Foundation of mental health counseling & wellness
The wellness model involves the full integration of the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of a human being. Positive psychology entails focusing on the strengths and positive events and influences in life. Positive psychology helps in boosting self-confidence and resilience. Positive psychology, however, focuses on specific emotions and behaviors rather than the whole person. A person needs to be understood holistically and give focus on the weaknesses to have a better person.
The Keyes research focuses on the different mental illness and mental health, emotional and psychological well-being. Keyes research provides a basis for the evaluation of mental health counseling. Contextualized market work path will help in meeting the needs of the clients sufficiently unlike the psychologized career where the career may not meet the needs of the client as at that time. Contextualized market work path also helps in being at par with the current trends thus more meaningful to the market. Contextualized market work path also gives one the freedom to choose what to pursue depending on the demands of the market.
Vocational perspective is essential for mental health counselors as it helps them view their career in different angles. Vocational aspect helps mental health counselors understand that at the end job satisfaction should be the counselor’s priority. Vocational aspect helps in understanding the purpose of the career which is very crucial. Counseling can be taken as a means of income or as a way to benefit society.
Social justice’s approach to counseling does not preclude traditional therapy. Social justice counseling involves approaching problems from a broader perspective based on society at large. Social justice approach also includes the conventional since counselors tend to attend to the personal needs of the clients too which traditional counseling is all about. Social justice should, therefore, be embraced as it adds value to the conventional therapy.
References
Keyes, C. L. (Ed.). (2012). Mental well-being: International contributions to the study of positive mental health. Springer Science & Business Media.