The Professional Counselor | Volume 14, Issue 2 215 Cultivating Trainee Self-Awareness Cultivating trainee self-awareness is essential to ethical and multiculturally competent ED treatment. As espoused in our ethical codes (ACA, 2014), counselors are expected to examine their own beliefs, attitudes, and emotional responses when working with clients. Without such conscious examination, clinicians risk projecting their personal biases onto their clients or responding in ways that might inadvertently cause harm. For instance, the pervasive weight stigma embedded in our society can unconsciously influence counselors and may result in microaggressions, victim blaming, or the dismissal of symptoms, particularly when working with clients in larger bodies (Veillette et al., 2018). Counselors may also experience countertransference reactions triggered by ED behaviors or other challenging treatment components, such as high relapse rates, resistance to treatment, or insurance coverage issues (Labarta et al., 2023; Warren et al., 2013), negatively influencing the therapeutic relationship (Graham et al., 2020). Reflexive exercises, paired with targeted deliberate skill practice, are valuable mechanisms for facilitating conscious self-examination and building relevant knowledge and skills for effective ED treatment. Encouraging Reflexivity and Deliberate Practice Reflexivity, defined as “a practice of observing and locating one’s self as a knower within certain cultural and socio-historical contexts,” allows CITs to engage with courses on cognitive, affective, and experiential levels (Sinacore et al., 1999, p. 267). The integration of reflexive exercises and critical discussions into ED curricula is essential for cultivating self-awareness and, in effect, mitigating potential client harm. Such practices create opportunities for trainees to identify and address any unconscious biases or beliefs, which, if unaddressed, can undermine the quality of care provided. By establishing a habit of mindful self-inquiry, educators can take the first critical step in preparing ethically conscientious counselors attuned to ED clients’ diverse needs (Labarta et al., 2023). This intentional practice of reflexivity should be paired with deliberate practice strategies focused specifically on promoting skill development for treating EDs. Deliberate practice is a systematic and intentional training method that targets skill development in order to attain expert performance in a given area or domain (Ericsson, 2006; Irvine et al., 2021). Research shows that integrating deliberate practice strategies early in CE training promotes competency development (Chow et al., 2015). Ericsson (2006) developed five crucial tasks of deliberate practice: self-assessment, skill repetition, formative feedback, stretch goals, and progress monitoring. The first task is a necessary step in increasing trainee self-awareness, which is particularly crucial when working with vulnerable populations, such as those struggling with EDs. Deliberate practice empowers trainees to refine their skills and continuously evolve as competent, empathic, and effective counselors. Thus, deliberate self-reflection on personal assumptions is key, as examining one’s relationship with food and body is imperative to prevent issues like value imposition and orient the focus of treatment to the client’s healing process. Integrating reflexivity and deliberate skill practice early in CE training is vital to promoting lasting competency. CITs often overestimate their competence at the end of their training, necessitating that CE programs systematically monitor the congruence between CITs’ self-assessments and counselor educators’ assessments of CITs’ competency and skill development (Gonsalvez et al., 2023). Routine reflexive exercises can illuminate areas for growth, while deliberate practice strategies provide structured mechanisms for targeted skill refinement. As trainees embark on their professional journeys, ongoing and intentional efforts to self-reflect and evolve through skill refinement will empower them to provide safe, ethical, and effective ED treatment.
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