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Chapter 1

One of the main things that stood out to me from Chapter 1 in the text was the discussion concerning the terms ‘concern’, ‘issue’, ‘challenge’, ‘disorder’, and ‘problem’. The author points out that using the terms ‘concern’, ‘issue’, and ‘challenge’ place the client in a situational context and alleviates some of the responsibility from resting solely on the individual for their concerns (p. 8). The terms ‘problem’ and ‘disorder’ indicate pathology and fail to acknowledge the client’s strengths. One of the other things I found interesting in the chapter was the discussion of microskills and the depiction of the hierarchy of those skills. It provides us as future counselors with a guide to the necessary skills so that we can identify our strengths and weaknesses and work to ensure our proficiency of each microskill. My biggest concern is developing cultural humility and intentionality. I am not certain I understand what it looks like, and I am unaware whether or not I am currently at least approximating it. At this point, I view counseling and psychotherapy as a positive force that can benefit most people. I have done some questioning recently about if I am right to be pursuing counseling, but I am hoping those doubts are related to being tired of being in school and being overworked.

I intend to continue working with children when I become a counselor. I miss spending time with children since I left teaching, and counseling seemed to be a way I could keep working with them in a different situation. Right now, it looks like I will stay in my current practice to complete my LPC-A, but I do not know that this choice will be permanent. I hope to relocate at some point in the future, and the flexibility of counseling was an additional thing that appealed to me. Also, I am learning that I do not feel particularly effective with children who are 4 and under, and I am enjoying the teenagers I am serving, so I can see more of what my parameters may become.

Since early in my program, I have felt drawn to Adlerian theory. I am not sure exactly what makes it so appealing, but it resonates with me. I hope to begin working on improving my microskills and learning how they will fit in with the theory I am hoping to apply. I definitely need to continue developing cultural humility and intentionality. I need to see this idea put in action and figure out how it will look for me. In the past, my helping style tended more toward being a “fixer”, and I am seeing the importance of the microskill of silence in my sessions and hope to decrease my tendency to jump in with a possible answer or solution. 

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