The Professional Counselor | Volume 14, Issue 2 195 Lastly, we believe that the findings of our study support the need for and advocacy of personal therapy after graduate training. Unlike counselor trainee program requirements that often mandate a certain number of hours in personal therapy, fully licensed professional counselors are not regulated by licensing boards with regard to continuing personal therapy. Policy changes that include a personal therapy requirement in a similar vein as continuing education credits may positively impact counselor stigma and wellness. Conclusion Counselors face many challenges in their clinical work, including occupational stressors and the need for self-awareness (Moore et al., 2020; Mullen et al., 2017; Prosek et al., 2013; Robino, 2019; Thompson et al., 2014). The current descriptive phenomenological study serves to provide an understanding of the lived experiences of counselors who utilize personal therapy, including their motives to engage and meaning made while engaged. We offer clinical suggestions within the counseling relationship, steps to reduce stigma, and recommendations for facilitating self-care strategies among counselor trainees and professional counselors directly from voices of counselors who have accessed personal therapy. Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure The authors reported no conflict of interest or funding contributions for the development of this manuscript. References Anderson, R. S., & Levitt, D. H. (2015). Gender self-confidence and social influence: Impact on working alliance. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93(3), 280–288. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12026 Bradley, N., Whisenhunt, J., Adamson, N., & Kress, V. E. (2013). Creative approaches for promoting counselor self-care. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 8(4), 456–469. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2013.844656 Coaston, S. C. (2017). Self-care through self-compassion: A balm for burnout. The Professional Counselor, 7(3), 285–297. https://doi.org/10.15241/scc.7.3.285 Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. (2023). 2024 CACREP standards. https://www.cacrep.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2024-Standards-Combined-Version-6.27.23.pdf Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE. Day, K. W., Lawson, G., & Burge, P. (2017). Clinicians’ experiences of shared trauma after the shootings at Virginia Tech. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95(3), 269–278. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12141 Fulton, C. L., & Cashwell, C. S. (2015). Mindfulness-based awareness and compassion: Predictors of counselor empathy and anxiety. Counselor Education and Supervision, 54(2), 122–133. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceas.12009 Gleason, B. K., & Hays, D. G. (2019). A phenomenological investigation of wellness within counselor education programs. Counselor Education and Supervision, 58(3), 177–194. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceas.12149 Hays, D. G., & Singh, A. A. (2023). Qualitative research in education and social sciences. Cognella. Ivers, N. N., Johnson, D. A., Clarke, P. B., Newsome, D. W., & Berry, R. A. (2016). The relationship between mindfulness and multicultural counseling competence. Journal of Counseling & Development, 94(1), 72–82. https://doi.org10.1002/jcad.12063 Kalkbrenner, M. T., Neukrug, E. S., & Griffith, S.-A. M. (2019). Appraising counselor attendance in counseling: The validation and application of the Revised Fit, Stigma, and Value Scale. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 41(1), 21–35. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.41.1.03 Knaak, S., Modgill, G., & Patten, S. B. (2014). Key ingredients of anti-stigma programs for health care providers: A data synthesis of evaluative studies. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 59(1 suppl), 19–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371405901S06
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDU5MTM1