CSP 400: Journal Assignment 2 So far in this course, I have taken away many vital lessons about counseling and the helping professions. One take-away learning is to manage boundary issues between oneself and a client to prevent “blurring of professional roles and can result in multiple relationships that do have a potential to be harmful” (Corey and Corey, 2016, p. 261). It is important for professionals in the helping field to separate professional and personal relationships with clients and setting boundaries for what is appropriate for the relationship. Another lesson is that referring out is not the solution to all conflicts and issues. For instance, referring might seem tempting when a helper has conflicting values with a client involving religious beliefs, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations but referrals should only be made “when you clearly lack the necessary skills to deal with the issues presented by the client” (Corey and Corey, 2016, p. 76). Being self aware and engaging in self-exploration as a professional before helping others is a vital factor to gaining a better understanding of clients and being able to help them. Looking at one’s family of origin, the role one played in the family, the issues present in…show more content… His narrative of his journey to become a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, and Certified Sex Therapist was very interesting to me because he pursued a speciality in the field that is not too commonly heard of. I found it intriguing how he said he was not excel in school during his undergrad, but pushed himself to do better after gaining entry into to the CBB and MFT programs at SDSU and is gaining success in his current position after completing his doctorates in human sexuality. I hope to be able to find my niche in the field like Juan did and have the opportunity to work for something I am strongly passionate
