Self-Awareness

Throughout my reflections as I near to the end of my graduate counseling program, I have come to realize that true growth and progress is not solely measured by keeping a rolodex of the information you do know but derives from being aware of the things that you don’t know.

It is through my various internships and supervisions with my various supervisors that I have come to realize that growth cannot derive from what is already known, and what has already been fortified and solidified in our practice; growth can only happen in those small moments in which we make a mistake, in which we are caught off guard, and thrown for a loop.

I have come to learn that working with various clientele and even working alongside various people we must be aware of how we are perceived in the world, and we must be willing to seek enlightenment, through acceptance of different experiences, perspectives, and experiences.

When I first started my journey as a graduate level student, I was very quiet. I have always been a quiet and observant person, but there have been times in which my quietness, and reservedness, although well intended, could be perceived as disconnected, cold, and timid in how I go about learning, implementing and demonstrating my skills as a counselor. It is through constructive feedback that I have learned how my quietness if perceived, and how it can impact me as a counselor.

You will see in my artifact, consists of a paper that I had written many years ago that outlines the importance of being aware of ourselves, our nonverbal and verbal cues that set the tone of our sessions;  as well as ensuring that we are aware in how our clients respond to our questions and attempts to gather more information to facilitate actual understanding of their experiences,  feelings, and unique perspectives accurately.

I have grown to learn that this skill, like all the other dispositions, is continuous. In my reflecting I realize how much I have grown from the way I look at supervisions and constructive feedback. I believe, at the start of my journey I often looked at these things with apprehension, discomfort and dread, but I have grown to look forward to supervisions and feedback that I can gain from my supervisors and mentors, as a pathway to becoming a more efficient and confident counselor.