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There are multiple areas that must be addressed to achieve personal wellness, and if even one area of wellness is ignored, wellness as a whole will suffer and have negative consequences. Counselors must be intentional in their activities and pursuit of wellness for both themselves and those they serve.

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It is critical for individuals in helping professions to practice self-care to manage the high levels of stress and trauma they are exposed to daily to prevent fatigue and burnout. Practicing self-care and maintaining personal wellness allows professionals to function at a high level and to teach the individuals they are helping by example and personal experience.

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I have been continually working on my self-care since becoming a teacher several years ago and plan to utilize gardening and reading as a means to maintain my wellness. Gardening requires me to go outside and spend focused time daily caring and growing plants, which provides my family with healthy food, allows me to receive required vitamins and helps reduce stress. Reading fictitious books is a way to immerse myself in a different world and a mental escape from the issues I face each day. These are just two ways, physical and mental, for me to practice self-care and promote personal wellness.