Action Plan in Counselling

Action Plan in Counselling

If counseling is all talk and no action, it is not effective counseling. The problem is that clients encounter many barriers in carrying out actions they identify in the counseling process.

Write a 750-1,000-word paper discussing action planning and overcoming barriers for client treatment. Please use headings and include the following in your paper:

1.      Discuss the principles for effectively implementing an action plan.

2.      Describe at least five barriers that might interfere with client implementation of the action plans that are created. Include a case example of each barrier.

3.      Outline a counselor intervention that would help to overcome each barrier.

4.      A list of your local community resources for different types of needs.

5.      Outline an aftercare plan that utilized local community resources.

Include at least three scholarly references in your paper.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

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SAMPLE ANSWER

Action Plan in Counselling

Introduction

Mental health is an important health field that is helping a lot of people who in the past struggled in silence. For it to be effective, it is important to understand the specific steps that needs to be taken as well as possible barriers to effective treatment and how to overcome them (Treatment, 2014). The following is an analysis explaining principles of effective action plan implementation, its barriers and ways to address the barriers. It also explores possible resources available to assist the clients and how they can be used for the benefit of the patient.

Action Plan in Counselling

Principles of Effective Action Plan

The first principle for an effective treatment plan is that of clarity in that all the activities that are to be done need to be clearly defined as well the period they will run. The second principle is that of sufficiency. It explains that for an action plan to be effective then all of the objectives that were defined before its implementation are done (Treatment, 2014). The third on is that of resources. For an action plan to be effective there needs to be very specific resources that are available to the person. Principle of resources require that the resources need are well explained as well as how they will be availed. Finally, the action plan needs to meet the principle of flexibility. It explains that for an action plan to be effective, then it needs to be one that can respond effectively to new changes as well as emerging barriers and opportunities.

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Barriers

One of the barriers to be addressed is stigma. A lot of people suffering from mental problems are stigmatized which can make them not want to take advantage of the resources available to address the problems for fear of being stigmatized. For example, people tend to categorize any person receiving any mental health related care as being crazy which can inhibit the willingness from seeking help so as not to be categorized as such. Another barrier is financial (Treatment, 2014). Treatment can be expensive and implementation of action plan will need specific resources that might need to be paid to acquire. Many who do not have the financial capacity to pay for these resources can struggle to effectively address their problem. For example, some action plans might need insurance to be effective and if a person cannot afford a cover, then it will be hard to effectively implement it.

Another barrier is reluctance to face problems. A lot of people that need counselling tend to be unwilling to take the necessary steps for them to get better due to various reasons such as being in denial (Drake & Latimer, 2014). For example, an action plan might need an individual to apologize for something that they did and if unwilling, then it is hard to implement that part of the plan. For those people, it will be hard to get the right assistance because they do not feel like the need it in the first place. Many of them also do not feel like counselling and the steps that need to be taken will be effective and the end up not either seeking help or following up on everything that needs to be done. Other health problems can also be a source of barrier to effective implementation of an action plan. For example, those suffering from health problems such as HIV/AIDS or with chronic diseases that are painful may be unable to be actively involved in all required activities. Finally, there are also many system problems that can also result in barriers. For example, if a person was getting help from Medicaid to implement the action plan and end up taking a better paying job, then they will not be eligible to getting the financial help anymore.

Resources available for Various Needs

There are various resources available to those who need them. For information, some of the online resources include American psychological association, American Psychiatric Association, and Psychology Today websites. For military and Veterans, they can get the help they need from the veteran affairs offices, military pathways offices and the national association on mental illness. For the young people, some resources that are available to them include the US office of adolescent health, Jed foundation, youth.gov and law lifeline (Sanetti & DiGennaro Reed, 2014). The Mental Health America (MHA) is also a viable option for many and is community based. Among the resources it provides include screening tools and approach to getting help among others.

Action Plan in Counselling

Aftercare Plan

A good after plan provides assistance after the action plan implementation to ensure that a person continue of the upwards trajectory of recovery. A good option to consider is joining a support group. The aftercare plan needs to start with finding a good after care group near and individual and cites such as Mental Health America can help (Drake & Latimer, 2014). One will then need to approach the group which is in most cases made up of people recovering from similar problems. It gives them a chance to share and talk about their experiences as well as offer support to each other. This can help a person feel strengthened and have people to talk to during challenging times.

Conclusion

Mental health is an important issue in America and action plans are central to an effective recovery. They need to have some specific principle to be effective. It is also important to identify barriers that can inhibit successful implementation and devise ways to eliminate them. Finally, one needs to have an effective aftercare plan to assist the person recovering to keep moving forward.

References

Drake, R. E., & Latimer, E. (2014). Lessons learned in developing community mental health care in North America. World Psychiatry, 11(1), 47-51. doi:10.1016/j.wpsyc.2012.01.007

Sanetti, L. M., & DiGennaro Reed, F. D. (2014). Barriers to Implementing Treatment Integrity Procedures in School Psychology Research. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 37(4), 195-202. doi:10.1177/1534508411432466

Treatment, C. F. (2014). Enhancing Motivation for Change in Substance Abuse Treatment.

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