Jaden: Self-regulation
As an intern at a substance abuse clinic, it is important to self-regulate my emotions and behaviors in order to maintain a professional appearance. Throughout the course of working for my internship, I have come across many different types of people and interactions. Several times, I have been faced with a difficult client who is argumentative and berating toward me when told they have to attend court-mandated sessions. However, instead of matching the client’s anger and responding in a rude way, I use willpower to self-regulate my behavior in order to stay calm and polite. By using willpower, I am able to control my hot process behaviors such as feeling so upset about the things the client may have said or done, which may lead me to react on an impulse out of anger, as opposed to my cool processes where I am thinking more clearly and more level-headed. When using my cool processes, I am able to be mindful of future consequences that may occur if I react in a negative way toward clients, such as being sent home or losing my internship based on my poor actions. Self-regulation is important in many aspects of life, but especially the workplace, because it can improve your ability to actively listen to your coworkers and/or clients and understand how to best address the issue at hand. Not only that, but self-regulation helps you remain calm in challenging situations and think rationally. As a counselor, self-regulation has really helped me maintain positive relationships with my peers and to respect those around even when faced with difficulty.