To Ensure Competnecy an Effective Counsellormust Reflect and Improve Upon Their Counselling Skills

Self awareness is knowing yourself, your personality and who and what you like. To be self aware is a very valuable commodity as it is can be both hard to do and is rarely done. Self awareness is about been conscious of what you are good at as well as knowing that you still have a lot to learn in, this also includes owning up to your mistakes, as hard as that can be. In life, and in our careers people can be competitive and to seem as though we have all the answers is a desired notion, but, to be willing to admit that you do not have all the answers is a much more productive and desirable trait. (Small Print learner guide- CHCORG428A) As a counsellor it is important that we self reflect on a continual basis in order to improve our counselling skills and maintain professional standards. Self reflection begins when you learn what you may need professional development in or what the counsellor themselves may need to work through in order to continue their professionalism with unconditional positive regard, a non judgemental attitude and to be able to show empathy. As these are the core of an effective counsellor it is vital that the counsellor takes time to self reflect alone and with supervision and then take part in professional development.
When approaching the self reflection and supervision process the counsellor looks upon their own counselling skills and practice, areas of their vulnerability as well as their needs and their own values. It can also be quite daunting to have to critique ones self but it is important in order to avoid burnout in this very emotional career.

Within the Australian Community Counselling Association Code of Ethics it states in section '20.0 Counsellor Competence and Education ' that "20.1 ...must maintain continuing professional development as well as regular and ongoing supervision; and 20.2 Counsellors must actively monitor their own competence through counselling supervision and be willing to consider any views

References: 1. Small Print learner guide- CHCORG428A (date unknown) 2. ACCA inc. Code of conduct. 3. D.Geldard & K. Geldard: Basic Personal Counselling, 7th Edition. (2012) 4. http://www.businessballs.com (1995-2010). 5. http://www.wikipedia.com (2013).