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Professional Dispositions Statement

Professional Dispositions Statement (Revised)

Introduction: Although academic performance is a crucial factor in evaluating candidate performance, there are other interpersonal and professional skills that are equally important in determining the professional readiness of a particular candidate to enter their chosen field. Therefore, in addition to academic performance, students in the CLES department will also be evaluated on the following professional readiness indicators. Failure to adhere to any of these expected professional dispositions will result in a remediation plan and may in some cases result in dismissal from the student’s program of study.

Course instructors and the entire counseling faculty assess dispositions. A student may be assigned a grade of I (incomplete) or F (Fail) or Unsatisfactory by either or their course instructor or the counseling faculty based on the assessment of dispositions at any time during the student’s program.

Indicators of Professional Readiness:

Essential professional characteristics expected of all candidates matriculated in a degree program in the CLES Department are as follows (Counselor Competency Scale Part 3):

  1. Ability to act according to the professional expectations of the classroom and school/agency placement sites especially with regard to: (Counselor Competencies Scale 2B, 2D, 2E and 2F)
    • Appropriate dress
    • Promptness and attendance for coursework and field site placements
    • Record Keeping and documentation, including timeliness
    • Adherence to policies and procedures • Respectful attitude and behavior;
  2. Ability to work effectively and respectfully with administrators, staff, students/clients, and parents; (CCS, 2B, 2C, and 2D)
  3. Ability to engage students/clients in a competent, ethical, and professional manner that respects and enhances their inherent dignity and worth; (CCS 2A, 2B, 2C) 6
  4. Demonstrated adherence to the ethical guidelines related to ability to recognize and value client, peers, and supervisor’s diversity and culture in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, social class, etc.; (CCS, 2A and 2B)
  5. Demonstrated ability to practice in a manner consistent with the ACA/NASP or other professional ethical guidelines; especially those related to ensuring the welfare of all students/clients and doing no harm to students/clients. (CCS 2A)

Indicators of Personal Readiness

(Counselor Competency Scale Part 2)

  1. Adheres to the ethical guidelines of ACA, ASCA, NASP, NBCC 10(2A)
  2. Ability to work respectfully, appropriately, and effectively with authority figures including university professors and site supervisors; (2B)
  3. Ability to emotionally self-regulate (2B, 2G)
  4. Ability to hear and accept critical feedback and to integrate and make changes based on communicated feedback; (2B, 2I, 2J, 2K)
  5. Maintains appropriate and professional boundaries with supervisors, peers, clients/students (2C)
  6. Willingness and ability to self-explore and reflect on experiences in order to grow as a professional; (2B)
  7. Ability to demonstrate excellent listening skills; (2B)
  8. Ability to effectively communicate with others; (2B)

Indicators of Clinical Readiness

(Counselor Competency Scale Part 1):

  1. Non-verbal skills
  2. Encouragers
  3. Questions
  4. Reflectinga (paraphrasing)
  5. Reflectingb (reflecting)
  6. Reflecting (summarizing)
  7. Advanced Reflecting (meaning)
  8. Confrontation
  9. Goal Setting
  10. Focus of Counseling
  11. Facilitation of Therapeutic Environmenta (empathy and caring)
  12. Facilitation of Therapeutic Environmentb (respect and compassion)
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