ABSTRACT
Self-growth is the development of personal reflection, confidence, and compassion. Self-growth involves awareness of oneself and the areas we need to improve upon. Research indicates that the counseling profession values self-growth in order to help support counselors’ sustainability in the field, and, in turn, their clients. Most counselor trainees reflected on their own response to self-growth-oriented assignments, discussions, and mentored relationships that focused on these same themes. The field has a variety of specialties and counselors may choose to focus on different areas as experts to support their own areas of interest, which positively impacts clients. The journey towards self-growth is a difficult process, most acknowledge it can be harder than learning theories and techniques because it forces each counselor to have to look inside and address all areas of the self. The research discussed how supervisors and faculty members can assist in supporting counselor trainees’ movement towards self-growth and self-discovery, which can include preparations for future goals.
