2-3 page essay with reference page

2-3 page essay with reference page

Write a 2-3 page paper with the following

  • Describe three characteristics/skills of effective human services professionals and explain why each of these characteristics/skills is important.
  • Then explain your own strengths and limitations in relation to each of the three characteristics/skills, noting which of these characteristics/skills you excel in and those in which you need improvement or further development.
  • Finally, describe two wellness strategies (e.g., at the individual, group, or agency level) that might help prevent stress and/or burnout for you as a human services professional, and explain how they would be applied in the human services field.

THIS IS WHAT I HAVE COME UP WITH BUT I NEED IT CONVERTED TO ESSAY FORM WITH SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES AND REFERENCE PAGE

Three characteristics of effective human services professionals:

Acceptance– the ability of the professional to be receptive of clients despite the physical appearance, ethnic background, culture, gender, sexual preference, or behavior of the client

  It is important of human services professionals to posses this characteristic in order to provide each client with the highest level of care the professional is capable of delivering. This skill allows professionals to approach each client with a positive attitude instead of being judgmental of clients and thus hindering the professional’s ability to provide the client with needed services.

My strengths with acceptance–

·  I am willing to work on this skill

My limitations–

·  Find it difficult at times to work past negative behavior from clients

·  Take negative behavior personally instead of realizing that it may be a defense mechanism, personality traits the client has developed through life as a result of life experiences

·  Ignorant to diverse cultural beliefs and ways that influence client believes

Individuality- the ability for professionals to identify qualities and characteristics in clients that distinguish them from one another

  Individuality is an important skill for human services professional to poses because it equips the professional with the ability to treat each client as an individual with individual needs, lifestyles, assets, experiences, feelings, goals, and barriers.

My strengths with Individuality–

·  I understand everyone has different life experiences, cultures, and backgrounds which influence who they are as individuals

·  Don’t expect every client to behave the same or share my believes and values

My limitations–

·  I can’t identify any limitations I have in this area

Confidentiality- not disclosing any information to another agency, individuals, or groups with the client’s written consent to do so unless information is being shared within staff meetings or with supervisor in the benefit of the client’s best interest or the client is a danger to themselves or other at which time appropriate authorities will be notified

  The ability for a human service professional to maintain client confidentiality to crucial to the process of building a relationship built on trust for the professional from the client. Without a client’s trust in the human service professional, the client will not be honest or open with the professional and as result not receive needed services from the professional.

My strengths with confidentiality–

·  I don’t share any information about clients without written consents to release information

·  I am familiar that breaking client’s confidentiality is a HIPPA code violation and punishable by fine, incarceration, and/or not being allowed to work in the human service field

  My limitations–

·  When I am asked about clients progress or whereabouts by family members or loved ones and I don’t have permission to share information with them from the client, it is difficult to tell them that I cannot confirm or deny if I have a client by that name.

One wellness strategy at the agency level that might help prevent stress and/or burnout for me as a human services professional is to provide me with realistic job expectations and reviews as well as adequate client to staff ratios. Working at as a Residential Manger that houses ten clients with a staff of three, including myself, can be a major stressor and cause for burnout for not only myself but for my staff as well. The facility is operational twenty four hours a day everyday of the year. It is unrealistic for staff and me to be able to function at a level that is most beneficial to the client, the agency, and our families and self under these conditions.

Another wellness strategy that may help prevent stress and/or burnout for me as a human services professional at individual level is to remember why I have chosen to pursue a career in this field when I become dissatisfied with my job, set realistic expectations of myself as a human service professional, and try to take time out for myself to nurture my mental and emotional needs. Having demanding professional, academic, and personal responsibilities often causes conflict with finding time for myself, nevertheless if it’s only ten minutes a day to meditate or relax, I must find ways to relieve stress to prevent burnout and not allow stress to negatively impact my profession.