Self-Compassion and Support for the Wounded Healer in Counselor Education

ABSTRACT

Counseling practice exposes clinicians to the pain and suffering of others, potentially compounding their own painful life experiences. A counselor’s personal losses and illnesses can wound them; however, they can also fuel empathy for the experiences of clients. Wounded healers can be found throughout counselor education programs, even though their woundedness – for reasons of-associated with fear or stigma – may not be readily apparent or disclosed. Woundedness can be viewed along a continuum, and self-care plays a crucial part in maintaining personal and professional wellness. This article describes using a wounded healer framework, encourages cultivating a culture of wellness, and details creative ways to incorporate self-compassion into the curriculum as a preventative effort to promote intentional self-care practices. Topics and example exercises are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Wounded healer
• self-care
• self-compassion
• wellness
• counselor education
• creativity is counseling

Disclosure Statement

We have no known conflict of interest to disclose. We would like to thank Jody Coaston for her support and feedback in the development of this manuscript. We would also like to thank Julia Lira and Jay Syme for their translation assistance. Obrigada!