Professionalism

Health and Wellness Career

There are so many different career fields in our society now days, where it would nearly be impossible to not find a job, or most of all, a career you desire the most. Having a career that you look forward to and love, you pretty much aren’t going to work, you are just going to do what you love all day. Each person has their own desire on what they want to do as a career, and sometimes it takes a long time to find that specific career. While in that career, we must carry a level of professionalism that is proprietary to that field. Health services is going to be different than engineering, while business management is going to be different than construction. The following will include my desired career field, and the professionalism that comes along with it.

Part 1: View and Analysis

I chose the Psychology/ Human Services since I am not quite in the Medical field. Of course, I am incorporated into providing services for people for health, wellness, psychology, fitness, and overall life obtaining life goals. I have information on the anatomy/physiology for the physical activity aspect and understanding of why someone is having some sort of sore muscles, or back problems. I have also educated myself on Complimentary and Alternative medicines to aid people in finding a safe alternative to conventional western medicines. All that, along with psychology for all ages, all adds up to being in the psychology and human services class of career. Owning my own Health club is one of my biggest desires, where I can teach people how to live a healthier lifestyle, promote gym attendance, proper nutrition, and develop a staff of people with the same aspirations.

The individuals in these slides were exceptionally professional, from their attire, to their body language. One example is the picture of the psychologist reaching over and carefully touching the patient while she is crying. This can create a calming affect for someone in distress, which is something you learn firsthand as a psychologist. Another is what they are wearing. The woman have nice blouses and long dress/skirts that do not show too much. While the men have nice, crisped shirts with ties, with all of them having nice clean-cut hair and well-groomed beards. Having great hygiene is something that would need to be important as well, since most of these interactions will be close to one another.

All the slides seem professional enough, however the touching of the client should be asked first before being done. We don’t know in the slide if she asked permission before reaching out and touching the lady’s shoulder. With me being a male, I would definitely need to ask for permission before touching a woman’s shoulder. Some other thoughts about my career field would need to be about working out attire. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to wear a suit and tie while exercising, but how long should my shorts be? Should I where a full T-shirt, or would my client be comfortable with a tank top or cut off sleeves? Each client would desire separate needs, so understanding them would my top priority.

Part 2: Personal Reflection and Connection

The appropriate attire for a human service provider is good hygiene, clean-cut hair/beard, dressy casual clothing, and nice skirts/pants. According to the University of Denver, dressy casual is something that would be good in human services since it would comfort the client more often, which entails clothes that are nice, yet sort of casual (University of Denver, 2020). In psychology or human services, the client must feel comfortable in order to open up to you about what is bothering them, or what they want to work on. If someone isn’t comfortable with you, they may not disclose as much information that they would need in order to assess and find a cure for their problems.

According to the National Organization for Human Services, human service professionals is an easy term for someone that is a professional or paraprofessional in a community setting, with their main focus being assisting individuals to function normally in all domains of life (NOHS, n.d.). As stated earlier, every individual client is going to be different and is going to hold separate needs than other clients. Being able to remember which client is which and getting close to them is a professional way to approach human services/ psychology. Keeping your workload to a minimum would be considered professional as well, since you cannot remember or be as close to too many clients at once. Doing all of this, while not allowing yourself to get too stressed out to the point where your clients notice, can keep you from becoming unprofessional.

Behavior needs in human services is something that is the upmost importance, since you are attempting to help people that need someone with a clear head and the right demeanor. You can’t show up for a client’s appointment all upset because there was a fight at home or having problems because of the drive into the office. Keeping a level head, and a caring demeanor is going to assist in the client opening up, since more often than not, the client already has all kinds of problems going on with them. Body language is a huge aspect as well, you may feel right in the mind, but snooty looking in your body language, which could make the client more standoffish. According to Carol Goman, whole body signals can be just as significant in decision making and emotions, which pertains mostly to fear (Goman, 2008). Being able to read your clients body language as well can make you more of a professional, to the point where you can tell when they are fearing about talking about something or doing something.

The aspects of myself are quite professional. I own my own business currently, so dealing with business related situations has been something I have done for quite some time. Though I have tattoos pretty much all over my body, I have been cognizant of where I place them. I have kept them two inches from my wrist, so long sleeves will cover them, while also not tattooing my hands, face, or neck. However, I have come to notice while helping someone that has their own number of tattoos, they tend to be more comfortable, and they do also become good ice breakers in the beginning of a conversation. These aspects relate perfectly to my career field, since I will be working with all kinds of people, from ex-cons to soccer-moms, or even other entrepreneurs as well. The diversity in human services is quite vast, so again, finding what each client prefers, and what they desire to accomplish can assist me in being as professional as possible.

In conclusion, psychology and human services professionalism comes with the environment. If I go to half-way houses or institutions, my professionalism will be different than at my health club. The people are going to determine which type of persona I use, though I will always be myself, I will need to accommodate to their needs. Having the right attire, language, body language, and appropriate perception in this field comes with time. And becoming a professional in this field would take understanding of who I am going to deal with that day. Keeping my tattoos hidden for some clients, while also exposing some of them to other clients. It is all up to the specific individual that I am helping at that moment.

-Cyral I Callender III  

References:

Goman, C.K. (2008). The nonverbal advantage: Secrets and science of body language

at work. Retrieved from: https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/eds/ebookviewer/ebook?sid=45d3d4ed-d045-47c7-9e94-ef12a04af5c0%40sessionmgr4008&ppid=pp_21&vid=0&format=EB

National Organization for Human Services. (n.d.). What is Human Services? Retrieved from: https://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-services

University of Denver. (Sept. 18, 2020). Professional Attire Basics: Understanding Dress Expectations for the Interview and at Work. Retrieved from: https://career.du.edu/blog/2020/09/18/professional-attire-basics/