Belief and Counseling 1
Beliefs: Consequences for Counseling Clients
Name Omitted
Center for Counseling & Family Studies, Liberty University
Belief and Counseling 2
Abstract
Counseling is a profession in which one can have great influence over another. Sometimes this
influence can be utilized to create a positive outcome for clients. However, there are times when
the counselors influence can be detrimental to the clients overall health and well being. Even if
the counselor has not acted in a way that was purposeful, but rather in an unconscious manner,
the damage can be the same. Now add to this the idea that many of the clients that are coming
into counseling for services are those that are already being damaged or hurt by society. This
would include those in minority groups, and not just racially. With the progress of the lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and allies (LGBTQQIA) and transgender
and gender nonconforming (TGNC) movements, more and more clients are and will be
identifying with some aspect of these movements. As a Christian counselor who is taught and
believes in single sex relationships and marriage, it can be a difficult endeavor to attempt to
counsel those who identify within the LGBTQQIA and TGNC communities. All hope is not lost
however, as there are actions that can be taken and experiences that can be had to help a
counselor better understand, deal with and separate their personal feelings in order to best serve
their clients.
Belief and Counseling 3
Beliefs and How They Affect Counselors
Introduction
The American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics lists five core values that
they feel are the foundation to counseling ethics (2014). In particular, the values state that there is
importance in, “honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the
worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of people within their social and cultural contexts (ACA
Code of Ethics, 2014). I take this to mean that we are expected to be actively engaged in
understanding and learning about other cultures and beliefs, especially those in which we have a
high likelihood of encountering in practice. The ACA Code of Ethics furthers their beliefs by
saying that counselors are to ensure they do not cause harm and to minimize the effects of harm
regardless of whether caused intentionally or unintentionally (A.4.a., 2014).
Does a counselor have the ability to cause harm if they have a different belief structure,
one that may be completely at odds with the clients? Can a counselor hold personal values and
beliefs and not impose or influence their clients? The ACA Code of Ethics speaks to the idea of
holding personal values and respecting others values by indicating that a counselors personal
values should not impose upon the client, they are to respect the clients point of view and do so
especially when the clients view is at opposition to the counselors (A.4.b., 2014). So then, the
rules are clear, counselors are allowed to have beliefs and values, and are allowed to utilize them
to help them in their practice. However, a counselor cannot use his/her beliefs to influence a
client at the risk of causing the client harm as research has shown that many minority groups
(such as the LGBTQQIA community) have experienced severe prejudice and discriminative
behaviors that have limited their ability to live active and healthy lives (Stojisavljevic,
Djikanovic & Matejic 2017). This sounds like a very difficult task, one that takes immense self
Belief and Counseling 4
reflection, self assessment and considerable time and energy to actively ensure a counselor does
not utilize their power or influence to harm or impose a belief system on a client.
Attitude and Belief Assessment Results
Reaction
After taking the “Benchmark Attitudes and Beliefs Inventory” it became evident that I
have some work to do in regards to my personal beliefs and how they could influence my ability
to counsel effectively, fairly and justly. Two of the three statements (#4 – “A gay or lesbian
couple wanting to work on conflicts in their relationship” and “#14 – “A gay or lesbian couple
wanting to adopt a child”) that I find myself at odds with are related to homosexuality and the
other statement (#19 - “A man is convicted of pedophilia and court-ordered for counseling”)
pertains to pedophilia. I am somewhat surprised by this, but not entirely, as I know that I do
contain strong beliefs regarding the subject of homosexuality and sexuality.
These beliefs stem from my Christian foundation and the words of the Bible, particularly
in the creation of Adam and Eve. The Bible says, “ So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (English Standard
Version Bible, 2001, Genesis 1:27). If God made us in His image, as male and female, how can
we as humans decide which gender we want to identify as or have sexual feelings for those of the
same sex? How does God view this and what would Jesus say or do in this current world. In
addition, the Bible says, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his
wife, and they become one flesh” (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Genesis 2:24). The
Bible is clear, as far as I am concerned, that we were intended to be man and woman and for a
man to be with a woman. Also, according to the Bible, our physical, biological makeup was
Belief and Counseling 5
designed to be different from one another. This value system is one that I have established
beliefs in and that I must be continually aware of to ensure I do not exclude others.
The question pertaining to an individual convicted of pedophilia concerned me, but more
from a practice standpoint. Being able to help someone who has hurt children, sexually, will be a
difficult endeavor for me, especially due to the fact that I have spent the last 18 years of my life
in elementary education. This is not to say that I don’t think a person can change however there
are two issues I am not sure of. The first is that this particular man wants to change and is
willing to do the work that is required to change. If a client is unwilling to change, I have doubt
that I will be skilled enough to motivate him into such actions. The text advises us that there is a
difference in being unable to work with clients due to lack of knowledge or experience and being
unwilling to attempt to learn new strategies to enable us to work with difficult clients (Remley &
Herlihy 2019). The second concern is the notion of working with a mind that, to me, seems so
broken and extremely perverse. Again the idea of not being competent enough to effectively
counsel him arises. My beliefs tell me that the man should be forgiven, regardless of whether or
not he has asked for it. But, what if he is mandated to counseling and is unwilling to change or
does not see the issue with his beliefs? No doubt, more work will be needed on my part to
ensure proper and adequate treatment for this client.
Response
After further consideration I realize that many of my values and beliefs were instilled in
me from a very young age and by the adults in which I had the most contact. My mother and
father were both believers of Christ and practiced as Catholics. As kids we went to church nearly
every Sunday, even though I really had no idea what was being said. My uncles and aunts all
Belief and Counseling 6
attended churches of their own and at every family event (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Fourth of
July party etc). we prayed and talked about God and prayer. Not all the talk was intended to be
Godly, as a few men in my life were living in a more complex style, attending church and talking
about God but not necessarily living in a way that demonstrated that. To this end, I was also
introduced to what I now call prejudice and potentially racist comments. I can remember when I
heard them for the first time, the words just felt wrong to my ears. However, the idea of
homosexuality was also discussed, and I found that I received those ideas more readily. Why?
Why did I instantly know the prejudicial comments about race were wrong, but felt somewhat in
agreement with the anti-homosexual comments? This belief system would be something that
fluctuated from time to time, but eventually trended toward the acceptance of the behaviors, but
with a caveat. As long as I did not have to see the behavior and it was not pushed on me, I was
neutral about it. As a believer in Christ I did not hate anyone, I hated the sin. Yes, I thought then
and still do believe that homosexuality is a sin. Having said that, I am a sinner too and I sin
every day. So being a sinner does not condemn them to Hell, nor do my sins condemn me.
However, the difference is that I strive to identify my sins, bring them before God, ask for
forgiveness and put forth an effort to not repeat them. Those in the LGBTQQIA community, as
far as I know, believe that they are free to choose their gender, their sexual preference and we
should support their decisions. Again, I struggle with the idea that we can choose but I also have
difficulty with the idea that we should support the behaviors and beliefs. If a serial killer
believes he is right in what he does and believes, should we support his beliefs? I am aware that
this is an extreme example that causes pain or death to another, but it makes the point.
Belief and Counseling 7
Action
Clearly my beliefs are strong regarding issues of sexuality and homosexuality. As such,
and due in large part to the assessment taken, I realize that more work is needed if I am to be a
truly professional counselor that can effectively and appropriately counsel those in need. The
question becomes how can I work on these beliefs, what can I actually do to better understand
the different values and beliefs while not lose my personal beliefs and values? One cannot help
but consider the term exclusion as a sin by which Christians can often find themselves
unintentionally performing (Sells & Hagedorn, 2016). The notion of exclusion can be found
when a counselor has such strong personal beliefs, those held by many Christians, and therefore
believes that someone who does not subscribe to their belief model is wrong and needs to repent
and learn the correct way. This is a very dangerous and harmful way of thinking and must be
addressed in order to ethically counsel clients, especially those who may have vast differences in
their personal beliefs and values. Maintaining another belief can also help to alleviate the
possibility of performing exclusion, Imago Dei is the belief that all humans were created in the
image of God and therefore should be treated as such. To a Christian with strong beliefs about
Biblical references to sex and sexuality, Imago Dei is a concept that can assist the counselor in
assuring they are not casting judgment or causing harm to their clients (Sells & Hagedorn, 2016).
So then, what can a counselor do to help ensure that they are not pushing their beliefs or
values on clients? What then can be done to assist a counselor when they are faced with such
ethical decisions? Ethical bracketing is an actionable step or model that a counselor can employ
in order to ensure appropriate and effective counseling for clients. Ethical bracketing is a step by
step process that allows a counselor to separate their beliefs and values from the work they do as
a counselor (Sells & Hagedorn, 2016). The process consists of five steps that can ensure an
Belief and Counseling 8
ethical counseling relationship. The first step is immersion, which involves further examination
to attain a better understanding of the issue. Next, attaining additional education or training
regarding ethical procedures relating to the concern is helpful. While seeking educational
opportunities, it is important to understand what a quality educational experience looks like.
According to Kumagai and Lypson, educational activities should be experiential in nature, rather
than lecture based (2009). Trainings that promote in depth analysis and self reflection of one’s
values and beliefs are critical. Another step in the bracketing model is consultation, or seeking
advice or help from other professionals in the field. A counselor can ask for structured
supervision to better understand a proper course of action. During the supervision process, the
mentor should model appropriate steps in the bracketing process to ensure appropriate services to
all clients, especially those considered sexual minorities (Sells & Hagedorn, 2016). The last
bracketing exercise is for the counselor to attend personal counseling in the hope of assisting one
in determining if, and to what extent, their beliefs interfere with the counseling process
(malecircumcision.org). Following the previous five step process can help to ensure that a
counselor is meeting the core values promoted by the ACA Code of Ethics (2014). Completion
of the ethical bracketing model demonstrates the active attempt of a counselor to expand their
knowledge and understanding of a given belief or value that differs from their own. In addition
to participating in the bracketing model, knowing how to expand ones knowledge and
understanding can be accomplished by additional education.
Conclusion
While a Christian counselor may feel that they have appropriate beliefs and values, ones
that should be shared by all as they promote peace and love; those beliefs can be detrimental to
Belief and Counseling 9
the counseling relationship. Counselors can unknowingly promote their personal beliefs and
values and even push them onto their clients. Doing so can not only cause harm to the client, but
can also create a tumultuous transaction between counselor and client. As the professional in the
relationship, it is the counselor’s responsibility to address the possibility of creating such an
experience. Following ethical models and consistently evaluating ones beliefs and values can aid
in ensuring a healthy counseling environment. In addition, counselors are to become advocates
that can further assist the social context of a client’s reality both as an individual and as a group
(Feldwisch & Whiston 2016). To do so effectively and genuinely one should actively participate
in bracketing and seek additional educational opportunities that enrich ones understanding of
those with differing views. This type of work can be extremely beneficial to counselor, client
and society as a whole.
Belief and Counseling 10
References
American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA Code of Ethics.
https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/
Feldwisch, R. P., & Whiston, S. C. (2016;2015;). examining school counselors’ commitments to
social justice advocacy. Professional School Counseling, 19(1), 166-
175. https://doi.org/10.5330/1096-2409-19.1.166
https://www.malecircumcision.org/sites/default/files/document_library/Session%204%20-
%20Values-Based%20Barriers%20to%20Effective%20Counseling%20of
%20Adolescents.pdf
Kumagai, A. K. & Lypson, M. L. (2009). Beyond Cultural Competence: Critical Consciousness,
Social Justice, and Multicultural Education. Academic Medicine, 84 (6), 782-787. doi:
10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181a42398.
Remley, T.P., & Herlihy, B.P. (2019). Ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling
(Custom 6th ed.). Pearson.
Belief and Counseling 11
References (continued)`
Sells, J.N. and Hagedorn, W.B. (2016), CACREP Accreditation, Ethics, and the Affirmation of
Both Religious and Sexual Identities: A Response to Smith and Okech. Journal of
Counseling & Development, 94: 265-279. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1002/jcad.12083
Stojisavljevic, S., Djikanovic, B., & Matejic, B. (2017). 'the devil has entered you': A qualitative
study of men who have sex with men (MSM) and the stigma and discrimination they
experience from healthcare professionals and the general community in bosnia and
herzegovina. PloS One, 12(6), e0179101-
e0179101. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179101
.
