What is the Personal Growth Experience?
Self-awareness, personal congruence, and continually striving for growth are essential to becoming an effective helping professional. Prior to interning, all students are required to participate in a personal growth experience that has been designed to enhance these qualities. The growth experience may be either individual or group therapy in nature, and must be at least 6 hours in length. Many students have chosen to remain in therapy beyond the minimum 6 hour requirement. Particularly while interning, students have recognized the need to work through personal issues so these do not interfere with the counseling process. For example, personal therapy may help students identify blocks to growth and areas they have been avoiding. Students learn that they must confront themselves before they can expect clients to do the same. Students who have experienced the effectiveness of therapy techniques during their own counseling have felt more comfortable using these with their own clients. Stu
