Reference no: EM133589863 , Length: word count:600

Self-Care and Developing Resilience

Assessment - Reflective Journal. Part B: Reflexive Strategy

Learning Outcome 1: Critically reflect on personal strengths and vulnerabilities
Learning Outcome 2: Demonstrate a self-reflexive understanding of the professional
Learning Outcome 3: Recognise symptoms of burnout and examine how they apply to you as a professional and for your clients

Task Summary
This task builds upon the self-care proposal you developed in Assessment 1, Part A (Week 4). You are to now submit a 600-word self-reflexive response to the implementation of your professional self- care strategy. Assessment 1, Part B requires you to draw on your knowledge of reflexivity in professional practice in order to analyse the effectiveness so far of your self-care strategy, and develop ideas of how you may maximise its benefits to you and your clients going forward.

Context
This subject has encouraged you to reflect deeply on the qualities you possess that are advantageous to being a helping professional, and those that present challenges in terms of vulnerability to professional stress, compassion fatigue and burnout. The self-care strategy you submitted in Assessment 1, Part A, had an aim to build resilience when helping others in a professional context. In this part of the assignment you are asked to reflect on how applying this strategy was experienced when applied.

Reflexivity refers to the circular process of the reflective process, whereby the steps of reflection are repeated and evaluated in context of application. Attributes of self-awareness assists acting consciously to create change in the present. This awareness enables greater independence of response, and facilitates fewer automatic reactions in professional practice. This builds effectiveness of engagement with clients and greater psychological safety for both client and professional.

Task Instructions

To complete this task you are to evaluate, through a reflexive approach, the self-care strategy you outlined in Assessment 1 Part A.

Step 1: Examine reflective journal entries

Critically examine your personal weekly reflective journal entries written during the module learning in this subject. Analyse the extent to which you have employed your self-care strategy and determine how to improve your professional practice by building upon it.

See the document titled ‘Helpful Tools for Reflection', found in Assessment 1 information area to guide the reflexive process.

Consider the following when analysing your reflective journal entries:

• Has your self-care strategy enabled you to achieve greater balance in your life?
• How has this strategy benefited your professional practice?
• Has your strategy helped you to avoid burnout or compassion fatigue?
• Have you identified changes in your ability to hold a safe space for yourself and your clients?
• What further modifications are needed for your self-care strategy?

Step 2: Reflexive Strategy Write up

In 600 words, write about how your self-care strategy has been of use. State if you have benefitted from applying the self-care strategy and how this has informed your future professional practice. This is a reflexive task and as such, you will be required to critically analyse your performance and your engagement with reflexive thinking and action, not simply provide a descriptive account.

Referencing
It is essential that you use appropriate APA style for citing and referencing research.