Residential Counselors and Self Care: A Retrospective Qualitative Study of Archival Interview Data

Objectives: The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to understand the barriers related to effective self-care for master’s level residential counselors. Methods: Archival interview transcripts of 77 residential counselors were analyzed utilizing a social constructivist lens to identify perceived barriers to effective self-care. Themes related to levels of self-care influences including individual, supervisory, and organizational barriers to effective self-care emerged. Results: Results reflected those themes specifically by indicating that counselors can take steps to actively engage in wellness pursuits to promote self-care. Similarly, supervisors and organizations can enhance or impede a counselor’s ability to engage in self-care. Conclusions: Counselors should select work settings that have both supervisory and organizational supports for self-care. This includes encouraging a culture of wellness through support, development, coverage for time off, and other related areas. Implications show that practices and policies are needed to promote effective self-care across individual, supervisory, and agency domains.

Evaluating the Chinese University Summer Gifted Program for Junior Secondary Students in Hong Kong

The design and operation of the 1998 Chinese University Summer Gifted Program organized for junior secondary students in Hong Kong are described. This one-week residential program provided enrichment courses, workshops, and special activities intended to enhance creativity and leadership abilities in students. Evaluative ratings on various aspects of the program indicated that program participants, program instructors, residential counselors, and parents of students expressed overall satisfaction with the program. Students also had higher ratings on self-perceived leadership ability and creativity in postprogram, as compared with preprogram, assessments. Implications of the findings for future program development are discussed.