Why I am a Holistic Wellness Counsellor

Dewald
02.06.23 09:22 AM Comment(s)

The Responsibilities and Job Description of a Holistic Wellness Counsellor

From a Holistic Perspective

Introduction

Are you curious about the essential qualities that define a successful counsellor? As professionals in the field, our roles require us to utilise a full breadth of competencies in order to foster client growth. From intellectual and emotional capacity to physical and spiritual requirements, it is important that we have an understanding of each area so that we can adequately meet our clients' needs. In this blog post, we will examine the holistic wellness counsellor's competencies integral to counselling success, such as intellectual, emotional, social, physical, artistic, creative, ecological awareness and spiritual competencies, while considering how these different traits contribute towards the overall fulfilment of participants.
Wellness counselling is an important profession that helps individuals lead a happier, healthier life. As a wellness counsellor, you are responsible for enhancing your clients' overall well-being by addressing various physical, mental and emotional behavioural issues.
Being a wellness counsellor is not an easy task, especially if you don't have a clear understanding of your responsibilities and job descriptions. As a wellness counsellor, you will be dealing with different kinds of people who are struggling with their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Your role is to provide them with an effective and safe solution to their problems. This requires you to be knowledgeable, empathic, and compassionate. If you are pondering why you should become a wellness counsellor, this blog will provide a detailed description of the role, job description, and responsibilities that come with the profession, and discuss why am I a wellness counsellor.

The Job Description of a Holistic Wellness Counsellor

The job description of a wellness counsellor involves promoting and developing awareness around various wellness issues, such as stress management, work-life balance, self-care, nutrition, and physical exercise. The primary goal is to help individuals adopt healthier lifestyles and achieve their wellness goals. Wellness Counsellors help in identifying and diagnosing behavioural and emotional concerns that affect an individual's overall well-being.
The responsibilities of a wellness counsellor are not limited to treating mental-health-related problems. They are also responsible for educating individuals and communities about different aspects of wellness, including physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Their role is to develop and implement wellness programs focused on preventing health problems, promoting healthy behaviours, and enhancing the quality of life. They also conduct assessments, develop treatment plans, and provide therapy to individuals or groups who are struggling with mental-health-related issues.

The Job Description of a Holistic Wellness Counsellor

The wellness counsellor's specific responsibilities vary depending on the client's needs and requirements. Some duties of a wellness counsellor include evaluating clients' mental and emotional well-being, developing customised plans in collaboration with clients to promote their wellness, and developing documentation to maintain a record of clients' progress. They are also responsible for facilitating client support groups and collaborating with other healthcare professionals to improve client outcomes.
The responsibilities of a wellness counsellor are vast and varied. They not only provide therapy and support to individuals struggling with mental-health-related problems, but they also educate individuals and communities on how to achieve and maintain optimal wellness. They develop and implement wellness programs focused on preventing health problems, promoting healthy behaviours, and enhancing the quality of life. Some of their specific responsibilities may include conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, and providing therapy to individuals or groups.

The Job Description of a Holistic Wellness Counsellor

Becoming a wellness counsellor is a fulfilling profession. Working in healthcare and nurturing a passion for helping people achieve their wellness dreams are the primary reasons many choose to become wellness counsellors. In addition, you have the opportunity to work with clients, offer them support and help, and witness their transformation. Moreover, the demand for wellness counsellors is on the rise, presenting unlimited job opportunities.

The Job Description of a Holistic Wellness Counsellor

Because wellness is …
  • in principle holistic, because it works with the human person as a bio-psychosocial system.
  • in method salutogenic, i.e., aims not at treatment, but at improving and enhancing well-being.
  • in-scope multidimensional, i.e., psychological, social, physical and spiritual well-being.
  • in practice non-invasive and complementary because it supports self-care.
  • in value, beneficial for its objective is preventative healthcare.
  • from a marketing perspective, popular and trending
  • in the clinical setting, scientific as it is based on research findings.
As a holistic wellness counsellor, I am committed to helping individuals and communities achieve optimal health and well-being. I believe that everyone deserves to live a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life, and my role as a counsellor is to empower people by providing them with the tools and resources they need to achieve this. I also believe in the power of prevention, and I am passionate about developing effective wellness programs that can prevent health problems before they occur.

Holistic Approach of Wellness Counselors

Wellness counsellors take a holistic approach to wellness, meaning they focus on the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. They recognise that each individual is unique and has their own set of needs and circumstances, and they tailor their services to meet those needs. This may involve integrating traditional therapy techniques with alternative therapies, such as yoga or meditation, to help individuals achieve optimal wellness.

Skills Needed as a Holistic Wellness Counsellor

To become a successful wellness counsellor, you must possess some critical skills. Of course, you must undergo the necessary education to build a strong foundation. The primary skills required include excellent communication skills, empathy, a strong sense of understanding, and non-judgemental attitudes. The ability to listen to and offer emotional support to clients is also essential to help them overcome challenging situations, sometimes outside of their control.  These skills are all in support of developing our own and our clients’ competencies in line with the World Economic Forum's (WEF) emerging jobs for upskilling & reskilling requirements, which includes Holistic Wellness Counselling. Some of the WEF's upskilling & reskilling requirements for Holistic Wellness Counsellors and emerging jobs are as follows:
  • Analytical thinking & innovation
  • Critical thinking & analysis
  • Troubleshooting & user experience
  • Leadership & Social Influence
  • Complex problem-solving
  • Creativity, originality & initiative
  • Quality control & safety awareness
  • Persuasion & negotiation
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Technology installation & maintenance
  • Resilience, stress tolerance & flexibility
  • Reasoning, problem-solving & ideation
  • Active learning & learning strategies

Conclusion

In conclusion, wellness counsellors are crucial in promoting optimal health and well-being holistically. We are responsible for educating individuals and communities about different aspects of wellness, developing and implementing wellness programs, and providing therapy to individuals or groups struggling with mental-health-related problems. As a wellness counsellor, I am proud of the work that I do to empower individuals and communities from an intellectual, emotional, social, physical, artistic, creative, and ecological perspective and help them achieve optimal wellness in their respective environments.
Professor Marius Herholdt
President Association for Supportive Counsellors & Holistic Practitioners at ASCHP (SAQA: 984).