Self-awareness is necessary for any individual working in the field of mental health. What we are motived by and how we plan to get there become the driving force behind our education. The traits and skill we possess can become either assets or liabilities if not diligently cared for. Receiving feedback is a necessary step towards growth that can be both painful and beneficial. Then there are the defense mechanisms we use to protect ourselves when receiving feedback that we must be aware of. Each of these areas will be reflected upon and discussed in the hope of becoming more self-aware.
Personal Motivations
I am motivated to pursue a career in clinical psychology to assist others as they walk through traumas that affect their lives. A goal …show more content…
Applying these traits to myself allows me to consider what skill sets I need to further develop and those I need to remain diligent in maintaining. One of my strengths is self-respect and personal boundaries. It will be necessary to be wary of overpowering clients, nor directing clients. In the past I was prone to impose my personal values and standards on vignettes within course work. Thus I will need to work on becoming more accepting and open-minded. I am content with my ability to empathize with clients and honoring each client’s unique story. Ambiguity is also something I am comfortable with. While I am not entirely fond of it I recognize clients are complex individuals and the therapeutic relationship is constantly evolving. Something I enjoy about the mental health world is the challenge it will pose to my cognitive complexity. I seek to continue to develop my diagnosing skills but am confident this will be an area which I continue to enthusiastically pursue. My strengths of empathy and acceptance of ambiguity will assist me in pursuing an assessment specialty area. These traits combined with my adoration for cognitive complexity will allow to have patience through the process of figuring out what is affecting these …show more content…
If I was not aware of the need for feedback, I pose inquiries and try to rationalize the situation. If I was aware of the issue and had not already addressed it, I tend to become very emotional. My defense mechanism in some cases are guilt and shame. I am very ready to blame and berate myself. In response to personal feedback I am prone to verbalize my thought process in response to the feedback. Again these are dependent upon the individual supplying the feedback. In instances where my personality or work ethic is in conflict with this individual I am more likely to critically analyze what has been said or to minimize it. In instances where the individual is someone whom I respect I will attempt to thoughtfully analyze what is said but I am likely to need to process through feelings of
Personal Motivations
I am motivated to pursue a career in clinical psychology to assist others as they walk through traumas that affect their lives. A goal …show more content…
Applying these traits to myself allows me to consider what skill sets I need to further develop and those I need to remain diligent in maintaining. One of my strengths is self-respect and personal boundaries. It will be necessary to be wary of overpowering clients, nor directing clients. In the past I was prone to impose my personal values and standards on vignettes within course work. Thus I will need to work on becoming more accepting and open-minded. I am content with my ability to empathize with clients and honoring each client’s unique story. Ambiguity is also something I am comfortable with. While I am not entirely fond of it I recognize clients are complex individuals and the therapeutic relationship is constantly evolving. Something I enjoy about the mental health world is the challenge it will pose to my cognitive complexity. I seek to continue to develop my diagnosing skills but am confident this will be an area which I continue to enthusiastically pursue. My strengths of empathy and acceptance of ambiguity will assist me in pursuing an assessment specialty area. These traits combined with my adoration for cognitive complexity will allow to have patience through the process of figuring out what is affecting these …show more content…
If I was not aware of the need for feedback, I pose inquiries and try to rationalize the situation. If I was aware of the issue and had not already addressed it, I tend to become very emotional. My defense mechanism in some cases are guilt and shame. I am very ready to blame and berate myself. In response to personal feedback I am prone to verbalize my thought process in response to the feedback. Again these are dependent upon the individual supplying the feedback. In instances where my personality or work ethic is in conflict with this individual I am more likely to critically analyze what has been said or to minimize it. In instances where the individual is someone whom I respect I will attempt to thoughtfully analyze what is said but I am likely to need to process through feelings of