Running head: PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

Personal Values and Orientation to Counseling

Hannah M. Burleson
Harding School of Theology

Running head: PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

Personal Values and Orientation to Counseling.

By the very design of the counseling program at Harding School of Theology (HST),
students will enter the program with very different thoughts, views, and ideas about counseling
than they will have when they complete the program. Personal, academic, spiritual, emotional,
professional development are all contributing factors to the changes that take place from the
beginning to the end of the program. In this paper I will discuss some of my current ideas about
counseling, as well as highlight some of the ways that my thoughts have shifted or changed since
the beginning of my time at HST.
Personal Attitudes/Beliefs About the Counselor as Person/Professional
As I reflect on the kind of attributes that a counselor must possess
personally/professionally in order to be therapeutically effective, my thoughts immediately turn
to Carl R. Rogers. Rogers developed three key components that are necessary conditions to the
therapeutic relationship in order for change to be able to occur: 1) unconditional positive regard,
2) genuineness, and 3) empathy (Granello & Young, 2012, p. 18). I agree with Rogers,
contending that these three characteristics are a crucial piece of the therapeutic process.
Ultimately, all three conditions depend upon the counselor as a person/professional.
First, the counselor must possess unconditional positive regard. This means that the
counselor is capable recognizing value in every client, unconditionally (Granello & Young, 2012,
p. 18). A biblical concept that comes to mind as a counselor coming from a Christian worldview
is the fact that all humans are valuable due to the fact that they are made in the image of God. No
matter where a person comes from, what they have done, who they are, etc., they are fellow
humans are have inherent value. The counselor knows this and treats all clients with
unconditional positive regard.

PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

Second, the counselor must possess genuineness (Granello & Young, 2012, p. 18). This
means that the counselor is congruent and open with the client at all times. A similar concept that
comes to mind as a Christian counselor is transparency and honesty. This means that the
counselor expresses on the outside what he is feeling/experiencing on the inside. It means that
the counselor is never deceitful with the client. This fosters the trust that clients must have with
their counselors in order for any kind of change to occur.
Third, the counselor must possess empathy (Granello & Young, 2012, p. 18). Empathy
means that they counselor is able to feel what the client is feeling and sit with the client in it.
Empathy is different from sympathy. Rather than simply feeling sorry for the client, the
counselor is able to connect on a deep and genuine level, communicating a tangible and radical
human presence with the client. This level of empathy is a key part of the therapeutic process.
Counselor Values and Therapeutic Process
The topic of counselor values is challenging to consider since it is actually unethical and
harmful for a counselor to force his/her personal values onto a client (Corey, Corey, Corey, &
Callanan, 2015, p. 72). Many in the field contend that counselors must completely remove their
personal values from the therapeutic process. Others recognize that doing so is really not even
possible (Doherty, 1995). Personal values intersect heavily with culture and worldview. Insisting
that a counselor remove personal values completely from the therapeutic process is similar to
suggesting that a counselor be entirely removed from his/her own culture and worldview.
Practicing in this completely unbiased manner is not a realistic option. A better alternative is for
the counselor to be self-aware when it comes to his/her own personal values and the impact that
they have on the counseling relationship. As a systems thinker, the only conclusion is that the
counselors personal values are inevitably going to have some effect/influence on the therapeutic

PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

process. Therefore, the counselor should maintain self-awareness and, as necessary, seek
supervision/consultation when his/her values intersect with what is occurring with a client in
order to ensure that ethical standards are upheld and the client is not harmed.
Cultural Diversity in Counseling
Multicultural counseling has been a growing specialty in the field of counseling
especially in recent years (Granello & Young, 2012, p. 83). Counseling accreditors now require
counseling programs to thoroughly cover multiculturalism as relates to the therapeutic process.
Practicing multiculturally is another tricky aspect of the profession. On the one hand, focusing
too heavily on multicultural issues can easily lead to harmful stereotyping. On the other hand,
ignoring multicultural issues altogether is unethical, harmful, and can lead to inaccurate
conclusions on the part of the therapist.
Many in the field contend that all counseling should be treated as multicultural
counseling (Granello & Young, 334338). Even clients who appear altogether similar in culture
and race to the counselor are probably very different. The best approach is for the counselor to
consider each client on a case-by-case basis, adapting to the differences and variations of each
client as necessary. Counselors must be careful about making assumptions or drawing
conclusions about any client. Self-awareness is another key aspect of practicing ethically when it
comes to multicultural issues.
Impact of Personal Issues on Counseling
Self-awareness is a large portion of ethical practice as a counselor, applying equally to
counselors dealing with personal issues. One of the most significant experiences I had during my
time at HST was when I was required to construct my family genogram. Working through issues
related to my family of origin promoted increased self-awareness and a lot of personal growth.

PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

As part of my training and development, I sought out personal therapy as well. Personal issues
from the past or present can have a major impact on the counselors behavior with clients. Selfawareness, practicing good self-care, andagainseeking supervision/consultation as
necessary, are crucial to effective and ethical practice. There may be temporary periods of time
when a counselor is facing to much personal trauma to be in a fit state to counsel. Self-care
might mean taking a brief sabbatical before entering back into the practice.
Integration of Christian Faith and Counseling
Since it is unethical and harmful for counselors to force their personal values onto their
clients, counselors practicing from a Christian worldview have to be careful and methodical
about how they handle the integration of faith and counseling with their clients. The criterion I
like to follow is to simply meet clients where they are when it comes to matters of faith and
spirituality. Some clients may be in a place where faith and spirituality are the last topics that
need to be discussed. Other clients may be seeking, open, and inquisitive about these topics. As a
counselor, my only job is to facilitate and walk alongside with clients. I can view myself as the
hands and feet of Jesus, regardless of where my clients are on their own faith journeys.
Exhibiting radical human presence during a clients darkest or brightest moments is how I see
myself living out the calling God has given me as a counselor who is the hands and feet of Jesus
in the lives of people who are looking to be healed.
Changed Ideas, Assumptions, Perspectives, and/or Attitudes
I immediately identify two major changes in my thought process since the beginning of
my time at HST and my current thinking: 1) the way I integrate faith and counseling, and 2) my
overall perspective of what it looks like to be well and to thrive as a human (systems thinking).

PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

When I first began the counseling program, I had a very different idea of integrating my
faith with counseling. The ideas I entered the program with would have ultimately been unethical
and harmful to my clients had I actually put them into practice! Coming to the realization that
simply being an empathic presence in the lives of hurting people is an adequate response to
Gods calling has been a major turning point for me. Ministering to people comes in many
shapes, forms, and sizes. Every client has different needs and adapting to his/her needs and being
able to meet people where they are is the best thing that I can do in my counseling ministry.
Another major shift in my thought process happened when my coursework exposed me to
systems theory and family therapy (Becvar & Becvar, 1999). God was molding me and preparing
me for these changes even before I began HST. In terms of overall health, I had already begun to
question the medical model, favoring instead the idea that there are multiple factors at play
affecting overall health. Being exposed to systems thinking and learning family therapy opened
my eyes further and changed the way I view the whole world. Whereas before I thought in terms
of deconstructing and identifying one cause to the problems/symptoms I was facing, now I think
in terms of constructing the big picture and recognize that there is rarely, if ever, one cause that
can be identified as creating the problems/symptoms I am facing.
Application of Skills Gained at HST
The skills I have gained at HST have inevitably had an impact on how I behave on a daily
basis. My approach to ministry as a whole has changed dramatically with the realization that
ministering to other people can be as simply as empathically listening to a hurting person or even
just going for a walk and being a companion to someone.
Additionally, becoming a systems thinker has impacted everything. I have been able to
develop a more balanced view of things. The way I approach my own health has changed

PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

dramatically. For example, I now see that being well/healthy involves not only the physical, but
also the emotional, mental, and spiritual facets as well. The way I interact with friends, family,
and even my congregation looks very different as well.
Integration of Major Coursework with Prior Knowledge/Skills
HST has been similar to a furnace of purification for me. I entered with some good skills
and gifts, but in order to do anything effective I needed a lot of molding and purification.
Although I am still the same basic person, I am in many ways a completely different person as
well. I have been able to gain a fuller understanding of myself, what it looks like to help people,
and how to practice ethically and professionally in the field of counseling.
Final Thoughts
My training at HST has had a major impact on my development as a helper. I have grown
personally, professionally, emotionally, and spiritually as a result of my journey here. One of the
most valuable lessons that I take with me is that in this field, I must be a lifelong learner.
Remaining open to new thoughts, ideas, research, perspectives, etc. is a crucial aspect of
effective and meaningful counseling. I look forward to moving from the more academic side of
my training and into the more practical/experiential side as I continue through the
licensure/supervision process over the next few years as an associate counselor.

PERSONAL VALUES AND ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING

References
Becvar, D. S., & Becvar, R. J. (1999). Systems theory and family therapy: A primer (2nd ed.).
Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., Corey C., & Callanan, P. (2015). Issues and ethics in the helping
professions (9th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage.
Doherty, W. J. (1995). Soul searching: Why psychotherapy must promote moral responsibility.
New York, NY: Basic Books.
Granello, D. H., & Young, M. E. (2012). Counseling today: Foundations of professional
identity. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.