ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
Attitudes and Beliefs Reflection Paper
Mary (Katie) Gibbs
Liberty University
Abstract
Completing the attitudes and beliefs inventory allowed me to process my moral framework. It
put in perspective the societal issues that bother me, and it allowed me to evaluate where
these feelings come from. Self-awareness has always been a trait that I pride myself on.
Becoming a counselor allows this trait to hold an even higher importance. Counselors need to
be aware of morals, triggers, and judgments so that they can keep their personal thoughts at
bay when working with clients. This inventory raised personal awareness to these things so that
I can learn and work through my own biases.
ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
Reaction
Since graduating college and entering the workforce I have had the opportunity to work
with all kinds of different people. I have encountered clients and patients from all walks of life. I
have learned to leave my judgments at the door and meet clients where they are at. My
experience allowed me to not have a large reaction to very many of the scenarios listed in the
inventory. I believe that people should be able to live their lives however they wish if it does not
involve hurting themselves or hurting others. I believe in the importance of not passing
judgment on things I have not been through personally. There are many experiences and
circumstance that I truly just can not understand. I do my best to keep this in mind anytime I
meet a client or patient who makes a decision that bothers me.
As human beings we all have biases and triggers. One of my biggest triggers is poor
parenting decisions. I am a mom to two girls, and that is the greatest joy of my life. I know that
is why scenario number six is one that stood out the most to me. This scenario is a “woman who
has decided to leave her husband and children to gain independence.” I view being a mom as
such a gift, and I sometimes forget that it is not that way for every woman. This scenario
bothered me because I know how much my own children need me. So many mothers would do
anything to be with their children so hearing a mom willing choose to not be present for hers is
very triggering to me. Motherhood can be very lonely and thankless. I have to remind myself
that there are so many components to motherhood, and that every woman’s experience is
different. “The journey of motherhood encompasses a profound array of emotions, experiences,
and challenges that extend beyond the surface of joy and elation” (Modak, et at, 2023).
The second question that sparked a reaction from me was “a man convicted of
pedophilia and court ordered for counseling.” Having two children makes me incredibly
sensitive to this scenario. I know I would struggle as a counselor to be put in this situation. The
client being on a court mandated session would make me feel more uncomfortable. Knowing
ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
that the client did not make the decision to seek help on his own gives the impression that he
does not feel his actions are wrong. People experiencing thoughts of pedophilia or people who
have acted on these thoughts need help processing where these thoughts stem from.
Counseling would be a necessary step for this client, and it can be a challenge to find counselors
willing to work with clients who are dealing with these kinds of thoughts. “People with a sexual
interest in children face significant barriers to seeking and receiving mental health treatment”
(Chronos, et al, 2024).
The third scenario that caused an emotional response for me was number twenty-three
“a man recently released from jail after serving a sentence for rape.” Raising girls today makes
me very aware to the injustice that women tend to face. Rape is a crime that is often
unreported, overlooked, or not taken seriously. I want my daughters to always know that their
words hold power. Being a counselor to this client would challenge me. I would struggle to keep
my thoughts and judgments sidelined for session. Rape can be difficult conversation considering
that are so many different forms of rape. “Sexual violence (SV) occurs on a spectrum, with rape
representing the most extreme end” (Siegel, et al, 2021).
The second and third scenarios I mentioned would cause me to think about the victims
to the crimes they committed. Empathy is a powerful emotion, and I know that I would be
feeling a lot of empathy for the victims while attempted to help the individual who caused so
much pain. These scenarios would also cause me to feel a sense of moral disgust. Being a
counselor can mean having to put my morals away so that I can focus on the client I am in
session with. I believe I would feel a sense of guilt for helping these clients. I would really have
to sit and reflect a lot throughout my time counseling these individuals. I would have to work on
focusing on the client as an individual person and not allowing the crime they committed to
become their whole identity.
ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
Response
I believe that everyone’s moral identity is established in childhood. We gain a sense of
right and wrong from our parents and any other adults who hold a space in our life. As a child, I
grew up in the south, and I was raised as a Baptist Christian. This played a large role in the
morals I was taught. I was raised to behave in a certain manner and to hold myself in a specific
way out in public settings. There are many aspects of my upbringing that I have carried into my
adult life. I still very much believe in hard work, treating people the way you want to be treated,
and the importance of causing no harm to yourself or others. There are also aspects to my
upbringing that I realized did not resonate with my personal morals.
I believe that these set morals are what cause my beliefs and my emotional reaction to
these scenarios. All three of the scenarios that sparked an emotional response have to do with
women and motherhood. I was raised with a strong female presence in my life, and I am now
raising girls who will become women. I believe that it is important to build women up and
empower them to claim their power. “Across the globe, gender disparities still exist with regard
to equitable access to resources, participation in decision making processes, and gender and ‐
sexual based violence” (Lwamba, et al, 2022). ‐
Action
“Research in psychotherapy has emphasized the relevance of the therapist’s role,
particularly the impact of deliberate practice and self-awareness (SA)” (Pereira, et al, 2022). I am
very aware that counseling is going to challenge me in many ways. I believe the best way for me
to prepare myself for this challenge is to maintain a strong sense of self awareness. Being
honest with myself is the best way to maintain true self-awareness. I try to self-reflect so that I
can uncover my own values, behaviors, and judgments. Journaling is a tool I use to do this.
Recognizing that we all have biases and that it is an ongoing process to keep these biases at bay
ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
is the best way to alleviate these biases getting in the way of the counseling process. Counseling
involved cultivating empathy and maintaining professional boundaries.
Being aware of topics or clients that cause strong emotional reactions allows me to see
my triggers. These triggers indicate a personal value. It was hard for me to realize that a
judgmental feeling doesn’t mean that I am a bad person or a bad counselor. Biases and
judgments ate natural and everyone has them. When I notice these triggers coming to light I will
pause and reflect on where these triggers stem from. There are many beliefs that are not
factual, and that need to be challenged. I plan to challenge my beliefs and judgments that are
not helpful. Actively challenging these preconceived notions allows me to grow and better
myself as a person and as a counselor.
Empathy is the best way to counteract judgmental thoughts. Challenging myself to
practice empathy when working with clients allows me to see things from their perspective.
“The clinician-patient relationship is asymmetric in the sense that clinicians and patients have
different roles in the medical consultation. Yet, there are qualities of reciprocity and mutuality in
many clinician-patient encounters, and we suggest that such reciprocity may be related to the
phenomenon of empathy. Empathy is often defined as the capacity to place oneself in another’s
position, but empathy may also be understood as a sequence of reciprocal turns-of talk, starting
with the patient’s expression of emotion, followed by the perception, vicarious experience, and
empathic response by the clinician” (Finset & Ornes, 2017). I believe empathy means meetings
a client with curiosity. Being genuinely curious to understand the client’s worldview allows me
to approach sessions with deeper understanding and less judgement.
In some cases, it may be best for me to refer the client I am working with. Knowing when
I am not the best counselor for the job is a strength. I would use this as a last resort, but it is
something that may make the most sense in some cases. It is important for me to take care of
myself as a counselor and to know when a client is not something I can handle on my own.
ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
“Often therapist feel troubled in some way or the other about the path they took across a
boundary, but that they had failed to take it seriously, had shrugged it off, or pushed it out of
awareness for any number of reasons such as fatigue, stress, being in a hurry, not wanting to
disappoint a client who wanted to cross that boundary, or failing to appreciate the potential of
boundary on the clients and the therapy may lead to a variety of issues. Hence, it is advisable to
seek supervision while conducting a therapy” (Avasthi, et al, 2022).
This assignment allowed me to dive deeper into my personal morals, triggers, and
biases. I believe the best way to be a productive and beneficial counselor is to hold a strong
sense of self. I appreciated having the opportunity to consider my own emotional reactions to
client scenarios. I am aware that as a counselor I will be faced with a wide range of individuals
all with different backgrounds and worldviews. My hope for myself is to meet these individuals
with a sense of empathy and a desire to help aid them on their journey. Counseling is a personal
and vulnerable experience for both the client and the counselor. Knowing when certain
situations are out of my comfort zone is also a strength. This assignment allowed me to consider
when I should challenge myself and when I should decide it is time to refer a client elsewhere.
References
Avasthi, A., Grover, S., & Nischal, A. (2022). Ethical and legal issues in psychotherapy.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(Suppl 1), S47–
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ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
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Modak, A., Ronghe, V., Gomase, K. P., Mahakalkar, M. G., & Taksande, V. (2023). A comprehensive review of
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