The purpose of this essay is to provide a better understanding of my personal beliefs when it comes to social service work, my views on seeking help and how my thoughts will influence my professional development, what I find is helpful for me, and lastly how I am able to overcome any barriers that come in my way. Although I have been able to grow with the help of peers and family, I am still learning many new things to this day, and it will never stop for as long as I work.
I believe being self-aware helps build a strong and professional relationship with clients. We are able to have a better understanding of ourselves as well as build on our mistakes and make improvements where we see fit. If a client sees that one is self-aware it can help them feel more informed while they are making a decision. This also includes managing personal needs, something that needs to be taken seriously. We are not able to please everybody, so that means we do not need to be fixated on impressing every single client. Their needs are the ones that need to be met first. Being a counselor is stressful for sure, and for a counselor to confide in a friend or a supervisor is not uncommon. For them to work their best sometimes they need to get advice from someone else. It takes so much strength for counselors to seek the help they need, and once they do they are amazing role models for their clients.
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In the social service work profession, there are three personal beliefs that I find will stay consistent with me as I gradually get more involved. The first one is that I put others before myself. I do this by making sure their needs are met and that they have that extra support when they need it the most. This is something that I will keep doing as long as I am working in this field. Secondly, I like to improve the lives around me. I am able to do this by volunteering my time to those that need it whether it be helping my neighbor or getting out into the community. This helps me build better relationships with those around me. The last point is that I like to take the time to learn new things around me as well as get more knowledge on certain things. All three of these will help me with my social service work profession because I want to help everyone around me.
I personally believe that seeking help is one of the best things to do. Although it is one of the hardest things to decide on, it can have a rewarding feeling once getting the help needed. Many people struggle when coming to terms with seeking help because it is seen differently to talk to someone about your own problems. Counseling is something that is very foreign to people, it isn’t something that people do every day. It can be the most uncomfortable situation to be in, and it is totally okay to have these feelings toward it. I believe my thoughts will help influence my professional development in social service work because I want to advocate for counseling. I want to let people know that it is not something to be afraid of and that it is something that can help in the long run. There is a sense of relief when you are able to get all the weight off of your shoulders. I am not saying that everyone has to go see someone three times a week for an hour at a time. What I am saying is that counseling is a resource to help those that need someone to confide in and there is someone always willing to listen when they need it most.
When it comes to coping is one of the many struggles I face. There are many coping mechanisms I have in place for when things become too much for me. What I find to be helpful is writing down my thoughts, and playing with things when I start to become fidgety, I also like to make sure I can get to a safe space just for a deep breath. Now I do understand that everyone is different in their own way, and when it comes to coping strategies what might work for one, might not work for another. When it comes to working with clients I would not tell them what to do and tell them that it would work. I would want to communicate with them and see what their likes and dislikes are. From there, I would try and come up with ways to incorporate their likes into coping mechanisms to help them get out of an uncomfortable situation. Something I am able to call a helping skill is that I have empathy. I am able to make sure my friends express their feelings properly so I know how I can handle the situation. Another thing I can do is catch onto things quickly. I have been able to stop some things before they’ve gotten too bad. I am able to say I have been influenced by past counselors to understand these feelings. They were the ones that were able to help me find out the root of the problem, which has now helped me get more confident when helping those around me.
Working in social service work is something that excites me. I do have a few things that I find may be a barrier for me. To start off the first thing is if a client has a lack of confidence and doesn’t want to give me answers. I understand I won’t get what I need from the person right away, but I think slowly working with them and being patient will help me. The second thing I find would be a barrier is if I don’t have an answer to a question. I know I will be able to get over this by expressing that I am unsure but will be able to get back to them once I do have the correct answer. The last barrier I find I may face is that I will lack the confidence to speak with a client. I feel as if I don’t know anything at all, but I do know that if I keep working hard and stay open to learning new things this is something I can get over.
Being in social service work is like reading a never-ending story. You are learning something new every single day, whether it be from a client or from a book. Professional development, as well as personal growth, are two important things that will gradually change. To say there won’t be challenges along the way would be a lie, but there will always be a chance to move forward from them and continue on with life.
References
- Shebib, B. (2020). Choices: interviewing and counseling skills for Canadians (7th ed.). North York, Ontario: Pearson.
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