“Alonetime”: Recovering a Rich Classical Resource for Counselor Self-Renewal Available to Purchase

Counselors cannot offer what they do not have. In a society marked by round-the-clock connectivity, it is difficult to set aside personal time to recharge and reflect. Yet the minds, voices, bodies, and spirits of counselors are our healing instruments. If even one component is weakened, a slow leak springs. Without an intentional practice of alonetime—a devoted period in silence and solitude or reflectively within oneself when in a group—the cost may be a life vocation unnecessarily lost, or even worse. We will examine priorities and common resistances; consider what alonetime may already be available but possibly underused; evaluate places that may promote a more reflective spirit; offer suggestions on how to restructure a busy schedule; and suggest alonetime and mindfulness meditation resources.