Counseling: A comprehensive profession is a book written by Samuel Gladding that covers a wide range of topics in counseling and psychology in general. In this book, Gladding shares very thoughtful and insightful knowledge on major counseling topics including, group counseling, research and evaluation, and assessment, testing, and diagnoses in counseling. This paper seeks to reflect on chapters 9, 11, and 12 of this book.
Chapter 9 addresses the use of groups in counseling (Gladding, 2018). The use of groups in counseling, commonly known as group counseling, has emerged to be a very effective mode of counseling in tackling certain subjects such as trauma and depression. It is also applicable in work and educational settings. From this chapter's reading, I have learned that the use of groups in counseling is important because it provides an opportunity for self-expression and criticism from other group members, developing socialization and communication skills in the process. I feel that by conversing with other members of the group, one can develop self-awareness by listening to similar experiences that others have encountered.
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The practical aspect of group counseling seems to be very interesting as most of the activities used in group counseling are relatable and relevant to clients’ experiences. Reading this chapter has given me more insights into implementing group counseling in my future professional practice. This chapter contains a wide range of information concerning the use of groups in counseling, including the types, importance, drawbacks, benefits, and applications, among others. Hence, I can apply this knowledge now and in the future to better my future profession.
Chapter 11 covers evaluation and research as the two most essential aspects of counseling and counseling activities (Gladding, 2018). I feel that the importance of research and evaluation in counseling is not stressed enough since they are the key pillars that determine the effectiveness and the success of counseling. For counseling to be successful, thorough research must be conducted before commencing the actual counseling to gather evidence and information concerning the issue at hand. Afterward, evaluation should be done to ascertain the outcomes of counseling to the client.
From research and evaluation, a wide range of knowledge is acquired that may be useful in solving other issues or developing models and frameworks that aim to solve certain psychological issues in counseling. From my understanding, research and evaluation are crucial in coping with the current counseling trends since it is one of the most dynamic fields. The research and evaluation knowledge and skills from this chapter will be very useful and applicable to me in deciphering various psychological problems in counseling that I may encounter in my future professional practice.
Chapter 12 entails testing, assessment, and diagnoses done in counseling (Gladding, 2018). By reading this chapter, I have understood that testing, assessment, and diagnoses are crucial aspects of counseling that should be considered by every individual involved in the field. In my opinion, these aspects form a solid basis for the identification of problems, planning of interventions, evaluation of clients, and updating key stakeholders and clients. Any mistake made in testing, assessment, and diagnoses jeopardizes the goal of counseling; hence, the knowledge, insights, and skills from this chapter are very important in minimizing such mistakes and counseling errors.
From this chapter, I have noted that counseling has no standard form of measurement since it is largely dependent on tests, assessments, and diagnoses. Knowing this has sparked my curiosity, and I am now more interested in developing a standard form of measurement that can be applied in most counseling areas in my future professional practice. The book is generally very insightful and offers a wide range of information regarding counseling and psychology in general. I can recommend this book to anyone who desires to work in the field of counseling and psychology.
Reference
Gladding, S. T. (2018). Counseling: A comprehensive profession. (8 th edition) Pearson . Education India.
