Professional Development

Philosophy of counseling

My guiding theoretical orientation and beliefs about the counseling relationship.

Content coming soon

Clinical skills and theory development

Growth in clinical technique and applied counseling theory.

Content coming soon

Research and scholarly activity

Coursework, research, and scholarly contributions.

Content coming soon

Professional service, leadership & advocacy

Service to the profession and advocacy on behalf of clients.

Content coming soon

Mentorship

Mentors who have shaped my training, and mentoring I provide to others.

Content coming soon

Wellness plan and self-care

I prioritize maintaining a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, balanced meals, adequate sleep, and preventive medical care...

Part 1

Frequency Rating Scale

5Frequently

4Occasionally

3Rarely

2Never

1It never occurred to me

Physical Self-Care

9 items

Score	Strategy / Activity	Frequency
5	Eat regular healthy meals (e.g., breakfast, lunch, and dinner)	Frequently
5	Exercise	Frequently
5	Get regular medical care for prevention	Frequently
5	Get medical care when needed	Frequently
5	Take time off when needed	Frequently
5	Participate in a hobby you enjoy	Frequently
5	Get enough sleep	Frequently
5	Take vacations, day trips, or mini-vacations	Frequently
4	Make time away from technology	Occasionally

Psychological Self-Care

9 items

Score	Strategy / Activity	Frequency
5	Make time for self-reflection	Frequently
5	Have your own personal psychotherapy	Frequently
3	Write in a journal	Rarely
5	Do something at which you are not an expert or in charge	Frequently
4	Decrease stress in your life	Occasionally
5	Notice your inner experience—listen to your thoughts, judgments, beliefs, attitudes, and feelings	Frequently
5	Engage your intelligence in a new area (e.g., go to an art museum, history exhibit, sports event, auction, or theater performance)	Frequently
5	Practice receiving from others	Frequently
4	Say “no” to extra responsibilities sometimes	Occasionally

Emotional Self-Care

7 items

Score	Strategy / Activity	Frequency
5	Spend time with others whose company you enjoy	Frequently
5	Stay in contact with important people in your life	Frequently
5	Give yourself affirmations, praise yourself	Frequently
5	Identify comforting activities, objects, people, relationships, places, and seek them out	Frequently
5	Allow yourself to cry	Frequently
5	Find things that make you laugh	Frequently
4	Express your outrage in social action, letters and donations, marches, and protests	Occasionally

Spiritual Self-Care

14 items

Score	Strategy / Activity	Frequency
2	Make time for spiritual reflection	Never
2	Spend time with nature, see what God created	Never
2	Find a spiritual connection or community	Never
4	Be open to inspiration	Occasionally
5	Cherish your optimism and hope	Frequently
5	Be aware of nonmaterial aspects of life	Frequently
5	Be open to not knowing	Frequently
5	Identify what is meaningful to you and notice its place in your life	Frequently
5	Meditate	Frequently
2	Pray	Never
5	Sing	Frequently
5	Have experiences of awe	Frequently
5	Contribute to causes in which you believe	Frequently
5	Read inspirational literature (talks, music, etc.)	Frequently

Workplace or Professional Self-Care

9 items

Score	Strategy / Activity	Frequency
5	Take a break during the workday (e.g., lunch)	Frequently
5	Take time to chat with co-workers	Frequently
5	Make quiet time to complete tasks	Frequently
5	Identify projects or tasks that are exciting and rewarding	Frequently
4	Set limits with your clients and colleagues	Occasionally
4	Balance your caseload so that no one day or part of a day is “too much”	Occasionally
4	Arrange your workspace so it is comfortable and comforting	Occasionally
5	Get regular supervision or consultation	Frequently
5	Have a peer support group	Frequently

Balance

2 items

Score	Strategy / Activity	Frequency
4	Strive for balance within your work-life and workday	Occasionally
4	Strive for balance among work, family, relationships, play, and rest	Occasionally

Part 2

1. In what specific areas have you noticed strengths in your self-care? Explain.

After completing my self-care assessment, I noticed that my greatest strengths are in physical, emotional, and psychological self-care. I prioritize maintaining a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, balanced meals, adequate sleep, and preventive medical care. I also make time for hobbies and activities that I enjoy, which help me manage stress and maintain my overall well-being. Emotionally, I value spending time with family and friends, maintaining meaningful relationships, and allowing myself to express my feelings. Another important strength is self-awareness. I regularly reflect on my thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, which helps me recognize when I need to make adjustments. Professionally, I value supervision, peer support, and positive relationships with colleagues. I believe these habits contribute to my emotional resilience and help me maintain a healthy mindset while developing my skills as a counselor-in-training.

2. What growth areas are you noticing? What healthy strategies will support your development?

My self-care assessment helped me identify several areas where I can continue growing, particularly spiritual self-care, stress management, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Although I practice meditation, stay optimistic, and value meaningful experiences, I recognize that I rarely make time for spiritual reflection, connecting with nature, or participating in a spiritual community. I would like to become more intentional about incorporating these activities into my routine. Additionally, balancing academic responsibilities, professional commitments, and personal life can sometimes become challenging. To support my development, I plan to establish clearer boundaries, become more comfortable saying no to additional responsibilities, and schedule regular time for relaxation and outdoor activities. I also want to improve my consistency with journaling as a way to process emotions and reflect on my experiences. These strategies can help me prevent burnout and maintain emotional balance.

Philosophy of counseling

Clinical skills and theory development

Research and scholarly activity

Professional service, leadership & advocacy

Mentorship

Wellness plan and self-care