Counselor Wellness and Impairment: A National Survey

Abstract

Counselor wellness has a direct impact on the quality of services clients receive, but little is known about the overall wellness of counselors. This study begins the process of better understanding counselor wellness by examining responses to a national survey that assessed both counselor wellness and impairment variables.

Integrating Wellness Concepts within a Clinical Supervision Model

“…Smith, Robinson, and Young (2007) also detected that the overall wellness of counselors in training was affected by their increased exposure to psychological distress. A recent national survey of American counselors corroborated this contention and indicated that a substantial number of counselors are at risk for burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma at any given time (Lawson, 2007). The results of these authors' inquiries suggested that counselors in training are not only at greater risk for psychological distress, but that associated impairments may carry over into their careers.…”

Perceptions of the Wellness Model of Supervision among Counseling Interns

“…Some authors (Goodyear, Bunch, & Claiborn, 2005;Shulman, 2005) have regarded clinical supervision as constituting the signature pedagogy of the counseling profession; others suggested that this supportive, developmental context may promote meeting CACREP and ACA requirements for general wellness practices and increase resilience among students (Lawson, 2007;Lenz & Smith, 2010;Meyer & Ponton, 2006). The imperative for focusing on personal wellness is indicated in the abundant accounts of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue being addressed during supervision (Bober & Regehr, 2006;Harrison & Westwood, 2009;Hesse, 2002;Trippany, Kress, & Wilcoxon, 2004).…”

“…When counseling students and counselors do not participate in a healthy lifestyle that promotes balance and optimum wellness, their ability to effectively facilitate the therapeutic relationship is compromised (Lawson, 2007;Smith et al, 2007). Although individuals have a certain amount of endurance for persisting and acclimating to stressors, when this threshold is surpassed, professional effectiveness and personal wellness may be compromised.…”

“…While traumatic experiences are certainly difficult and painful for clients to process, counselors working with these clients may also experience decreased well-being as a result of the therapeutic relationship (Kadambi & Truscott, 2004;Lee, Cho, Kissinger, & Ogle, 2010). Despite efforts to educate and monitor counseling students and professionals about the risks associated with mismanagement of personal wellness, there is considerable evidence indicating that the majority of counselors experience impairment at some point in their professional careers (Clark et al, 2009;Lawson & Myers, 2011;Lawson, 2007;Lee et al, 2010;Smith et al, 2007). Abel and colleagues (2012) summarized that grades, coursework demands, competition, extreme stress, self-doubt, and remoteness are factors associated with compromised student wellness.…”

Helping ourselves: a mindfulness-based self-care group for novice counsellors

“…Implementing self-care strategies affords many benefits to new counsellors with studies generally showing that self-care can reduce distress and impairment, improve counsellor well-being, and help with retention in the counselling profession (Evans & Payne, 2008;Richards, Campenni, & Muse-Burke, 2010). Moreover, engaging in self-care practices that build insight may help new counsellors become more authentic in their practice which could allow them to provide higher quality care to clients while ensuring their own vitality (Lawson, 2007).…”