Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Blog 1 2/5/13


                 As I finished reading this chapter I really realized how helpful this class will be with my development as a student and an individual in the counseling field. I was really interested in the proactive outlook that this chapter took on happiness (Corey & Corey, 2008). I feel like often in life we get too caught up on the negatives and feel like we have no control over our happiness. I like how the book demonstrates that we have more control of our happiness than we truly realize. In my high school years I often felt like I had no control over happiness or my life for that matter. I felt like my happiness was simply created by others around. However, when as I started my college career I found that this was not the case. I started to realize that there may be some things in life that do not make me happy, but if I look at these situations with a different view I can really change my own attitude. As soon as I started to realize this I became a much happier and productive person. So in this first part where Corey and Corey (2008) talk about Weiten and colleagues (2009) research I can really relate. Another part of the chapter that I found rather enlightening was about the choice therapy. I actually had learned about this type of therapy in a theories of counseling class that I took in undergrad. I feel like people can make choices about their own life and have more control than they give themselves credit for; however, I do not feel that things like depression and anxiety are types conditions that some people have control of. I think these conditions can be partially cured by a person taking personal responsibility but I feel like they also require more help besides just that. 

            I found the article written by Furr and Carroll (2003) extremely interesting. I think the results they found were interesting and applicable to me as a counseling student. I found it interesting that these students found that critical incidents helped their development most when they were in an actual field experience. For me I think this actually makes a lot of sense. I know that I learn best when I am in a situation where I can actually apply what I am learning to a real life situation. I can study and read about all different types of theories and counseling techniques but until I can actually apply these to a real situation I feel like my development as a counselor is not fully completed. I think that actually sitting down with clients and working them through different issues that they have can actually help me to development as well. I just liked reading this study because it shows that as being a counselor your learning and self-development is never finished. I think the best counselors are those who keep working on themselves so they can better help their clients. 

Corey, G., & Corey, M.S. (2008). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal growth    (9th ed.). Belmont, California: Thompson Brooks/Cole.

Furr, S.R., & Carroll, J.J. (2003). Critical incidents in student counselor development, Journal of Counseling and Development, 81, 483-489.

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