Professional competence can mean various things to different people. Competency in any career or profession has many basic requirements that are learned in a classroom environment as well as many essential elements that must be learned through formal, on-the-job training in order to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to function adequately as a professional in a workplace setting. Competency in the counseling field is not a ‘once learned, always known’ type of knowledge; it requires a combination of classroom education, internship training to acquire confidence, knowledge, skills, and experience, and an obligation of continuing education on a life-long basis.
Commitment to continuous development of competency depends a great deal on the motivation of the individual, and the extent of self-awareness and honesty he/she has concerning abilities and skills. Accessing one’s personal level of competence could prove to be a daunting task without a focused desire for continued professional development, the help of co-workers, supervisors, continuing education classes, and a genuineness of attitude that isn’t afraid, or resentful of critique. Cultivating an honest understanding of one’s own knowledge or lack of knowledge in certain areas, or even a gap in skills or abilities is crucial to the continuing development of professional competence.
Recommended as supportive tools to help guide evaluations, Corey, Corey and Callahan, cite other colleagues and psychological literature that offer Formative and Summative assessments. These reviews, suggested for use during training and at the completion of a professional program, or when applying for licensure status, “address individual practitioner’s strengths and provid...
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...d willing to recognize and correct errors.”(Ronald M. Epstein & Edward M. Hundert, Downloaded from www.jama.com by guest on August 19, 2008) Maintaining high levels of competence for a lifetime requires self-motivation and self-direction, serious dedication to professionalism and a desire to uphold the standards of the counseling profession, a commitment to one’s personal code of ethics, and a true enjoyment of the quest for learning.
Works Cited
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (2011, 2007 , Eighth Edition). Issues and Ethics in the Helping
Professions. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole; Cengage Learning.
Ronald M. Epstein, M., & Edward M. Hundert, M. (Downloaded from www.jama.com by guest on August
19, 2008). Defining and Assessing Professional Competence. JAMA, Journal of the American Medical
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remember reiterating to myself that I am pursuing a career in the field of counseling, so this
Hood, A.B., & Johnson, R.W. (2007). Assessment in Counseling: A guide to the use of psychological assessment procedures (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Corey, G, Corey, M, & Callanan, P. (2010). Issues and ethics in the helping professions (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Pub Co.
Professional identity is the result of a developmental process that facilitates individuals to reach an understanding of their profession in conjunction with their own self-concept, enabling them to articulate their role, philosophy, and approach to others within and outside of their chosen. As counselors engage in this individually unique growth process, it is hoped that the counseling profession as a whole will be strengthened as its practitioners and educators reach a heightened sense of purpose and a synergistic collective identity, an identity which is still developing within the profession. The term collective identity refers to having shared goals, resources, and aspirations for the profession. In order for individuals to build a personal relationship with their chosen occupation, it is important for a clear foundation to be established. To build this foundation, a professional philosophy must be constructed which clarifies and distinguishes one’s profession from other similar vocations; in this instance, other mental health fields. In counseling, this foundation is thought to be created by establishing clear professional expectations through licensure, streamlined educational programming, professional organizations, and ethical standards that build on an underlying professional philosophy. This article will review current literature and research on professional identity in the counseling field. This review will then be presented in relation to the external evaluation of success within counseling and counselor education and how this evaluation is influenced and internally understood through one’s gender role beliefs and associated societal expectations.
The study findings indicated no substantial variance regarding the personal experience of therapists with the process of therapy and its connection to burnout. The number of therapy sessions (if any) that the therapists had attended, or the focus of their previous therapists had little bearing on the burnout levels of individual therapists. It was understandable to expect therapy to relieve some amount of stress associated with therapeutic practice. However, since the study did not assess whether the respondents were currently undergoing therapy, it was impossible to determine any significant variance between therapists who were currently attending therapy and therapists with past attendance experience.
“Nugent and Jones (2009) defined professional identity as how training and personal characteristics are applied in the professional setting. It was theorized that there was a need for development of a strong professional identity among counselor trainees, because professional identity confusion resulted in several negative consequences when these counselors entered the community workforce (Pistole & Roberts, 2002)”. Counselors play an important role in today’s society. Counseling has evolved through the years into the specialized workforce it is today.
My interest in pursuing a doctorate degree in counseling psychology has been influenced by a combination of life experiences and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Though the path which has led me to this destination is complex, the journey has provided me with the clarity and insight necessary to understand human behavior from a holistic perspective. As I approach the completion of my masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I am faced with the unsettling realization that I have more questions than I do answers. This has fueled my innate desire and motivation to continue challenging myself by attaining a doctorate degree from the University of North Texas.
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (2011). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. (8th
These are the skills and competencies I have learned through my studies at Walden University. Kaslow, Grus, Campbell, & Fouad, et al. (2009) stated professionalism comes from my respect for those who need help. Integrity can be built with confidence in the therapist. Attitudes are charitable, polite, caring emotions toward others that fuel my motivation toward helping.
The need for a continuing professional development is key and essential in one’s career. It helps one to be competent in your profession. It is supposed to be an ongoing process and should continue throughout the professional career. The ultimate results of good and planned continuing professional development is that it protects the public, the employer, the professional and the professional’s career.
McLeod, J. and McLeod, J. (2011) Counselling skills: A practical guide for counsellors and helping professionals, 2nd editions, New York: McGraw Hill
Continued reflection on the assessment of one’s counseling practice is an essential part of not only the practicum experience by any level of counseling
Ed. David Zieve. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 Feb. 2014. Web. The Web.
Continuing professional development is important for the individual because it ensures they continue to be knowledgeable
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