2.1. Having Personal Values

Tuesday, 15 August 2023, 11:59 AM

It is essential that counsellors be aware of their personal values when choosing a helping profession as a career, as their values will have an impact on the counselling process and their moral development. Although many personal needs can be met through helping others, it is crucial that these needs not be met at the expense of the client. Those who make a lifetime commitment to helping others have a responsibility to be clear about what they are getting from their work and how their personal characteristics play a vital role in their ability to make appropriate ethical decisions.

Review what the codes of ethics have to say about this topic and incorporate this into your discussions:

Discuss this statement: "It is sometimes appropriate for counsellors to influence clients to adopt values that seem to be in the best interests of clients."

• In what ways do you agree or disagree with this statement? How is the "best interest of the client" determined in counselling? Under what circumstances would it be a good idea for the counsellor to influence the client's values, and under what circumstances might it be harmful to the counsellor to influence the client's values? Include a brief example(s).