Recentring Personal Development in Counsellor Education: Integrating Self-compassion, Meaning and Self-care in Training
subject: counsellor education; meaning in life; personal development; professional quality of life; self-care; self-compassion; trainee resilience
description: Personal development (PD) was once the cornerstone of counsellor preparation. However, competency-driven reforms of the late-20th century relegated introspective work to the curricular margins. This chapter argues for a systematic reintegration of PD within counsellor education, contending that self-compassion, meaning in life and holistic self-care are pedagogically indispensable for fostering counselling self-efficacy and sustaining the professional quality of life (ProQOL). After tracing the historical displacement of reflective practice, we differentiate PD from the broader notion of personal growth and technically oriented professional development. Synthesising evidence from counselling, health and educational psychology, we demonstrate that trainees who cultivate self-compassion, meaning-making in life and intentional holistic self-care show greater empathic resonance, lower burnout indicators and more ethical decision-making. The chapter offers concrete strategies such as reflective writing, development labs, mindfulness exercises and scaffolded peer-support structures, which educators can embed within diverse regulatory contexts. By restoring PD to the centre of counsellor training, programmes can prepare practitioners who work competently and congruently, safeguarding client welfare and well-being. 2026 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved.
creator: John, A. Sabu; Devassy, Viju P.
source: Psychology Teaching and Learning: Innovations, Trends, and Best Practices;pp.257-283
publisher: wiley
date: 01-01-2026
rights: Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
relation: ISBN: 978-139440239-7; 978-139440236-6;
language: English
type: Book chapter
coverage: John A.S., School of Psychological Sciences, CHRIST, Deemed to be University, Karnataka, Bengaluru, India; Devassy V.P., School of Psychological Sciences, CHRIST, Deemed to be University, Karnataka, Bengaluru, India