Date of Conferral

1-1-2010

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Magy Martin

Abstract

It is imperative that those who provide personal therapy to others be well-adjusted in their personal and professional lives and possess a keen and accurate perception of wellness. Yet, persons drawn to careers in counseling often have unresolved psychological issues. Counselor education programs should have a systematic way to evaluate and improve wellness in their students. Studies addressing the well-being of counselors-in-training, their perception of wellness, and their need for self-care are lacking in the professional literature. This study, therefore, examined the relationship between psychological well-being and perceived wellness in a sample (N = 97) of graduate students in a CACREP-accredited counseling program. Based on person-centered theory, the participants' psychological well-being was measured with the Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB), and their perception of wellness with the Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS). Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between psychological well-being and perceived wellness. Adding a self-assessment tool to counselor education and, thus, facilitating the students' best possible psychological functioning has positive social-change implications: Considering that 57.7 million individuals sought mental health services in 2006, at a cost of {dollar}68.1 billion, working toward greater well-being of counseling students will help them provide the best therapeutic care to their future clients.

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