Define impairment and why counsellors become impaired

This is a paper that is focusing on the student to define impairment and why counsellors become impaired. The paper also provides additional information to use in the writing and submission of the assignment paper.

Define impairment and why counsellors become impaired

In more recent years, the American Counseling Association (ACA) has recognized that professional counselors, like all helping professions, are at a higher risk for burnout, vicarious trauma, and impairment. The purpose of the Counselor Impairment and Wellness Paper is for you to be able to objectively explain issues that arise from being a professional counselor and also how to mitigate those through personal wellness and self-care strategies.

In addition to the textbook reading and chapter video, visit the American Counseling Association website (https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas) and it’s journal, VISTAS, and read the following articles:

Ahia, C.E. & Boccone, P.J. (2017). Licensure board actions against professional counselors: Implicationsfor counselor training. VISTAS. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas.

Hunter, S.T. (2016). Beyond the breaking point: Examining the pieces of counselor burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondhand depression. VISTAS. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas.

Listen to this podcast:
Smith, J. (Producer). (2020, January 28). EP155: The Quest for Wellness – A Conversation with Dr. Gerard Lawson [Audio Podcast]. The Thoughtful Counselor. Retrieved from https://wp.me/p7R6fn-Xct. *The views in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Liberty University.

Define impairment and why counsellors become impaired

Write a 6 page paper, making sure to properly cite within your paper all sources you consult for information in current APA format. Additionally, our paper must be in current APA format (including a running head, title page, abstract, and reference page). The abstract must provide a brief, but detailed, overview of the paper in 150–250 words. The title page, abstract, and reference page do not contribute toward the page requirement.

Definition of Impairment (this should include a discussion of how and why counselors become impaired, what that impairment looks like, and also how it can impact the practice of counseling). This section should be 2 pages long.

Implications of Impairment (this should include a discussion of ethical misconduct, specifically noting the most frequently occurring ethical violations in your state [the article will give some guidance but you are also strongly encouraged to research this on your state’s counseling board website]). This section should be 1 page long.

Impairment Prevention (this should include a discussion of what can counselors do to protect against impairment). This section should be 1 page long.

Wellness Plan and Reflection (while the other sections need to be written in 3rd person, this section can be written in 1st person). You will assess your own risks and develop a personal wellness plan. This section should be 2 pages long. Begin by taking the following assessments:

Stress Reactions Inventory

Self-Care Assessment, Self-Care Life Pie Worksheet, and Self-Care Social Support Worksheet.

Firstly, discuss the results of the assessments and in what ways you see your results reflecting your current life.

Secondly, develop a Wellness Plan as a result of your assessments. Include reflections of the following question:

Thirdly, what areas of your life need more or less attention?

Fourthly, what changes do you need to make?

Also, what steps are you willing to take to reach your goal of implementing needed changes?