Counselor Educators : Service Learning

Kanye West and Harding’s quotes both relate to the character Billy Bibbit because he was an outcast in society and thought lowly of himself. Billy was different, and because of this, society did not accept him and that caused him to stay sheltered by his mother. His mother was overprotective and did not toughen Billy up, so Billy had a stutter and a deep dependence on other people. When he got to the hospital, he had no experience in the real world, and he suddenly had no help from his mother. This led him to be more withdrawn and allowed people to belittle him because he could not stand up for himself. After being made fun of and thrown aside by society, Billy had no self confidence. His feelings towards himself were only negative, and these feelings rules

In order to gain the necessary skills needed for social work, service learning is necessary due to the fact that it serves as an introduction to skills that may be utilized later in the field. Completing my service learning hours at Harvest Hope Food Bank provided me with the necessary experiences to ensure I am able to impact clients positively and in a more professional and ethical manner. Values and ethics, connections to generalist practice, and experiences with the organization all shared important roles in helping me comprehend the importance of interactions with others in communities, resulting in being able to better understand the various clients I may encounter.

A Service Learning project is one of the project requirements to complete the Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree through Ferris State University (FSU). My Service Learning experience was completed at the VA Medical Center (VAMC) in November, 2014. This paper includes details of the facility along with the contact information for the coordinator of the project. A description of my role as a volunteer, critical reflection of my experience, and a synthesis of the Service Learning are also included.

My experiences in learning over the years were very negative in K-12. When I returned to academics several years later, I assumed that school would be just as hard and boring as it was the first time I suffered through it. This time around I had a goal and a drive to succeed, so I pushed myself harder in school than I ever had to in my entire life and now I have a career that I love. I finished nursing school in May and graduated with an associate’s degree and now that I’m working as a Nurse it has sharpened my time management skills, which will come in very handy as an independent learner. The main thing that might be a challenge for me as a FlexPath learner is now I won’t have as much time between assignments, so I will have to approach my

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) define counselling, along with psychotherapy, as being “umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies” (BACP, 2012: 1). In addition, counselling is provided by practitioners who “work with people over a short or long term to help them bring about effective change or enhance their wellbeing” (BACP, 2012: 1). Those who practice counselling in a professional manner undergo intensive training and personal development, the latter of which has been “defined in terms of self-awareness and change” (Wheeler, 1996: 75). These changes, according to Johns, “influence the

The experiences that I shared with those students presented me with great satisfaction. This influenced my decision to apply for a graduate degree in school counseling. Although, at this point in time I do not hold any experiences in school counseling I have researched ways to gain that experience. Volunteering at both public schools to shadow licensed school counselors and independent counseling centers will provide me the necessary experiences to gain hands on knowledge for the field. The ability to relate interpersonally to individuals from different cultural backgrounds is extremely important for a counselor. Being knowledgeable of a client’s culture, identity, ethnicity, race and gender play a major part in the counseling process. Possessing cultural competent is key to engaging a diverse clientele. Culture norms and rules change the way an individual interact. I understand the importance of identifying the barriers and bias in interacting with individual from different cultures. Through my previous years of education and current work experiences I obtained valuable interpersonal skills. These skills assist with communicating effectively with a diverse group of individuals. Those skills involved effective listening, problem-solving, decision-making, assertiveness, and verbal and non-verbal communication. In detail, while working as teacher, I was afforded the opportunity of advising interns on making practical

Counseling has impacted the well-being of cultural diverse populations by increasing growth in ethnical and minority groups. Cultural diverse has influence counselors to work together as one, empower skills to meet the challenges and demands of diverse client groups (Hays, 2016). Counselors utilize interventions focused on client’s needs to assess cultural concerns. These techniques establish the significant collaboration of the counsel/ client relationship, promote clients awareness to their limitations and provide imperative ethical guidelines. Counselors are skilled in their practices to facilitate productive healing in mild to serve cultural population. Counselors develop an empathic understanding and support with their clients. They are encouraged to elevate cultural knowledge, self-awareness and stress-less experiences.

With the diversifying population in America’s schools, a profession school counselor should be culturally competent to meet the needs of all students. “The transformed professional school counselor is culturally competent, respectful of human diversity, and a school leader in ensuring that oppressive systemic barriers to academic, career, college readiness, and personal/social development are removed (Erford, 2015, p. 173).” A school counselor needs to have a deep understanding of a variety of cultures to meet the personal, emotional, developmental needs of a student using individual and group interventions while being aware of their cultural and spiritual needs.

Not only has the need for literature increased, but the need for training programs has been identified in assisting on in multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills (Sue, Arrendondo, & McDavis, 1992). A growing body of research suggests that understanding diverse cultural backgrounds and how this might affect the therapeutic process is essential for counseling effectiveness and increasing the utilization of counseling services, especially in the African American community. Early theorists, including

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt communicated an address to the Vice President, the Speaker of The House, Congress, and other United States citizens. In his speech, Roosevelt summarized the events that took place on December 7, 1941. He reminded congressmen of the peace and diplomacy displayed between the two nations prior to the attack and then went on to detail the events that took place and proposed a plan of action. The majority of people who are aware of the message in Roosevelt’s speech could agree that he, “had a way with words, especially an ability to produce easily understood explanations of his policies” (Schlesinger, 2008). After the horrific Japanese offensive on Pearl Harbor, along with Malaya, Hong

This paper will reflect the practice session taping number six that I did for this class. In this reflection, I will estimate my strengths and weaknesses from the taping for improving on my counseling skills. I will also evaluate the techniques and skills that I have learned and we have discussed so far in the course. This paper will be a guide to my process and assess the skills that I need to work on for the near future. In closing for the paper, I will discuss the various ways that I can advance myself in the practice session taping so that I can strengthen my skills as an effective counselor overall.

Moreover, I want to understand people in different cultural contexts, no matter what their age may be. I desire to help others develop and heal through therapeutic relationships. Additionally, I want to promote equity and social justice for all. Ultimately, I want to work hands-on within the community with those who are in need of emotional and psychological care. There is a dire need for qualified mental health counselors. To address this growing population, students like myself who wish to accomplish this vital role in their community need specialized education. One must be prepared to meet the increasing demands of inclusive and exclusive mental health clients. Counselors with this specialized training will be in high demand. With the education that I currently bear, I perceive a greater need to attain skills and strategies for my future

Starting this course in August, I didn’t realize the power that multicultural counseling had instilled in it. The fact that its central focus is around social justice and equality is a characteristic our society much needs today. Throughout the duration of this class, I learned about multicultural counseling as a whole, new theories that can be applied specifically to different racial/ethnic minorities, the ACA code of ethics, and who I want to be as a future counselor.

The Society for Experiential Education defines service learning as, “any carefully monitored service experience in which a student has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience” (Staton 1). Service learning is a great opportunity to get extra learning experiences while also experiencing the community around the universities campus. “Service learning allows students to apply what they are learning from their instructors, peers, and readings to genuine tasks that occur outside the four walls of the classroom while simultaneously helping others” (Staton 1). Universities are using service learning to expand beyond the classroom and provide students with experiences that will

As a student, I have become more aware of the needs of my community. I have always worked at being active in my community to help those in need. Most of my volunteer work revolved around collecting donations and lending a helping hand at shelters. My volunteer work did not usually involve an academic base. I was not concerned with the ins and outs of why homelessness was a problem or the difficulty women faced finding assistance to escape abusive relationships. I just knew the shelters were always in need of donations and that is where I found myself helping most. In this paper, I will describe a personal experience I have had with service learning. I will also select one service learning idea from the National Student Nurses’ Association planning guideline that interests me and describe how this type of experience will enhance my nursing student experience.