Counselor Impairment Counselor impairment has become an issue that has affected counselor’s personal and professional lives. The ACA Code of ethics acknowledges the subject of counselor impairment and expands on the issue. It is the counselors need to become aware of their physical, mental, and emotional state when counseling. Counselors need to be educated on impairment and become aware of the signs and symptoms. It is essential for counselors who become impaired to cease counseling services, until fully recovered. Seeking guidance from other professionals is an ethical duty composed by the ACA Code of Ethics (ACA, 2014). A task force has been developed to guide counselors when impairment occurs. The task force analyzes risk factors, produces assessments, provides wellness strategies, and delivers resources (Remley & Herlihy, 2014). It is essential counselors take advantage of the resources provided to them.
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It is common in the counseling profession to experience distress, burnout, and impairment. Burnout can leave counselors emotionally exhausted and with low self worth (Lawson, 2007). Counselors may experience signs of impairment and become anxious, depressed, and consume low self-esteem (Remley & Herlihy, 2014). These symptoms will worsen if counselor does not take the necessary actions needed to become
It is common in the counseling profession to experience distress, burnout, and impairment. Burnout can leave counselors emotionally exhausted and with low self worth (Lawson, 2007). Counselors may experience signs of impairment and become anxious, depressed, and consume low self-esteem (Remley & Herlihy, 2014). These symptoms will worsen if counselor does not take the necessary actions needed to become