TPC Journal V7, Issue 3 - FULL ISSUE

294 The Professional Counselor | Volume 7, Issue 3 Conclusion Counselors are routinely exposed to painful situations, traumatic circumstances, and overwhelming emotions. Consequently, they could benefit from creating a safe place for vulnerability, especially when emotionally overwrought after a long day or a particularly difficult counseling session. To thrive as a counselor, self-care is essential, yet many struggle to care for themselves as they care for their clients. To best achieve holistic wellness, counselors must incorporate interventions for the body, mind, and spirit. Counselors can apply self-compassion principles to the creation of an individualized self- care plan, one that functions to rejuvenate flagging professional commitment and soothe potentially debilitating stress. By cultivating an attitude of self-compassion, counselors may be more attentive to their own needs, reducing the risk of developing burnout and benefitting both clients and themselves. These counselors also may be more effective in assisting clients with overcoming their own barriers to self-care. Similarly, counselors who serve as educators or supervisors can model such principles and routinely ask students and supervisees, “What do you need now?” to increase awareness and the practice of tuning in. Consequently, the self-compassionate counselor learns to create a self-care plan that becomes a balm for burnout. Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure The authors reported no conflict of interest or funding contributions for the development of this manuscript. References American Counseling Association. (2010). American Counseling Association’s Task Force on Counselor Wellness and Impairment . Retrieved from http://www.creating-joy.com/taskforce/tf_history.htm American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics . Alexandria, VA: Author. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf Baldwin, M. (2013). Interview with Carl Rogers on the use of the self in therapy. In M. Baldwin (Ed.), The use of self in therapy  (3rd ed., pp. 28–35). New York, NY: Routledge. Barnard, L. K., & Curry, J. F. (2011). Self-compassion: Conceptualizations, correlates, & interventions. Review of General Psychology , 15 , 289–303. doi:10.1007/s11089-011-0377-0 Barnett, J. E., Baker, E. K., Elman, N. S., & Schoener, G. R. (2007). In pursuit of wellness: The self-care imperative. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice , 38 , 603–612. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.38.6.603 Bradley, N., Whisenhunt, J., Adamson, N., & Kress, V. E. (2013). Creative approaches for promoting counselor self-care.  Journal of Creativity in Mental Health ,  8 , 456–469. doi:10.1080/15401383.2013.844656 Bräuninger, I. (2012). Dance movement therapy group intervention in stress treatment: A randomized controlled trial (RCT). The Arts in Psychotherapy ,  39 , 443–450. doi:10.1016/j.aip.2012.07.002 Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M., & Creswell, J. D. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical foundations and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Inquiry ,  18 , 211–237. doi:10.1080/10478400701598298 Bullet Journal. (2017). Getting started . Retrieved from http://bulletjournal.com/get-started/ Callaghan, P. (2004). Exercise: A neglected intervention in mental health care?  Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing ,  11 , 476–483. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2004.00751.x Carney, J. V. (2007). Humanistic wellness services for community mental health providers. The Journal of Humanistic Counseling ,  46 , 154–171. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1939.2007.tb00033.x Cashwell, C. S., Bentley, D. P., & Bigbee, A. (2007). Spirituality and counselor wellness. The Journal of Humanistic Counseling ,  46 , 66–81. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1939.2007.tb00026.x Chandler, C. K., Holden, J. M., & Kolander, C. A. (1992). Counseling for spiritual wellness: Theory and practice.  Journal of Counseling & Development ,  71 , 168–175. doi:10.1002/j.1556-6676.1992.tb02193.x