SELF-REFLECTION AND SELF-CARE EVALUATION PLAN 1
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Evaluation Plan Assignment
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Evaluation Plan
As a clinician, you must be confident in your abilities and well-prepared. I've acquired a
number of counseling techniques this semester, had the chance to put them into practice, and
gotten feedback. My development has been greatly aided by my ability to consider the criticism
and put the knowledge to use. I've discovered the importance of self-care by working hard on
this learning process. A good self-care strategy is the cure for these detrimental effects because
counselors are prone to stress, burnout, and professional impairment.
SELF-REFLECTION AND SELF-CARE EVALUATION PLAN 2
Feedback Received
During the weekly sessions with my triad group this semester, I got great suggestions and
constructive criticism from the members of my triad and my professor. These productive
discussions have improved my abilities and will be very helpful to me as I get ready for my
practicum next month. I developed an amazing bond with my triad group, and we were able to
thoroughly examine our sessions and have great conversations both before and after our
roleplaying. In the beginning, I really struggled with asking too many questions. When talking to
a client, I struggled with being concise in while paraphrasing what I heard the client say. I also
struggled with resting my face in my hand during the course of the session with my client. The
feedback that I received what that it made me appear board on uninterested in our
conversation. Over the course of the semester and triad practices, I learned to be succinct in
when paraphrasing, focusing on me important details of what my client had shared. I found it
difficult to sit in silence; I felt the need to fill the space with commentary. I also had habit of
resting my face in my hand really made me aware of how my body language could be off-
putting. It forced me to focus on eye contact, tone of voice, and facial expressions which led to
me improving areas of empathy, immediacy, nonjudgment, and attentive listening to become
more proficient as a counselor. The work that I have put into improving over this course helped
me by honing my skills and being more at ease in the job of counselor. I never had any
disagreements with the criticism I got from my group members or my professor. All things
considered, the time I spent with my trio was helpful for my development as a future counselor.
Christian Worldview
This course and the courses I have previously taken have pushed me to understand more
about the principles that guide me as a counseling student and future counselor. There are little
to no difficulties between my Christian worldview and my training and convictions as a
counselor. I would like to think that I have been receptive to other people's opinions and ideas,
but this coursework has allowed me to see that receptiveness is only the beginning. Integrating
SELF-REFLECTION AND SELF-CARE EVALUATION PLAN 3
my Christian worldview with the practice of being a counselor takes real, continuous work. It is
on me to ensure that I continue education long after my degree is earned. Education must be
lifelong both as a counselor and as a Christian. Nonetheless, I do think this Clinical Mental
Health Counseling coursework has allowed me to identify that I do not want to limit myself to
only being a Christian counselor. Clients need counselors that are there to assist them regardless
of their spiritual or religious beliefs. My goal is to apply the knowledge I have gained about
research and evidence-based practices to my clinical work. I want to share my acts of
compassion and grace with everyone I encounter as I work to seek the Lord in both my life and
my therapy. When I first started this degree, I was intimidated by this coursework and the
responsibilities that come along with it. However, that fear has turned into determination and
excitement. I always think of the scripture, 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV), “For God gave us a spirit not of
fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Counselor Self-Care
I've accepted the possibility of stress and burnout as I move closer to my goal of
becoming a counselor in the future. My ability to function as a counselor and help people to
good mental health will depend on how I handle the challenges in my everyday life. I've known
since graduate school how important it is to take care of oneself. I am failing myself and the
people I am devoted to serving when I disregard my wellness and self-care. I am aware of my
tendency to overcommit to demands and requests from relatives, close associates, coworkers,
and supervisors.
Total health and wellness are extremely important. “The Hurting Counselor” detailed the
importance of counselor self-care, how that can be achieved, and the consequences of not
having a plan for dedicated self-care. It spoke about the responsibility of supervisors and the
importance of maintaining supervision. It also mentioned counselors having a counselor for
themselves, knowing your limits, and the importance of exercising, eating right, and resting. I
agree that all these things are important. I think the practice and the supervisor that I have
SELF-REFLECTION AND SELF-CARE EVALUATION PLAN 4
chosen to complete Practicum and Internship understand the importance of counselor self-care
so much so that they are closed on Fridays specifically for counselor self-care days. It is listed on
their website, and we discussed it at length in my interview. Exercising, eating right and resting
are all things that are required in my current profession that I will continue to practice as a
counselor. I can improve on spending dedicated time with myself doing something that I enjoy
that also rejuvenates and relaxes me. The one dedicated activity that I will start back doing is
practicing aerial silks. It is an amazing way to relieve stress, be active, and it is something I
greatly enjoy.
Next Steps for Skills
By taking part in peer and self-evaluations, I have discovered the value of quietness, and
I have also learned the power of constructive feedback. I've observed how frequently people
require vocal processing of their feelings and to be heard. I learned that I do not have to fill
every second with conversation to avoid the uncomfortableness that might come with it. I have
observed that when I apply the skills that I have learned in triad practice group meetings
coupled with the feedback that I have received, I begin to trust myself more with employing the
knowledge learned. I am still very much in the learning stages, but I am becoming more
comfortable and confident with each lesson learned. There is an importance of knowing when
to ask questions and what type of questions to ask. Clients can delve deeper and steer the
conversation in the direction it needs to go by concentrating on asking open-ended questions.
Sometimes, when we let our clients sit in silence, they realize that they have more to say. This
process has taught me that when I feel uncomfortable or unsure of myself, I start to ramble.
Trusting myself and my skills is a process that I am continuing to work on daily. When I'm
counseling, I doubt myself. Having Dr. Dumont supervise our sessions really made me strive to
put my best foot forward and employ the skills that I had been taught. Her feedback reinforced
that of my classmates which made me reflect on my paraphrasing skills and using door openers
and encourages instead of filling silence with questions. Supervision encouraged me to use
SELF-REFLECTION AND SELF-CARE EVALUATION PLAN 5
immediacy when counseling my client and really focus on reflection of content, feeling, and
meaning. She also challenged me as a student counselor to use challenging skills with my
student client. All of the feedback that I received from Dr. Dumont and my triad group helped
me to be a better counselor and become more comfortable at using the skills that I was taught.
Reference
English Standard Version (2025). BibleGateway.com. https:/www.biblegateway.com (Original
work published 2001).
