Reflection Week 8
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University of Guelph *
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1150
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Health Science
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
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Uploaded by CoachArtBoar10
FRHD 3400: Reflection Week 8
In class this week, we highlighted the importance of initiating boundaries within our
professional field as psychotherapists and within our interpersonal relationships. During this
discussion, Dr. Neustifter discussed how setting boundaries can be uncomfortable for both the
one to whom they are being set, and the one setting them (Neustifter, 2023). Nevertheless, they
bear a direct influence on the well-being of our mental, emotional, sexual, intellectual, material,
and physical health (Neustifter, 2023). As a future therapist, I reflected on the importance of
setting boundaries with my time and emotional health. As psychotherapists, our profession gives
our time and skills to help people. I find it difficult to understand my limits and struggle to say
no to taking on tasks. However, this lecture helped me understand that time is a precious
commodity and must be spent in a manner that does not cause more harm than good. If I take on
too many clients, not only could I damage my emotional health by becoming overwhelmed and
limiting the time I have to build myself up, but I might also reduce the quality of my services. As
discussed in previous lectures, the
College of Registered Psychotherapists
requires
psychotherapists to provide “excellence in professional practice” (CRPO, 2023). To do this, we
must look after our well-being so that we do not deter from supporting our clients to the best of
our abilities.
The textbook discussed the importance of finding an appropriate balance when asking
questions during a therapeutic interview. According to Reiter (2022), questions can be very
useful to help begin a conversation, to infuse humor, as an intervention, or to be used as a
perception check during the discussion. However, questions are often over-used by novice
therapists because they are nervous about what to say and believe that inserting more questions
will fill any gaps in conversation to minimize any awkward silences (Reiter, 2022). When I read
this, I couldn’t help but reflect on a coffee date I once had as a teenager, in which my companion
told me that he felt he was “on an interview” due to my relentless asking of questions. At the
time, I was nervous and was seeking to avoid any lulls in conversation. As a therapist, I need to
be aware that I too might display this tendency, especially at the beginning of my professional
career. However, rather than focusing on how
not
to use questions, I should focus on their proper
use instead. The questions I ask should always have a purpose (Reiter, 2022), and the purpose
should serve the interest of the client rather than help fulfill my own curiosity (Reiter, 2022).
I really enjoyed the content from both the lecture and textbook this week. This lecture
highlighted the importance of setting personal boundaries to help protect various aspects of my
health, whereas the textbook discussed various ways to improve the therapeutic interview and
help protect the interests of the client. This week we did not have a seminar, so I do not have any
reflections on that content.
References
Code of ethics
. College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. (2023).
https://www.crpo.ca/code-of-ethics/
Neustifter, R. (2023).
Communication and Counseling Skills,
University of Guelph.
Reiter, M. D. (2022).
Therapeutic interviewing: Essential skills and contexts of counseling
(2nd
ed.). Routledge.
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