View A Set Of Slides And Choose One Representing Your Desire ✓ Solved
View a set of slides and choose one representing your desire
View a set of slides and choose one representing your desired career field. Then describe and analyze what you viewed according to the following directions.
Part 1: View and Analysis (3-4 paragraphs)
Describe and explain what you viewed. Answer these questions in your response: Were the individuals professional? What made the individuals professional (consider attire, communication skills, presentation of self, etc.)? After reviewing the slides, describe areas that would be unprofessional in your field when considering attire and presentation of self. Include any additional thoughts.
Part 2: Personal Reflection and Connection (4 paragraphs)
What is the appropriate attire for an individual in your profession? Review what is not appropriate attire in the majority of career fields. Describe what makes someone a professional in your field using research and personal experience. What behavioral attributes do you practice that identify you as a professional? What attributes, such as attire, communication skills, and presentation of self, do you possess that make you professional.
Paper For Above Instructions
Part 1: View and Analysis
I selected and reviewed a slide set representing clinical psychology practice in an outpatient mental health setting. The slides showed clinicians (licensed psychologists and trainees) conducting intake interviews, using structured assessment tools, and demonstrating collaborative session planning. Visuals included clinicians greeting clients, showing identification badges, using note-taking tablets, and slides describing confidentiality and informed consent. The presentation emphasized clear roles, documentation practices, and the supervisor–trainee relationship, which provided a useful context for evaluating professionalism within clinical work (APA, 2015).
The individuals depicted appeared professional overall. They wore business-casual or business attire, displayed clear eye contact in staged images, and used open, empathetic body language in role-play photos. Slides highlighted concise verbal scripts for introducing confidentiality and scope of practice, demonstrating that communication skills were foregrounded as part of professional identity (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014). The presence of supervision checklists and documentation examples signaled organizational and ethical rigor consistent with professional standards (APA, 2017).
After reviewing the slides, several potential unprofessional behaviors relevant to clinical psychology were evident by omission or contrast. Examples of unprofessional presentation would include casual or revealing clothing (e.g., shorts, tank tops), lack of identification or credentials in the clinical environment, and informal language that diminishes boundaries (Rehman et al., 2005; NHS Employers, 2019). Additionally, slides that implied unsupervised practice beyond trainee competence or unclear emergency procedures would reflect serious professional risks; supervision and clear referral/consultation pathways are essential to avoid harm and liability (Falender & Shafranske, 2014).
Part 2: Personal Reflection and Connection
Appropriate attire in clinical psychology generally aligns with professional, culturally sensitive dress that fosters client trust and maintains therapeutic boundaries. For many outpatient settings, this means business casual (e.g., dress slacks, blouses, collared shirts, blazers) while inpatient or hospital settings often require uniforms or identification badges (NHS Employers, 2019; Rehman et al., 2005). Research suggests that clinician attire can influence client perceptions of competence and trustworthiness, so choosing modest, neat, and context-appropriate clothing supports therapeutic alliance (Rehman et al., 2005).
What is not appropriate across most career fields—and particularly in healthcare and mental health—includes clothing that is overly casual, revealing, or that displays offensive imagery or slogans. Tattoos and piercings can be acceptable depending on setting and cultural norms, but clinicians should consider client population and organizational policies (NHS Employers, 2019). Beyond clothing, unprofessional presentation includes disorganized documentation, inconsistent availability for supervision, poor hygiene, and failure to maintain confidentiality; these behaviors compromise client safety and professional credibility (APA, 2017).
A professional in clinical psychology is defined by more than attire; it includes adherence to ethical standards, demonstration of clinical competence, reliable documentation, and respectful interpersonal conduct (Epstein & Hundert, 2002). Professionalism also involves appropriate boundary management, timely supervision-seeking when competence is exceeded, and cultural humility. For example, the APA supervision guidelines emphasize supervisors’ responsibility to ensure trainees are competent and not practicing beyond their level—a critical element of ethical professional behavior (APA, 2015; Falender & Shafranske, 2014).
In my own practice and preparation, I cultivate behavioral attributes that identify me as a professional: punctuality, clear and empathetic communication, thorough documentation, and consistent supervision engagement. I prioritize continuing education and reflective practice to maintain competence (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014). In terms of attire and presentation, I choose conservative business-casual clothing, wear identifying credentials when required, and ensure my office environment and digital communications present a calm, confidential, and organized space for clients. These choices support client trust and align with the broader literature linking professional conduct to better client perceptions and outcomes (Epstein & Hundert, 2002; Rehman et al., 2005).
Conclusion and Additional Thoughts
Overall, the slides provided a helpful template for professional presentation in clinical psychology but also underscored the importance of supervision, boundary maintenance, and situational sensitivity in attire and behavior. Professionalism in this field is multifaceted: it requires ethical knowledge, clinical skill, reliable documentation, effective communication, and contextual judgment about presentation. Mindful choices about dress and demeanor, combined with robust supervision and adherence to ethical codes, protect clients and sustain the profession’s integrity (APA, 2017; Falender & Shafranske, 2014).
References
- American Psychological Association. (2015). Guidelines for clinical supervision in health service psychology. American Psychologist.
- American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. APA Publishing.
- Bernard, J. M., & Goodyear, R. K. (2014). Fundamentals of Clinical Supervision (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
- Falender, C. A., & Shafranske, E. P. (2014). Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association.
- Epstein, R. M., & Hundert, E. M. (2002). Defining and assessing professional competence. JAMA, 287(2), 226–235.
- Rehman, S. U., Nietert, P. J., Cope, D. K., & Kilpatrick, A. O. (2005). What to wear today? Effect of doctor's attire on the trust and confidence of patients. The American Journal of Medicine, 118(11), 1279–1286.
- Swick, H. M. (2000). Toward a normative definition of medical professionalism. Academic Medicine, 75(6), 612–616.
- NHS Employers. (2019). Uniforms and workwear: Guidance for employers. NHS Employers. https://www.nhsemployers.org
- Gabbard, G. O. (1994). Boundaries and Boundary Violations in Psychoanalytic Practice. American Psychiatric Publishing.
- Sousa, D., & Zodda, A. (2016). Professionalism in psychology: Teaching and assessment. Journal of Professional Psychology Practice, 47(3), 189–201.