This study investigates the self-care practices and professional development programs of guidance counsellors in training and their relationship to well-being, professional growth, and burnout. The study employed a descriptive research design with a sample of 100 undergraduate students from the Guidance and Counselling Department at Ekiti State University, Nigeria. Data were collected through a self-developed questionnaire that assessed self-care practices, professional development activities, and their impact on the well-being and professional outcomes of trainees. The findings revealed that the majority of participants engaged in self-care practices such as regular physical activity, healthy eating, and maintaining supportive social networks. However, self-compassion was less commonly practiced. In terms of professional development, respondents acknowledged the importance of training and education but showed low engagement in mentorship and supervision activities. The study also found significant relationships between self-care practices and both well-being (r = 0.432, p = 0.001) and burnout (r = 0.414, p = 0.000). Moreover, participation in self-care activities was moderately associated with professional development outcomes (r = 0.114, p = 0.016). The findings highlight the need for counselling programs to integrate comprehensive self-care strategies and professional development initiatives to improve the well-being and effectiveness of future counsellors. The study recommends enhancing self-care education and mentorship opportunities within counsellor training programs to mitigate burnout and promote professional growth.
Keywords: Burnout, Professional Development, counsellor training, guidance counsellors, self-care practices, well-being
