A Qualitative Investigation of the Experiences of Entry-Level Professional Counselors Working in Community Mental Health Settings and Potential Impacts to Wellness
BLAKE, SUSAN D., Ph.D. Ready Or Not: A Qualitative Investigation of the Experiences of Entry-Level Professional Counselors Working in Community Mental Health Settings and Potential Impacts to Wellness. (2015) Directed by Dr. Todd F. Lewis and Dr. Keith Mobley. 403 pp. It is well known that professional counselors may experience physical and emotional symptoms that may ultimately affect their quality of work (Figley, 1995; Figley, 2002; Maslach, 2003). Furthermore, deficits in wellness of counselors can have significant consequences in the ethical care of clients (ACA, 2005; 2014; Kocet, 2006; Neumann & Gamble, 1995; Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995). Specifically, entry-level professional counselors in community mental health (CMH) settings may be at a higher risk of experiencing these deficits to wellness compared to their more experienced counterparts (Farber, 1985; Lawson & Myers, 2011; Lent & Schwartz, 2012; Pearlman & MacIan, 1995; Sprang, Clark & Whitt-Woosley, 2007). In addition, entry-level counselors may not have the skills or support to maintain their wellness and thus protect them from impairment stemming from organizational variables within the CMH setting (Lawson, 2007; Farber, 1985; Pearlman & MacIan, 1995; Sprang et al., 2007). As such, the challenging clientele, organizational factors, and supervision experiences in CMH settings may have unique influences on entry-level professional counselors’ experiences with wellness. Unfortunately, a common trend in CMH agencies is that the least experienced counselors work with the most severe of client needs (Pearlman & MacIan, 1995; Wachter Morris & Barrio Minton, 2012). Researchers have begun to examine elements of wellness among counseling students (Lambie, Smith, & Ieva, 2009; Myers, Mobley & Booth, 2003; Perepiczka & Balkin, 2010; Roach & Young, 2007), counselor educators (Wester, Trepal, & Myers, 2009) and professional counselors (Lawson, 2007; Lawson & Myers, 2011; Lent & Schwartz, 2012; Mobley, 2004; Randolph, 2010).
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