Why You Think It Is Important to Study Counseling

Personal Values

Counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and avoid imposing values that are inconsistent with counseling goals. Counselors respect the diversity of clients, trainees, and research participants (A. 4. b)” Remaining value-neutral to suicide will be very hard, especially for me until I evaluate whether a person’s suicide or hastened death is rational. Also, I need to confront my own fear about death and dying.

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I know one day we all have to go, but it is hard to know someone you love or care about is going to die or is suffering and want to end their lives. I feel if a client comes in for therapy to discuss suicide I would listen and find out if the client decision is a rational suicide. I do not think anyone should suffer before they die, if the client has a terminal illness and she tired of the constant suffering and want to end her life, I would counsel the client and help her with her decision.

Counselors have their own personal values about sexual practices, so when a client comes to me as a therapist that is knowingly committed adultery or in domestic violence relationship I become judgmental. I feel I cannot remain value neutral about these issues. Two men in my life committed adultery which I have children with, I cannot forgive them, my home got destroy because of their adultery not only did I suffer but so did my children. I cannot be bias with a client who comes to me with those issues.

I would make it clear to the client that it is my problem not theirs when I refer them to someone else. My good friend was in a domestic violence marriage and I watch her suffer. I try to talk with her concerning her health, I told her that man can kill her one day; nothing I could have said could make my friend leave her husband. When she had her daughter, the beaten continue until I threaten to call ACS on her and take her daughter out of that environment, I let her know I am the God mother of her daughter and I will not stand by and watch my God daughter grow up in that environment.

This almost took our friendship, what was she thinking? I think this is a good as time as any to refer the client with these issues to someone else because my values and those of the client clash to such extent that I do question my ability to be helpful. “ Yarhouse and VanOrman (1999) assert that value conflicts between clients and therapists are inevitable. The challenge for therapists is to recognize when their values clash with a client’s values to the extent that they are not able to function effectively.

I feel these two issues might lead me to consider referring the client to another counselor, and if referring them was not an option I would read my ACA codes and keep referring to my supervisor or peers to help me with the clients Some counselors can remain value-neutral on drug use because most counselors that are drug counselors were once drug abuser themselves. The counselors can empathize with their feelings and the struggle that the clients are going to face, because they have shared experiences and value.

I had a lot of friends that turned to drugs, and now they are drug free, working, got housing, and got their children back. There are a lot of options for drug abuser like rehab centers, detoxification clinic, methadone programs, and outpatient clinic. Issues such as child abuse are hard to remain value-neutral especially when you have children of your own. The ethic code will have to be use a lot so you can counsel the client with the same respect you will give anyone else. I would also look into other programs such as parenting, and group meeting so the clients can attend additionally.