FINAL REFLECTIVE PAPER
This final reflective paper is not a research paper but an opportunity for you to look back on all of your hard work. This reflection paper will demonstrate how you have integrated all that you have read, discussed, written, experienced and learned over the semester. This paper will allow you to share the personal insights and self-awareness you have gained about your worldview, your life experiences as multidimensional cultured individual, and how you believe clients/students from cultures unlike your culture might experience you.
Think about everything that occurred throughout the semester—the class exercises and discussions, the immersion assignments, the information in your textbooks, and the self-awareness project for this course. Assess your cultural competency i.e. your self-awareness, awareness of other cultures, your repertoire of skills. Assess your social justice competency i.e. your self-awareness, awareness of other cultures, your systemic awareness. Describe your growth trajectory. If you are struggling with gathering your thoughts, here are four questions to help you get started…..
- How has your view of counseling students/clients from diverse populations been challenged, altered, or redefined since taking this course?
- How will the knowledge you’ve gained from this course effect your work in practicum or internship experiences OR in your post-graduation residency practice?
- Which cultural populations do you think will struggle to work with you and why; which do you think will find you easier to work with and why?
- How will the knowledge and self-discoveries gained from this course ‘show up’ in your personal life?
- What strategies have you thought of using to address your competency (multicultural counseling & social justice counseling) weaknesses?
Lastly, include a summary of what you learned from last week’s Collaborate session and explain how you will integrate this ‘wisdom’ when conceptualizing clients of diverse cultures (unlike yours).
Be honest and identify your strengths and weaknesses at this point in your training and identify some strategies to address those areas in which you may still need to grow or explore. Be specific. Use “I” statements.
Your paper must be written according to the latest edition of the APA style of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. An abstract is not needed; you are not required to have referenced citations. You may use first person but do not let that dissuade you from a critical, in-depth analysis.
