Jun Angelo F. Nagallo Introduction to Guidance and Counseling BSPSY4B Ma’am Gemma Gornez M5 Check-in Activity Reflective Journaling Steps to follow in keeping a Reflective Journal about your hypothetical helping/counseling activities. Step 1: Choose a Journaling Medium - A digital document (e.g., Word Doc, Google Docs) is ideal for people seeking a flexible, accessible, and easily editable journaling option. One of its main advantages is the ability to access your journal from multiple devices, allowing you to write anytime and anywhere. It also offers great organizational features, like folders and tags, which make it easy to search for specific topics and edit your entries. Additionally, digital documents don’t require physical storage space, making them convenient for those with limited room for physical journals. However, there are a few downsides. Digital journals can be distracting, particularly if you're using a computer or tablet, where other apps or notifications might interrupt your focus. Some people may also find typing on a keyboard less personal than writing by hand, and it can be more difficult to incorporate creative elements like drawings or stickers compared to a physical journal. Step 2: Set a Consistent Schedule - Daily in the morning reflect on goals for the day, setting intentions or priorities. Write down any worries or thoughts that might be lingering from the previous day. Example: “Today, I want to focus on finishing my project. I’m feeling a bit anxious, but I’ll take it step by step.” In the evening, review how the day went, what you accomplished, and how you felt. note any challenges, triggers, or moments of anxiety you encountered. Example: “I felt stressed about the deadline today, but breaking it down into smaller tasks helped me stay focused.” And every Sunday, have a short 20-minute reflection about what happened to you in a span of a week. Step 3: Select a Quiet and Reflective Space - For me, Church is a place where it is quiet and at the same time, it is also a place where we can have a reflection about ourselves. Step 4: Document the Session - After today's counseling session with Sarah, she presented concerns about feeling overwhelmed by work and struggling with balancing her personal life. I used cognitivebehavioral techniques to help her identify and challenge negative thoughts about her productivity and self-worth. Sarah responded well to the idea of reframing her thoughts, especially when she realized she often equates her value with her work output. She had a breakthrough moment when she recognized the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. We discussed strategies for time management and ways to create space for relaxation. Sarah left the session feeling more empowered and hopeful about implementing these changes. Step 5: Reflect on Your Feelings In today’s session with Sarah, we focused on addressing her feelings of overwhelm related to work and balancing her personal life. Using cognitive-behavioral techniques, we explored how her negative thoughts about productivity were affecting her well-being. Sarah had a breakthrough when she realized her self-worth didn’t need to be tied to her work output. She responded positively to strategies for setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. Moving forward, I aim to help her build a sustainable routine that supports both her professional and personal needs while continuing to reinforce her sense of control and agency. Step 6: Self-Examination - As I reflect on my counseling practice, I recognize both strengths and areas where I can continue to grow, all while ensuring that my work aligns with the ethical standards of the profession, particularly those outlined in the ACA Code of Ethics. I have found that my ability to listen attentively and empathize with clients helps create a safe, non-judgmental space for them to express their feelings. I actively listen, provide affirmations, and ensure clients feel heard and understood, which aligns with the ethical standard of respecting client autonomy and fostering trust in the therapeutic relationship. And, I am diligent about maintaining confidentiality and safeguarding client information, which is central to building trust and maintaining ethical standards. I ensure clients are fully informed about the limitations of confidentiality and feel secure in our work together, following the ethical guidelines regarding privacy and information sharing. Step 7: Analyze the Client's Progress - Overall, the client has made significant progress since the beginning of therapy. They have shown an increased ability to manage their anxiety, reframe negative thought patterns, and apply practical strategies to reduce stress. The recent breakthrough regarding their self-worth is a critical step in building a healthier, more balanced mindset. Moving forward, it will be important to continue reinforcing these strategies while, providing support for any remaining challenges, particularly around boundary-setting and sustaining self-care practices. The client has shown substantial progress in managing anxiety related to work and self-esteem. Their openness to the interventions, combined with their growing self-awareness, and, application of strategies, has led to positive outcomes. With a continued focus on consistency in applying time management skills, setting boundaries, and maintaining self-care, the client is likely to continue making progress toward greater emotional balance and well-being. Step 8: Set Goals - The client’s goals moving forward focus on improving their emotional well-being and managing stress. These goals include: 1. Setting Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time to reduce overwhelm. 2. Consistent Self-Care: Develop a regular self-care routine to support relaxation and balance. 3. Time Management: Enhance skills for managing workloads and deadlines to lower anxiety. 4. Challenging Negative Thoughts: Continue reframing negative thoughts about productivity and self-worth. 5. Seeking Support: Increase openness to asking for help when feeling overwhelmed. These goals aim to empower the client with practical strategies to manage stress, improve their mental health, and maintain a healthier work-life balance. Step 9: Explore Alternative Approaches - Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) - By learning to be present in the moment without judgment, the client can better manage overwhelming thoughts and emotions related to work and self-worth. This approach would help them decrease anxiety and improve emotional resilience. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - This technique could help the client embrace their anxiety and self-critical thoughts without judgment, thereby reducing the impact of these feelings on their daily life. ACT also helps clients focus on meaningful goals, such as self-care and setting boundaries. Cognitive Behavioral Techniques (Expanded) - By expanding CBT to include practical steps for addressing specific challenges (e.g., a fear of failure), the client can build confidence and better cope with stressors related to productivity and self-worth. Step 10: Consider Ethical and Cultural Aspects During the counseling session, several ethical and cultural considerations arose that required my attention. Below is a reflection on these issues, how they were addressed, and areas where I believe further improvement is needed. Confidentiality and Trust - One of the primary ethical issues that came up during the session was ensuring confidentiality and maintaining the client’s trust. The client shared sensitive personal information about their struggles with self-worth and feelings of inadequacy related to their work. Informed Consent and Autonomy - Ensuring the client is fully informed about the counseling process and their autonomy in decision-making is a key ethical principle. During the session, it was important to check in with the client to ensure that the interventions we were discussing were aligned with their needs and preferences. Emotional and Psychological Safety - Given that the client was discussing deeply personal issues around self-worth and anxiety, I was conscious of maintaining their emotional and psychological safety during the session. It's important to recognize when a topic might be triggering or overwhelming for the client. . Step 11: Record Personal Growth After going through the process of counseling I have seen my growth and my relationship with the client is getting stronger because it helps me become more understanding of my surroundings. No matter how small it is it is still a growth not only to me but to the client as well and it will serve as a lesson for both of us and it will mold us to become a better person. Step 12: Revise and Revisit - Again going back or revisiting what I have done from previous steps up until to now I have realize that tracking my growth is very crucial to me because it how your skills, confidence, and understanding of clients have evolved. You may notice improvements in areas like communication, empathy, or the ability to handle difficult emotions, which are central to counseling effectiveness. Next is Identifying the patterns regularly reviewing your reflections allows you to detect recurring themes or patterns in your work. For example, you might see that you struggle with setting boundaries with clients or consistently feel more comfortable using certain interventions. Identifying these patterns enables you to proactively address challenges and refine your approach. Lastly, by Adapting to new insights as you gain more experience, your counseling approach may evolve. Revisiting past reflections allows you to integrate new techniques, theories, or self-awareness into your practice. You can revise earlier entries to include new perspectives and strategies, which enriches your learning process. Step 13: Seek Supervision and Feedback Sharing your journal entries with a supervisor or mentor is a highly beneficial practice for professional growth in counseling. It provides you with an external perspective on your work, which can be crucial for identifying strengths, challenges, and areas that need further development. A supervisor or mentor’s feedback can help you refine your skills, enhance your self-awareness, and ensure that you are staying aligned with ethical and professional standards. Feedbacks: Select a Trusted Mentor or Supervisor: Choose someone whose experience and feedback you respect. This person should ideally be someone with more experience, such as a senior therapist, clinical supervisor, or mentor who has a deep understanding of counseling practice. Be Open to Feedback: Approach the feedback with an open mind. Be ready to listen to their suggestions and constructive criticism without becoming defensive. This is an opportunity for growth, and the more receptive you are, the more you will learn. Use Feedback to Improve: After receiving feedback, take time to reflect on it and integrate it into your practice. Revise your counseling techniques, set new goals, and apply the suggestions in future sessions with clients. Maintain Regular Sharing: Consistently share your journal entries over time to track progress and continue receiving feedback. This can be especially helpful for addressing ongoing challenges and ensuring you remain on track with your professional development. Step 14: Maintain Confidentiality Maintaining confidentiality is a fundamental ethical principle in counseling. It ensures that any personal, sensitive information shared by clients during therapy remains protected and is not disclosed without the client’s informed consent, except in specific circumstances that are legally required (e.g., risk of harm). Confidentiality fosters trust between the counselor and the client, creating a safe environment where clients feel comfortable sharing their experiences and emotions. It is essential for upholding professional integrity, ensuring client dignity, and complying with legal and ethical standards. How to maintain: 1. Secure Record-Keeping 2. Discuss Limits of Confidentiality 3. Avoid Unnecessary Sharing 4. Discretion in Communication: Step 15: Practice Self-Compassion Practicing self-compassion is essential for maintaining emotional well-being, especially when facing challenges in both personal and professional life. As a counselor, I recognize that self-compassion helps me stay grounded and resilient in the face of difficult situations or moments of self-doubt. When I encounter setbacks or make mistakes, rather than being overly critical of myself, I strive to treat myself with the same kindness and understanding that I would offer a client. This means acknowledging my imperfections without judgment, allowing myself to learn from experiences, and taking the necessary steps to care for my mental and emotional health. By practicing self-compassion, I am better equipped to show up for my clients with empathy and presence, as I am not weighed down by self-criticism, but instead, I foster a mindset of growth and resilience.
