or detract physically, psychologically, and emotionally by physical settings. Some methods used by counselors can anticipate, accept and strengthen relationship, use persuasion, or confront the situation with resistant clients depending on counselor training (Gladding and Newsome, 2013). It is important counselors provide the most effective treatment, especially with interventions and techniques, through empirical evidence of efficacy of counseling. It is the responsibility of counselors to integrate research and practice of intervention selected coincides with standards of care. In Washington State, regional support networks are established to determine membersh... ... middle of paper ... ...l Justice Advocacy Similar?: Exploring the Perceptions of Professional Counselors and Counseling Students. Journal for social action in counseling and psychology, vol. 2(2), 106-123 Promoting and protecting healthy communities (2003). National League of Cities. Retrieved from http://www.naccho.org/advocacy/resources/upload/city-official-guide.pdf The role of the mental health counselor (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_6100580_role-mental-health-counselors.html Understanding health information privacy (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/index.html Washington State Legislature (n.d). Regional support networks. Retrieved from http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=71.24.300 Washington State Legislature (n.d.). Streamlining delivery system. Retrieved from http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=71.24.400
“Cultural competence is the ability to engage in actions or create conditions that maximize the optimal development of client and client systems” (Sue & Sue, 2013, p. 49). Multicultural competence includes a counselor to be aware of his or her biases, knowledge of the culture they are evaluating, and skills to evaluate a client with various backgrounds (Sue & Sue, 2013). Client assessment involves gathering information pertaining to the client’s condition. Making a culturally responsive diagnosis involves using the DSM-IV-TR axis (Hays, 2008). Following the axis backwards is ideal to discovering the client’s diagnosis, understanding the client’s ADDRESSING outline will help to come to a closer resolution for a diagnosis.
Counselors today face the task of how to appropriately counsel multicultural clients. Being sensitive to cultural variables can be conceptualized as holding a cultural lens to human behavior and making allowances for the possibility of cultural influence. However, to avoid stereotyping, it is important that the clinician recognize the existence of within-group differences as well as the influence of the client’s own personal culture and values (Furman, Negi, Iwamoto, Shukraft, & Gragg, 2009). One’s background is not always black or white and a counselor needs to be able to discern and adjust one’s treatment plan according to their client.
During the initial interview with the client a new format is used called the Cultural Case Formulation. This takes into account the cultural identity of the person, their cultural definitions of distress, and cultural stressors. Psychosocial stressors are included which can be unique to each culture and the level that a person identifies with their culture can be taken into account when treatment planning. By assessing a client's cultural identity this may allow the clinician to identify barriers or commonalities between themselves and the
Another concern that counselors struggle with for both individual and group counseling, is maintaining appropriate records (Crespi, 2009). State...
Counselors are very dependent on the research of others. Counselors are among many who are responsible for producing evidence based practice. Counselors have a responsibility to be eager and capable of locating and using evidence based interventions. Research reports are used to help summarize the findings of different types of research in the counseling profession. The results of a research report should summarize the findings of the research. According to Sheperis, Young, and Daniels 2010, “it should be easy for the reader to connect the findings with the stated research questions and to determine whether the finding support or refute your hypothesis” (p.239). The following are two challenges that the counseling profession is faced with when it comes to outcome research: (1) producing sufficient volumes of evidence and (2) being able to find, interpret, and use the evidence from previous research. These challenges place a limit on the variety of interventions that are available to the counseling profession. One intervention that works for one child, might not produce the same results for another child. So it is very important that research provides information that is useful and effective. The lack of studies makes it more challenging to determine whether or not an intervention is an effective solution that will improve a student’s behavior or academics. “Ultimately, regardless of how effective a counselor may be, if the problems are not properly measured and assessed, intervention is disadvantaged and treatment is comprised” (Sheperis, Young, & Daniels, 2010, p. 3). In order to best serve clients we have to complete comprehensive research and use the results to the advantage of the client.
When advocating for the success of a client when utilizing this theory, a counselor must be prepared to identify and eliminate barriers, prejudices, oppression, and discrimination that may create a psychological obstruction in the client. Learning culturally-competent counseling practices and current theoretical approaches while practicing self-reflection will help the counselor acquire the skills necessary to engage with a diverse clientele. Strategies such as; identifying cultural differences, understanding and addressing issues in the counseling process, the counselor’s ability to understand self, and ongoing education are all important strategies in combating oppression and eliminating barriers.
...ives from the implementation of an empathic, hopeful continuous treatment relationship, which provides integrated treatment and coordination of care through the course of multiple treatment episodes” (Watkins, 2015). Whether, confronted with a substance use disorder, gambling or sex addiction the way in which a counselor work with the client in an open helpful manner is the key to motivating the client to change their behaviors. “A man convinced against his will, Is of the same opinion still” (Carnegie, 1981). The most piece of the helping relationship is that the client is the lead in their care, as they are the ones that will be making the decisions for their care. A counselor is essentially a trained skillful teacher that guides an individual toward their best recovery options and it is up to the individual to make the needed changes in their life and behaviors.
It is a privilege to interview veteran therapists who are exiting the counseling arena after a long career in the profession. I was honored to shadow Lea Keylon, a seasoned counselor, who on the eve of retirement set aside time for a student interview. The enlightening interview opened my understanding to the importance of proper diagnostic coding for insurance reimbursements, the financial struggles of private practice, and the poignant effect of forensic counseling on therapist (L. Keylon, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Lea was eager to share her counseling accounts; however, the excitement of retirement planning could be seen in her demeanor. Private practice requires self-discipline, constant research for legislative changes, peer support and consultation, time management, tenacity, and patience. The encounter with Lea impressed the importance to surround myself with colleagues that are enthusiastic about learning and continuing education opportunities, to hire assistance for time-consuming administrative task, and adequately assess a proper caseload that will sustain my counseling practice and without avoid counselor burn out (L. Keylon, personal communication, March 26, 2010).
. Supporting the mental health of clients, and the underrepresented groups they may identify with, is part of the BAE therapeutic process and goes beyond the therapy room. The BAE counseling process incorporates a social justice approach in session by integrating cultural factors into treatment planning such as, selecting culturally appropriate screening and assessment tools and endorse a collaborative approach in facilitating interviews, conducting assessments, and planning treatment. It has been conceptualized in the BAE counseling process that a counselor has the professional responsibility to promote social justice both via and in their work. In other words, BAE counseling services can be a vehicle for bring about positive social
Collaboration is an important indicator of the liklihood of change occuring. When the counselors and client can cooperate resistance does not occur.
This paper will discuss the following 4 Core Functions of a Counselor: Case Management, Client Education, Crisis Intervention, Referral and their primary purposes.
It is interesting to note according to Raskin et al. ( 2011), “Our basic practice [client centered therapy] remains true to the core conditions no matter who our client may be. We also assert that our ability to form an initial therapeutic relationship depends on our own openness to and appreciation of respect for all kinds of difference” (p. 183). I believe that the cultural diversity that CCT maintains is important in a multiplicity open therapeutic environment. The implications for a non discriminatory form of therapy are that it can be used across populations. This allows for broader use of this theory and the chances for positive outcomes is increased because the availability.
Social justice in counseling involves advocating for a person or a group of people so that they can better voice their needs and fight against the injustices they have endured individually or in their communities (Crethar, & Winterowd, 2012). Social justice requires multiple levels of activities such as: advocacy, raising awareness, and legislative influence. Counselors are in a ideal position to initiate change and be an advocate for individuals while engaging on these other levels, people involved in social justice are often referred to as “change agents” (Brackette et al., 2015, p.
The counselor accomplishes the above by expressing empathy, developing discrepancies, going along with resistance and supporting self-efficacy. Moreover, the counselor guides the client toward a solution that will lead to permanent posi...
There are multiple structures of that can be applied to the counselling process, ranging from the basic idea of a beginning, middle and end to a more structured approach as that proposed by Egan (1994). Although his initial structure offered three main components; Stage 1, exploring the situation, stage 2, identifying a new or desired scenario to strive for and stage 3, the action stage, in which methods of coping are devised of and implemented. Egan later devised a ten stage structure that still takes into account initial stages from the speakers perspective of identifying a problem and seeking help, within this structure stage 4 is the initial meeting of the counsellor and client and can be considered the beginning stage of the helping re...