The other area that jumped out was the encouragement of self-care. Never did I think of taking care of myself as an ethical obligation. As a practitioner I must be aware of my own needs before I am able attend to the needs of others. Ongoing therapy for the practitioner is recommended not only for the health and growth of the counselor but the protection of the counselee. (Corey et al., 2011) Norcross and Guy (2007) conclude that “personal therapy is an emotionally vital and professionally nourishing experience central to the self-care of clinicians” (p.168). I was not surprised to read that therapy was encouraged, but to realize the detriment that could be caused to me as well as the client was somewhat of a revelation.
As students entering this field we tend to be