My Wellness Plan
Throughout this program and my internship experience, I have come to recognize the importance of frequently integrating self-care. Not only does personal wellness allow me to feel like my best self and prevent burnout, it also allows me to be the best counselor that I can for my clients. When things get busy in my life, my self-care often falls first to the wayside; I have been making more of an effort to prioritize self-care rather than making it an optional activity whenever I have the time.
Self-Care Assessment Worksheet
For the physical aspect of this worksheet, I plan to focus on getting enough sleep. This is a common problem for me that I have been working on for most of my life, and I plan to continue integrating a better sleep routine. Saying no and setting boundaries is one way I will continue to wok on the psychological aspect of my self-care; boundary setting is not something that comes very easily to me. For the emotional section, allowing myself to cry seems like the aspect that needs the most work. I often am still hesitant to feel the full range of my emotions. For spiritual, I plan to set aside at least 5 minutes of time for personal reflection and reflection of my day. For workplace self-care, I plan to better balance my caseload to create more even and consistent days for myself. Finally, for balance, I will strive for a better balance among work, family, relationships, play, and rest by better scheduling and planning for activities.
Assessing Social Support
I feel very supported by my current support network. I think the primary area lacking adequate coverage is my "instrumental" area. I believe my girlfriend (Tea) is the most overextended within my support network, and I think the situation could be made better by better relying on other family members such as my brothers and grandparents. To fill the "job openings", I plan to be more vulnerable with my family members, engage with more of my peers and professors, and rely on my friends more often for emotional or instrumental support.
Life Pie
Overall, I feel my balance has improved throughout my experience in the Master's program, but it is still not a balance that I prefer. Much of my balance and time is lent toward school and work, which shows that I value this development. However, if I had one month left to live, I would allocate more of my time toward my relationships. While I do spend some time caring for others and myself, I feel these are the areas that need the most attention and development. I think the primary commitment I can make right now is to better manage my time when it comes to school assignments so I can better utilize my time with my loved ones. By focusing on better time management, this will leave more room for me to spend with others throughout my day.
Updates
Throughout my Internship II semester, implementing my wellness plan allowed me to notice shifts in both my personal and professional life. I became more intentional about limiting the amount of time I spent at work (at the bank) and redirecting that energy toward my clients. Engaging in my own personal counseling strengthened my self‑care practices and helped me cultivate a more compassionate internal dialogue. I also experienced greater closeness in my relationships and found myself more consistent in setting clear boundaries with others. These changes contributed to a more balanced caseload, a goal of mine from internship I.
This process also highlighted areas that still require continued attention. I recognized the need to continue prioritizing my physical wellbeing: improving my sleep, increasing movement, and being more mindful of my diet. I also noticed that I had slipped out of my stretching routine and that I struggled to sit with my emotions rather than moving past them too quickly. Acknowledging these patterns has been an important part of refining my self‑care approach.
In revisiting my wellness plan, I updated my assessments and set goals that feel more realistic and sustainable, particularly around physical health. I am also working to adopt a more strengths‑based lens when setting personal goals, allowing me to build on what is already working. Additionally, I plan to be more intentional about connecting with colleagues and fellow counselors outside of work, as these relationships have been restorative for me. Investing in closeness with others has been one of the most meaningful aspects of my self‑care, and I intend to continue nurturing this area moving forward.