Introduction
In order to become successful as a professional counselor, firstly, I would need to complete my studies and get a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in counseling. As well as that, I would have to complete field experience and pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counsellor Examination.
Discussion
A good counselor should possess great listening and empathy skills, a non-judgemental attitude, and an ability to cope with emotional situations. I am confident that I have all those qualities that enable me to become a counselor. Undertaking my pre-master’s field experience at a local counseling office has influenced me to thrive and put more effort into pursuing counseling as a career. As a result of that field experience, I have witnessed the positive aspects of therapy and how it changes lives in a positive way. Moreover, I am interested in psychology, and seeing people leave their therapist’s office looking lighter and freer gives me a sense of purpose. I believe that counseling is virtuous because it helps people with their emotional struggles. Counseling not only gives me a sense of meaning but also motivates me to serve the community.
The American Counseling Association (ACA) is an educational, scientific, and professional organization whose members work in various settings and serve in multiple capacities. According to ACA, “counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals” (2014). ACA Code of Ethics Preamble 2014 centers on six ethical principles of the counseling profession. These principles include autonomy, no maleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity (ACA, 2014). I am going to further focus on the principle of autonomy or fostering the right to control the direction of one’s life.
Autonomy is the principle that is aimed at respect for independence. The main idea of this principle is to allow a patient the freedom of choice and action. According to ACA (2014), “it states the responsibility of the counselor to encourage clients, when appropriate, to make their own decisions and to act on their own values.” However, there are two considerations that a counselor should contemplate before encouraging clients to be autonomous.
First, as a counselor, I should explain to my clients that their decisions and actions should not impose on the rights of others, and they should be respectful to the community around them. They should think about how their actions might affect those around them, and only afterward, they should make a decision. Encouraging patients to make decisions signals trust in the patient, may strengthen patients’ sense of agency, and can conceivably play a role in improving outcomes (Blease et al., 2020). Therefore, by trusting my patients to make their decisions I also encourage them to trust me. This could have positive effects on the therapy sessions and the treatment as an outcome. Moreover, autonomy will help the patients to develop their self-confidence and mindfulness in their decision-making process. Thus, by encouraging my patient to make their own decisions, I will also help them build their confidence, mindfulness, and trust.
The second consideration is related to the client’s ability to make sound and rational decisions. According to ACA (2014), “persons not capable of making competent choices, such as children and some individuals with mental disabilities, should not be allowed to act on decisions that could harm themselves or others.” As a consultant, it is my job to identify and establish if a patient can make sound decisions. If they cannot, then it is my responsibility to talk them out of it and make necessary arrangements (such as talking to their guardian) so the patient will not be able to harm themselves or others. In this case, I might encourage their guardian to take part in the therapy to encourage the progress of the sessions. However, the participation of the guardian should only happen with the consent of the patient. Moreover, I would have to instruct the guardian as to how to proceed with the patient’s autonomy in the future. The autonomy principle requires vast levels of professionalism from the counselor because it is their responsibility to determine whether to encourage the patient to make their own decisions or not.
Conclusion
Counseling is not an easy profession; it is emotionally draining and requires the individual to take a lot of responsibility for their patient’s future. However, I believe that counseling is one of the most rewarding professions out there because it enables me to give back to society and help those around me. The feeling and idea of seeing someone happy and content after his or her session with the counselor is the main motivator for me. The concept of patient autonomy is important to me because it requires sound judgment and professionalism from the counselor. It is extremely important to identify whether the patient is able to make sound decisions or not. If the patient is well able to act independently, then it is my job to encourage that and help the treatment to develop in a positive way. Overall, being a counselor requires high levels of competency, but it is the most rewarding profession.
References
American Counseling Association (2014). Code of Ethics. American Counselling Association. Web.
Blease, C. R., Walker, J., Torous, J., & O’Neill, S. (2020). Sharing clinical notes in psychotherapy: a new tool to strengthen patient autonomy. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, 1095. Web.