Self-Reflection and Self-Care Plan 1
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Plan
Cynthia Carodine
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Author Note
Cynthia Carodine
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Cynthia Carodine
Email: [email protected]
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Plan 2
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Plan
Feedback Received
Working in both my small and large groups during this semester allowed me to get the
necessary counseling skills to assist others. After almost twelve years of experience in the
classroom, I can see a lot of parallels between counseling and teaching. I have, however, been able
to identify both my communication skills and flaws after taking this program. I found that the
comments I received from my peers regarding my active listening abilities, my excellent memory
of material from earlier lessons, and my ability to genuinely connect all the skills were very useful.
My group did a great job highlighting my strengths. However, during some of our live sessions I
could see how we noticed the need to be cautious with paraphrasing as we were changing the
language. Additionally, I struggled with focusing on the topic and not problem-solving in my first
couple of sessions.
Christian Worldview
The extent to which this course improved my relationship surprised me. I can answer
questions about how to serve people or about my faith in Christ so fast when they are posed. I
discovered via this class's practice that I was becoming a more reflective listener at work and in
relationships than I had previously been. Unlike often, I was able to listen to my significant other
without interjecting. I was also able to discover from my classmates the significance of their faith
in their lives. It was really comforting and invigorating to be with people who rely on the Lord for
guidance. Reading more about the various ways that a Christian worldview can be beneficial in
therapeutic relationships will help me in my ongoing efforts to integrate it. My class book,
Integration of the Christian Worldview, is still with me. I'll have to dedicate some time to going
over a few of the chapters again and locating other information from knowledgeable Christian
counselors.
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Plan 3
Counselor Self-Care
The paradox of my self-care is that I want my clients to strengthen their relationships,
have time alone with their spouses, and receive some relief. I consider myself to be in generally
good health. I know how to keep my personal and professional lives apart, and I have strong
boundaries. I could, however, improve my work-life balance. I usually prioritize my partner's
needs over mine, and I don't always make time for myself. Furthermore, my fears are not under
my control. During those times, I should pray more. I will set aside one day each week for
myself to support my well-being while I work and participate in the program. For an hour or two,
I can do anything that makes me happy. I'll also start working out regularly again because that's
when I was happiest—after I established a solid exercise regimen and balanced work schedule.
I'll also keep eating well and make an effort to cook more. I discovered that, when my life is in
balance, cooking serves as a kind of therapy for me. When cooking becomes more like a chore
than a task, I know my life is out of balance. To fully focus on friends or family, I also turn off
and put away my phone when I'm with them.
Next Step for Skills
My reflection on my skills has been aided by various insightful realizations that I have
received during the process of self- and peer-evaluation. A few things that needed work,
according to the feedback, were to paraphrase more succinctly, make a connection to the
session's goal, and stop fixing problems. Upon reviewing the video of my practice sessions, I
have found that this feedback has been the most helpful. Because I can now see which skills
require improvement, this has made me more competent during my counseling practice sessions.
I'll keep developing my talents by going to lessons, keeping up with my studies, and getting
feedback from practice sessions. In terms of my counseling abilities, I currently have high self-
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Plan 4
efficacy and self-esteem, mostly because I have witnessed a lot of growth and because I am
aware of how much more growth I still require Since it can be challenging to recognize what you
have not learned or experienced, I was able to identify my deficiencies thanks to the comments I
received. This is where I was able to benefit from the feedback. While I continue to practice, I
will continue to make improvements in addition to the ones I made during the semester. I was
able to get better at paraphrasing by being concise rather than just restating the client's words. As
I go through the program, I aim to keep learning how to employ immediacy and self-disclosure.
Self-Reflection and Self-Care Plan 5
