Counsellor 'know Thyself': Growing Ourselves, Shaping Our Professional Practice, and Enhancing Education Through Reflective Practice

Grounded in a qualitative research investigation involving five doctoral graduands from a counselling department at a Canadian university, this book focuses on reflective practice in the context of counsellor personal and professional development. Deeply personal stories of loss, abuse, family, anguish, and sexual identity are told and are established as clearly embedded in counsellors preferred theories, ethicality, and approaches in professional practice. A view that all theories are constructed portraits of theorists? lives is substantiated. The metaphor of a butterfly portrays counsellor development in the broader context of personal development. Demonstrating that personal experience deeply informs professional counsellor practice yet emphasis on reflection in counsellor education in a university setting can be minimal, this book advocates the value of developing reflective counselling professionals. Counsellor education is explored and suggestions for reflective counsellor education curriculum are advanced.