A Solution-Focused Approach to Group Dynamics in Counseling: Or, Sister Hazel Explains It All For You

In grad school, stars don't often align in such a way that you may research the same topic for separate papers due at roughly the same time. But, in Spring 2011, that happened. So, pragmatist that I am, I seized the opportunity to write two papers on SFBT. Here is the first. I have been trained to use SFBT techniques in every job I've held throughout my 7 year career in mental health, including my current job.

A Solution-Focused Approach to Group Dynamics in Counseling:

Or, Sister Hazel Explains It All For You

David Johnson

University of San Diego

School of Leadership and Education Sciences

COUN 525 Group Dynamics in Counseling

March 2, 2011

The Solution-Focused Approach: What Is It, Exactly?

             Everyone has problems. Some big; some small. If you are lucky, you know the source of your problem and can face it head-on with courage and resolve. Other times, a problem only manifests unexpectedly and may suddenly disappear, rocking your world until it shatters, leaving in its wake only broken dreams and shards of hope. The good news is that, in the history of the counseling profession, scholars and therapists have developed a variety of different ways of helping clients understand their problems. The logic is that once a client identifies the problem, the client and therapist can then begin to work on a corresponding solution together. The bad news is that the hunting down the source of a problem can be a cumbersome exhausting effort for both client and therapist. Perhaps what is needed is a “Change of Mind.”

             The Solution-Focused approach offers an alternative to the problem-sorting process in counseling. A leading European counselor who trains professionals in this particular approach offers one definition: “The Solution-Focused Approach builds upon clients’ resources. It aims to help clients achieve their preferred outcomes by evoking and co-constructing solutions to their problems” (O’Connell, 2001, as cited in O’Connell & Parker, 2003).  The Solution-Focused approach, also called Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), is distinguished by three main elements: a.) its social constructivist theoretical world view, b). orientation towards solutions in the future/present as opposed to problems in the past, and c.) its reliance upon client’s own internal resources or competencies (Cepeda & Davenport, 2006).

First, it is important to acknowledge that SFBT is not a theory, per se. In other words, the Solution-Focused approach does not provide an account for why people behave in a particular way (Sharf, 2008). Rather, the techniques involved in delivering SFBT as a therapeutic intervention are based on social constructivism (United States Department of Justice, 2011). Second, as the name implies, it focuses on solutions – what O’Connell (2001 as cited in 2003) calls “preferred outcomes” –  instead of problems. Third and finally, clients are regarded as “experts in their own lives” because they alone “have the strengths and resources to change” behavior and thought patterns that lead to problems (Cepeda & Davenport, 2006).

To illustrate the point, I offer the following mental image of the skeleton key, used by the original developers of SFBT in the 1980s, to explain the concept of de-emphasizing problems in favor of solutions. “Like a skeleton key, an intervention only needs to open the way to a solution which can be done without knowing all the details [of the specific problem]” (De Shazer, Berg, Lipchik, Nunnally, Molnar, Gingerich, & Weiner-Davis, 1986). Imagine trying to access a locked door (the client’s problem). What a tiresome complicated process  it would be sorting through an entire ring of door keys of different shapes colors and sizes (different theoretical approaches), using trial and error, until you find the one that fits just right (solution)! Why not simply use a skeleton key (SFBT), designed to open an infinite number of doors without particular regard for any particular lock?

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Applications to Group Dynamics in Counseling 

            The Solution-Focused approach offers some very interesting applications in group dynamics. In this section, I will refer to specific interventions of the Solution-Focused approach, give a brief description of the intervention, and discuss how the theory might apply in a therapeutic group context. Note there is a separate discussion of pros and cons of the approach elsewhere in this paper.

            Drawing further upon the skeleton key image, a Solution-Focused orientation allows group leaders increased flexibility in determining membership of the group. Just as the skeleton key is compatible with many locks, the Solution-Focused approach may prove beneficial to diverse members struggling with many diverse problems within the same group. For example, one study looked into the efficacy of a “Doing-What-Works Group” made of psychiatric outpatients with several different diagnoses (Quick & Gizzo, 2007).

A primary Solution-Focused intervention is problem-free talk, engaging clients in discussion about aspects of their lives that are going well in an effort to develop rapport and provide a more complete picture of the client’s overall functioning (Lethem, 2002). Members of a Solution-Focused group may instinctually practice problem-free talk in the early sessions, if for no other reason than they are unacquainted with each other’s particular problems. This can be especially comforting for individual clients who may be sensitive about disclosing too much about their particular issues; because problems are of secondary importance, group members who choose to keep their problem/issue private may do so while still fully participating in the group.

            Goal-setting is another core intervention of the Solution-Focused approach. To a large degree, therapeutic progress towards the client’s overall solution is measured by progress toward a series of specific, achievable, subordinate goals (Marek, Sandifer, Beach, & Coward, 1994). Solution-Focused group leaders are advised to strike a balance between supporting and challenging clients to achieve their goals both as individuals and as the group as a whole (Egan, 2009, p. 132). 

            One distinct advantage to therapeutic groups generally, but is particularly true of the Solution-Focused approach is the importance of the wisdom of the group. Groups are efficient, in part, because they utilize the internal resources of several people, not just the client and therapist (Jacobs, Masson, and Harvill, 2009, p 2-3). Quick and Gizzo (2007) found in their “Doing-What-Works” study that the group members cited “the value of feedback, support, ventilation, and hearing multiple perspectives… [and] the “same boat phenomenon” (e.g., ‘I realize I’m not the only one with problems’)”.

Pros and Cons

            The Solution-Focused approach to group dynamics in counseling shows promise in helping clients and groups to achieve their preferred outcomes. It is important to remember that there are limitations to using SFBT for groups.

            Clients may benefit from Solution-Focused group work by being able to fully participate in group processes without necessarily being required to disclose their particular problems with the group. Solution-Focused interventions are easy to learn can be applied to a diverse group of clients who may have very different problems to work on. By engaging with one another in problem-free talk in the group, clients develop rapport with one another and can even take the opportunity to affirm each other on aspects of their lives that are going well. Clients benefit from goal setting on both individual and group levels and are able to hold one another accountable in a supportive yet challenging therapeutic setting. Goal setting also helps clients see progress towards their individual preferred outcomes and help them improve their understanding of their own inner resources and competencies. Finally, the efficiency of working in groups with all their collective wisdom, can help clients to make measurable progress at a faster rate than would be possible in individual counseling.  

            Therapists using the Solution-Focused approach to group work may benefit by being able to assemble a diverse population of clients into one group. Therapists can also relying on group members to support and challenge individual clients in reaching their goals, when a more direct one-on-one approach isn’t optimal for the client. For example, an individual client can connect with other group members and may still benefit from group wisdom even though an interpersonal connection with the group leader may be lacking.

            Most of the criticism of SFBT points to its lack of engagement with client’s problems (McNeilly, 2000. Introduction). It is certainly logical that ignoring a serious problem will likely have negative repeated consequences for the client. Thus, it is important for the Solution-Focused therapists to be able to help client’s acknowledge and understand problems even while helping develop the competencies to deal with problems. SFBT is still a relatively new approach to counseling, and some debate remains about whether it fully deserves to be included with other evidence-based models (United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011). Because group members may have diverse problems, it is easy to imagine some individuals who might reject the Solution-Focused approach precisely because they expect to work at understanding their particular problem, since many other groups using different theoretical models operate in this way.

            In conclusion, the Solution-Focused approach to group dynamics in counseling offers an innovative alternative for clients with problems who want to feel better. Particularly in circumstances where an exhaustive search for a problem may be unproductive, inefficient, or painful for the client, SFBT will focus on the client’s inner resources and competencies and help the client move towards his or her preferred outcomes. In group settings where a solution-focused approach is desires, members will benefit from the collective wisdom of group members without the requirement to share painful personal details of their problems. I leave you with a few lyrics from the feel-good alternative rock band Sister Hazel and their 2000 hit single “Change Your Mind” which I feel greatly captures the spirit of the Solution-Focused approach:

“If you've had enough/Of all your tryin'/Just give up /The state of mind you're in…

If you want to be somebody else, /If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself

If you want to be somebody else/Change your mind...”

References

Cepeda, L. M., & Davenport, D. S. (2006). Person-centered therapy and solution-focused brief

therapy: An integration of present and future awareness. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 43(1), 1-12. doi:10.1037/0033-3204.43.1.1

De Shazer, S, Berg, I.S, Lipchik, E, Nunnally, E, Molnar, A, Gingerich, W, & Weiner-Davis, M.

(1986). Brief therapy: focused solution development. Family Process, 25(2), 207 - 234.

Egan, G. (2009). The skilled helper: a problem-management and opportunity-development

approach to helping. Belmont, CA: BrooksCole Pub Co.

Lethem, J. (2002). Brief solution focused therapy. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7(4),

189-192. doi:10.1111/1475-3588.00033

Jacobs, E, Masson, R, & Harvill, R. (2008). Group counseling: strategies and skills. Belmont, CA:

BrooksCole Pub Co.

Marek, L. I., Sandifer, D. M., Beach, A., & Coward, R. (1994). Supervision without the problem: A

model of solution-focused supervision. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 5(2), 57-64.

doi:10.1300/j085V05N02_04

McNeilly, R. (2000). Healing the whole person: a solution-focused approach to using

empowering language, emotions, and actions in therapy. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

O’Connell, B. (2001) Soltuion-Focused Stress Counseling. London: Continuum, as cited in

O'Connell, B , & Palmer, S. (2003). Handbook of solution-focused therapy. Thousand

Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Ltd.

Quick, E. K., & Gizzo, D. P. (2007). The "Doing What Works" Group: A Quantitative and

Qualitative Analysis of Solution-Focused Group Therapy. Journal of Family

Psychotherapy, 18(3), 65-84. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Sharf, R. (2008). Theories of psychotherapy & counseling: concepts and cases. Belmont, CA:

BrooksCole Pub Co. p. 338.

Sister Hazel. (2000). “Change Your Mind.” On the CD album Fortress. Los Angeles: Universal

Records, A Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. (June 27, 2000).

United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

(2011). Office of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention model programs guide

Washington, DC: Retrieved from http://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/mpgProgramDetails.aspx?ID=712

Who is Larry and why did he cut the legs off his bed? A reflection on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (Dec 2010)

Who Is Larry And Why Did He Cut The Legs Off His Bed?

A Reflection on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

David Johnson

COUN 520 Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy

University of San Diego 

School of Leadership and Education Sciences

December 15, 2010

           Could you guess my orientation just by looking? First year clinical mental health counseling students generally select one particular theoretical orientation that essentially defines their approach and articulates their philosophy of helping. I have selected Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) for my theoretical orientation because: I believe it is the best match for my particular strengths as a counselor, it best suits my personal motives for becoming a counselor, it is most applicable for the populations with which I will likely work, and SFBT is supported by a large number of counseling professionals already in the particular clinical setting I am most likely to enter as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Intern. The following is my preferred outcome for this reflection: I will explain what SFBT is and provide greater detail for my reasons for selecting it. In conclusion, I will explain how SFBT is used in a multicultural context.

           What is Solution Focused-Brief Therapy? According to London-based counselor Bill O’Connor (2001), “the Solution-Focused approach…aims to help clients achieve their preferred outcomes by evoking and co-constructing solutions to their problems.” Essentially, SFBT differs from other theoretical approaches in that it concentrates the client’s efforts on the present circumstances and his or her hopes for the future, rather than on the root cause of the problem, which is in the past. Being a form of brief therapy, SFBT is highly goal-driven and expeditious. Clients and counselors decide together which goals to work on and co-construct a plan with incremental steps that help the client achieve the goal.

           Note the reference to social constructionist thought in the use of the term “co-construct”. I will expand a little bit on the philosophical foundations of SFBT. Constructivism (or post-structuralism) is a contemporary movement in philosophy, sociology and the arts that rejects the notion of a single knowable objective reality (called essentialism) in favor of a focus on how “individuals and groups participate in their perceived social reality” ("Social Constructionism," 2010). As a result, SFBT counselors acknowledge the subjectivity of reality as perceived by the client. Thus, SFBT tends to be more client-centered than other forms of therapy which may focus on the the therapeutic relationship or on the expertise of the counselor.

           To further contrast SFBT with other theoretical approaches, consider the following narrative from Dudley, Johns, Duchamp, & Tzara (n.d.) that I believe highlights contrast between Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and one of its antecedents, Jungian psychoanalysis.

Larry went to an analyst. "Doc," he said, "I've got trouble. Every time I get into bed, I think there's somebody under it. I get under the bed, I think there's somebody on top of it. Top, under, top, under ... you gotta help me, I'm going crazy!"

"Just put yourself in my hands for two years," said the shrink. "Come to me three times a week, and I'll cure your fears."

"How much do you charge?"

"A hundred dollars per visit."

"I'll sleep on it," said Larry.

Six months later the doctor met Larry on the street. "Why didn't you ever come to see me again?" asked the psychiatrist.

"For a hundred bucks a visit? A bartender cured me for ten dollars."

"Is that so! How?"

"He told me to cut the legs off the bed!"

In the above example, the problem-centered approach of the doctor and the great investment of time and money required to cure Larry of his fears exceeded the effort he was willing to make. Rather, Larry’s true goal was not to be cured of fears but to be able to go to bed at night untroubled. Proponents of a solution focused approach, such as Insoo Kim Berg (n.d.), argue that “solutions…are already within the person, [and] repeating these successful behaviors is easier than learning a whole new set of solutions that may have worked for someone else. Since it takes less effort, people can readily become more eager to repeat the successful behaviors and make further changes.”

            Why have I chosen this approach? As I mentioned in the introduction, my reasons for selecting this approach are personal, professional, and pragmatic. SFTB can be described as a strengths-based approach since it helps clients by encouraging them to discover and develop their innate strengths to move toward solutions. As a counselor, my strengths include encouragement, insight, and articulation. I believe these qualities will be useful in a strengths-based context. In application, I will encourage client to access their own strengths in order to define a goal that moves them toward their ultimate goal of a healthier better-function self, I will offer them insights on practicability of their progress toward their goal. And finally, by helping clients spell out specific objectives refining the tactics that achieve those objectives, I will partner with clients to help them to effect the newer healthier version of themselves. I tend to use my analytical skills and insight to develop systems and structures for managing complex processes. In other words, I do well with structure and I enjoy bring order and planning to complicated problems. I will draw upon my positive experiences in planning to help my clients improve their planning skills for better mental health.

Professionally, my previous five years experience as a counselor in various settings have provided me with much exposure to various brief therapies as well as the solution focused approach. Working in nonprofit agencies providing government-subsidized counseling services has helped me to see the importance of getting to the point quickly. Agencies operating with taxpayer funds are under constant pressure to demonstrate effective measurable outcomes using only evidence-based techniques. Thus, brief therapy has become the standard. Most of the professionals I know practicing in the field use brief therapy to comply with the parameters established by funding sources, usually county government.

As I continue my academic career, I will be looking for opportunities to work with combat veterans who may needs assistance reintegrating into society. Solution-focused techniques may show promise as an alternative for trauma survivors and those with PTSD symptoms when exposure therapy has not worked. Due to the relative short history of SFBT, 20 years, more research studies are needed to confirm this. I am interested in the opportunity to conduct research in this area and advance the field of knowledge.

Why didn't I opt for some other theoretical approach instead? Since I have an undergraduate background in theatre arts, and I continue to be involved in the local theatre, I briefly considered psychodrama. However the more I learned about its therapeutic value and efficacy in helping people overcome serious problems, the less I was interested. If my strengths included challenging or provocation, I might have selected Gestalt therapy. Unfortunately, my earliest experiences with Gestalt therapy were in a performing arts rather a clinical psychology context. Although I have a profound respect for the powerful techniques of that approach, I do not feel comfortable with the level of confrontation that would be necessary for a Gestalt therapist. Another approach that appeals to me, the Person-Centered approach developed by Carl Rogers, provides several useful models and techniques, such as unconditional positive regard and the "ideal self". In fact, many of the foundations of SFBT are influenced by Rogers and his work. Ultimately, I concluded the amount of time required for Person-Centered therapy to generate sufficient therapeutic results with clients in the community-based agency settings I am likely to find employment would be constantly challenged. 

Does Solution Focused Brief Therapy work for everyone? Or just white people? All of my previous work in the field has involved multicultural experiences. I have worked successfully with clients from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds. As a member of more than one minority, I have experienced discrimination and prejudice first hand. Since I expect to continue providing counseling services culturally diverse populations for the length of my career, I maintain a commitment to cultural competence that extends to my theoretical orientation. According to British Psychiatrist Alasdair J. Macdonald (O’Connell, & Palmer, 2003), most of the effectiveness research on SFBT included relatively small samples, 100 or less, and subjects’ demographic differences were generally statistically insignificant, suggesting outcomes differed little among members of different racial and ethnic groups (p. 16). In addition, significant contributions (O’Connell, & Palmer, 2003) have been made regarding the use of SFBT approaches with women, children and families, as well as in intercultural settings such as public schools, human services, group therapy, substance abuse treatment centers and corrections settings (p.168). Since so much of SFBT is client-centered, it makes sense that the efficacy of SFBT is directly connected to individual clients rather than the cultural groups to which they belong.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is an emerging theoretical approach that offers an innovative set of techniques and concepts grounded with a constructivist thought framework. I personally identify with this approach because it compliments my experience in the field and offers opportunity for growth particularly with the populations and clinical settings I am most interested in serving. Although I considered a variety of theoretical options, I feel SFBT is most in line with my particular strengths as a counselor and my preferred outcome as a professional. Finally, SFBT meets my criteria for being applicable in a multicultural context. As I continue to develop my skills as a counselor and further my academic understanding of therapy, I will begin to filter new concepts and ideas through the lens of a solution focused approach.

References

Dudley, A, Johns, J, Duchamp, M, & Tzara, T. (n.d.). Psychology jokes and tricks –

op.44. Retrieved from http://www.opusforfour.com/psy_fun.html

Egan G. (2009). The skilled helper: A problem-management and opportunity-

development approach to helping. Belmont, CA: Cengage

Kim Berg, I. (n.d.). About solution-focused brief therapy. Retrieved from

http://www.sfbta.org/about_sfbt.html

O'Connell, B. (2001). Solution-focused stress counseling. London: Continuum.

O’Connell, B, & Palmer, S. (2003). Handbook of solution-focused therapy. Thousand

Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd.

Social Constructionism. (2010). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved December

15, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_constructionism

Sowing the Seeds: Clinical Interviewing Skills Reflection Paper (Dec 2010)

Sowing The Seeds: Pre-practicum Final Reflection

David Johnson

COUN 504 Pre-practicum Counseling Skills

December 15, 2010

Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don't have any problems, you don't get any seeds.

-       Norman Vincent Peale     

Plant Some Seeds. At the conclusion of my first semester in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, I remain guardedly optimistic at my prospects for success, excited for the classes and experiences that lie ahead, and thankful for what I’ve learned so far. The knowledge I have gained and the relationships I have started to form give me optimism. I say guarded because my expectations for a soul-humbling challenge of weighty academic papers and complicated exams did not materialize in the three courses I took. I suspect the academics will become more challenging in the coming semesters, and I’m looking forward to the challenge with relaxed anticipation. Finally, I am grateful for the many interesting theories, conceptual models, and ethical decision-making techniques I’ve studied over the semester. I’m happy to have the opportunity to grow at a pace I can easily manage.

In the paragraphs that follow, I will share details and observations about my growth as a professional counselor and as a unique individual. Some of what I will choose to share will be quite personal and introspective. My intention is to demonstrate transparency and communicate openness to constructive feedback. It is my hope now and ever that the simple act of articulating these ideas, expressing them, and reflecting on the experience will be an exercise in positive growth, much like sowing seeds. I am interested in growth, and I remain confident that reflections such as these will continue to move me in the direction of sustained healthy improvement.

Watch them Grow. With respect to my development of counseling skills in particular, I have had a remarkable opportunity over the past four months to develop my counselor’s “tool box” with new techniques, new perspectives, and new challenges. Three major influences are the Egan text, my part time employment, and the recorded practice sessions.

The Skilled Helper by Gerald Egan (2009) is a helpful but somewhat vague textbook that we used in Pre-practicum class. The most valuable feature of the book was the many case studies used to illustrate concepts discussed in the chapters. I also appreciated the contemporary language of the author and the breadth of topics introduced. I believe The Skilled Helper is thoroughly contemporary and provides a broad-based foundation particularly for those who have little exposure to psychotherapy as either provider or consumer. Egan, in how he chooses to phrase counseling concepts accentuates the way he wants students to gain a basic understand of counseling, always in a multicultural context. In particular, I found several of his concepts useful, for example: the therapeutic relationship as an egalitarian working alliance, opportunity development, empathetic understanding, problem management in lieu of problem solving, and facilitating the client’s self-change rather than trying to change the client. Egan has a knack – no, a penchant – for sugarcoating or glossing over more complicated ideas and concepts as well as citing studies and findings without fully explaining its context or providing sufficient nuance around the point. This often left me with the feeling Egan didn’t really have evidence to back-up his choices in explaining counseling the manner he does. Altogether, it was at least helpful for the class to have a common terminology as we discussed these ideas among ourselves.

Another major driver of my growth has come from my part-time position as a Health Educator at Family Health Centers of San Diego. When I informed my bosses last summer that I intended to transition to full time student, they encouraged me to submit a proposal outlining what my schedule and duties would be. Fortunately, the agency had just secured a contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to offer a new CBT-based counseling intervention for individuals whose sexual behaviors put them at risk for transmission/acquisition of HIV and STDs. I would be my job to not only recruit and enroll clients into the program, but also develop the necessary forms, protocols, and outcome measurement tools for the intervention. So while I was just beginning to master the open-ended question, I found ways to  implement them with my clients. Just as I was learning about the ethical significance of informed consent in Ethical Legal and Forensic Issues in Counseling, I was able to recall the recent experience of drafting such a document for the new intervention. Working for a non-profit agency providing government-subsidized counseling services (which is health counseling, not mental health therapy, if you were wondering) also influenced my choice of theoretical orientation. I decided to adopt a Solution Focused Brief Therapy approach, which seems to be the de-facto approach used by most cash-strapped non-profit and government agencies.

            Finally, the single most effective learning strategy for me was the recorded practice sessions, especially the verbatim exercise. As counselors, we tend to be person-oriented and are very comfortable learning in groups. Counseling one another, we were able to look at dynamics in a session from multiple perspectives: not only counselor, but also client and observer. In recorded form, we were able to view and review the session, reliving (sometimes to our chagrin) the compound questions, nonverbal cues, and exchanged smiles. It was helpful to slow down the playback and really think moment-to-moment about our choices. This, more than any other learning strategy we used helped to improve my skills because it provided the opportunity to be analytical in a way that isn’t possible (at least not now) as young counselors. The recorded sessions were also the chance to give and receive feedback that was both supportive and challenging.

Before this semester, I believed I was a pretty good counselor. Mostly because coworkers, friends, and clients told me so. But what did they know? I think they observed in me enthusiasm, dedication, and patience; although these qualities are certainly helpful, I do not think they made me a good counselor. Or, if I was any good, I was still very limited in the scope of what I could do as a counselor. For me, the number one benefit of the Pre-practicum class has been the opportunity to demonstrate my skills and receive feedback. My feedback from classmates and the professor was mostly “slow down,” “go deeper,” and “get to the point sooner.” These are all very helpful observations for me. In addition, I hope to be able to work effectively with more challenging clients. For example, I like to apply what I’ve learned with uncooperative, openly hostile, or chronically mentally ill clients to gain confidence in my skills.

Confidence-building is definitely one of my goals bother personally and as a counselor. Having recently completed thirty hours as a consumer of individual and group counseling, I was able to develop insight into some of my own particular psychology. Two areas of personal growth that I’ve been working on are improving self confidence and managing my concerns with how others view me. For example, I may tend to minimize or gloss over my (perceived) faults or give vague or superficial answers to questions I think are too personal. I am not take full advantage of opportunities available to me for fear of failure, or I may find ways to dodge criticism rather than accept it at face value. I’m sure these issues will arise in Practicum and future class work, and I will continue to work to better recognize when these thought patterns might cloud my judgment or prevent me from finding opportunities to improve my skills.

Time to Reap. One year ago, as I was preparing my admission essay, I carefully considered the question of why I had chosen to pursue graduate study in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. After some pretty thorough discernment, I determined that counseling was at the intersection of the talents I have to offer and need for good in the world. At this vantage point at the conclusion of semester one, I still believe the CMHC program the right place for me right now. The skills I offer are patience, articulation, acceptance of others, and insight. In our times there are a great many people who suffer or fail to reach their potential because of mental illness, emotional problems, and relationship difficulties. Over the months of semester one, I have received several affirmations and positive indications that I am where I should be.

Moving forward, I will continue to develop my counseling skills with live clients in a practicum setting under the supervision of a licensed professional in the field. I will also continue my work as a part time HIV prevention counselor and group facilitator at the local Gay Men’s Health Clinic. Perhaps, my greatest challenge will be managing the multiple tasks of practicum duties, academic classes, emerging professional responsibilities and my employment. I am also aware that I have personal difficulties that, if not attended to, could threaten to cloud my judgment or interfere with my ability to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

References

Egan G. (2009). The skilled helper: A problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. Belmont, CA: Cengage.