Essay On The Role Of Consultation And Advocacy

Capella University

The Role of Consultation and Advocacy

Sherita Ford
Research Human Development and Professional Counseling
Bill Garris
December 6, 2015

In the mental health field professional counselors act as both advocate and a consultant. Advocacy is an act of speaking on the account of someone, making recommendations, disputing for a cause, defending or supplicating on behalf of others. Consultation for professional counselors typically involves acting on behalf of an identified client (or student) through interaction with another professional consultee or other stakeholder in the client’s welfare (Brown, Pryzwansky, & Schulte, 2010; Kampwirth, 2006; Kurpius & Fuqua, 1993). A consultant takes on a role as a professional
Advocacy consist of actions that aim at changing the major structural barriers to achieving positive mental health outcomes in population. At times clients may feel their needs are not met, or their problem or concerns are not heard. So, this is when the clients notify their advocate (mental health professional counselor) to speak for him or her. A professional counselor would speak on the behave of the client, diagnose and provide a treatment plan. Advocacy is considered to be one of the eleven areas for action in any mental health policy because of the benefits that it produces for people with mental disorders and their families (Advocacy for mental health 2003.) Recently the needs of advocacy have broadened to insure the needs and rights are met throughout the population. Some clients that has mental health issues depends on their professional mental health counselor to be their voice and protect them because some may not have families to do so. he advocacy movement has substantially influenced mental health policy and legislation in some countries and is believed to be a major force behind the improvement of services in others (World Health Organization,
My client has been depressed and has been coming in to receive treatment. During the meetings the clients states he need medicine to treat his depression. First, consultation would be done in order to create another treatment plan to meet the client’s needs. We would discuss what’s has been working and what has not too been working move forward. While in the meeting, we will discuss as to why he feels this certain way and if anything else has happen in between meeting. Once this is justified it would then be determined if the client need medication or not. There may be times when a counselor has to research different ideas and use different strategies to help mental health clients. We as counselors will always face different challenges in meeting the client’s needs. In certain crisis situations we as counselors may need to consult with another counselor to seek advice for effective consultation. Counselors deals with clients with different ethnicity and backgrounds. Counselors must take account that most clients will take the easiest way to deal with life challenges to find