Value Neutrality

Value Neutrality

Everyone has values, and they are not always the same as other people. Values assist in making decisions about what is right and wrong, what should or should not be done, what is good and bad behavior as well as what is important and what is not. Dictionary.com defines values as "beliefs of a person in which they have an emotional investment." When working with clients, it is important to be value neutral. This essay will look into the importance of remaining value neutral with clients, and the steps that councilors must take to do so.

By remaining value neutral, a councilor keeps his or her opinions to themselves, remaining non-judgmental in the best interest of their client. For instance, a client discloses that they have hit their children with a belt, something that the counselor is opposed to. The counselor must keep his or her opinion to themselves rather than express it. If the counselor did express their personal opinion that hitting a child with the belt is wrong, the client could either agree that it is wrong or they could feel that the counselor is judging them, and ultimately not disclose further information to the councilor in fear of being judged or criticized. Another example would be a client discussing having committing a rape, the councilor may have an incidence in her past that would make her uncomfortable counseling this client. The councilor would have to keep her opinions to herself, seek help to resolve her issue, or offer to refer this client to another councilor in order for the client to get the help that they need.

Another area that values may become involved would be that of cultural beliefs. Everyone's culture has a role in how a person thinks, behaves and feels, including their symbols, expectations, values, beliefs, and traditions. Often people are a part of more than one culture; they may belong to social groups, professional groups, and religious groups all which will affect the person's cultural values. Cultural knowledge is "vital when it comes to understanding cultural diversity. What we do not know about culture could actually hinder the clients healing process. What we assume to know can be equally hurtful" (Welfel, 2010).

When working with a client who is from a different culture than them, the councilor must remain value neutral along with having an understanding of the client's culture. For instance an oriental client discloses that caring for their mother in law, who is bedbound, is stressful to them. The counselor must understand that this client's family belief is that the parents are to be cared for by their children, rather than being placed into a care facility. Another example of a cultural issue would be a choice of words, for instance, a client who is from Brittan with an American councilor who uses the slang word yeah; this client would feel insulted, as the word yeah in Brittan