TRUST
In the field of counselling, trust is defined as a situation characterised by a number of aspects. This includes a party(s) that is ready to depend on the actions of another party(s).The circumstance surrounding trust are usually directed to the future. Moreover, the tractor leaves the control of the actions of the trustee. As the consequences, the trustor is usually not sure regarding the results of the trustee’s actions. The trustors can only create their own expectations.
It is important to mention that trust is an aspect that required constant efforts, time and attention. In effect, people have to demonstrate that they are trustworthy. Nonetheless, it is easy to shorten the process. This implies that it takes a substantial time to establish a trusting relationship. For instance. We might choose to take a risk by trusting an individual who a trusted friend has vouched for, or who trustworthiness has been reported through the grapevine, or whose action inspire trust from others. In other instances, we often tend to trust newcomers. However, the individual must prove himself or herself. If they don’t prove themselves, we are quick to revoke our trust since the expectations are not met. Once the little trust has been broken, it is a complex process to restore it.
In comparison to the ACA code of ethics, counsellors recognize that trust is the foundation of developing a formidable relationship with a patient. Counsellor inspires to earn the trust of their clients by developing a constant relationship by creating and upholding the necessary boundaries, and ensure full confidentiality. Moreover, counsellors communicate the considerations of confidentiality with the client in an in a competent way. Based on the initial definitions of “trust”, when clients open up about having a life-threatening condition, it is the obligation of the counsellor to disclose the information to a trusted third party, if the condition is known to be of high risk of spreading to others. Before making the disclosure, a counsellor should confirm that there is such a diagnosis in order to fully evaluate the intent of the client (trustor) to provide the information to a third party. In this way, the trustee (counsellor) will have proved himself to the trustor (client).
EMPATHY
Empathy can simply be described as the entering into another person frame of reference or having the capability of experiencing life as the other person does. This is achieved through entering into the other person’s world of feelings, emotions or thoughts. In counselling, empathy is considered the expression of respect and regard by the counsellor towards the client whose experience might be different from that of the counsellor. It is important to ensure that the client always feels understood and respected. This implies that the counsellor has the ability to support the client through any concerns, problems that he/ she might bring forward.
According to xxx “empathy is an aspect that allows us to connect with the client” and to share in our humanity. Empathy provides individuals with a common ground to allow them to be truly heard and listened to.” It provides people with the opportunity to experience the emotions and feelings of another person. This provides a strong foundation of giving each other full support without being judgemental. Lack of empathy makes people feel disconnected, in isolation and stuck in their own world that is not in sync with the normal world we are all in. Earlier, the idea of globalization was not real to many. This was back when things such as the internet were still not popular and social media did not exist. However, people still had to filter on since accountability still existed. With the advent of the internet and the expansion of various social media platforms, globalization might now be considered an obsolete term.
According to ACA code of ethics, empathy allows counsellors enter the client’s experience by getting into their world. This allows the counsellor establish a strong bond and create an effective therapeutic relationship that allows the counsellor to journey through with the client. As provided by the basic definition, empathy eliminates a judgmental world and allows tolerance to grow. This deepens the counsellor’s understanding and acceptance of the client. The paradigm allows us to focus on how a counsellor is similar and we can connect and assist each other. Moreover, it does not emphasize the differences between the clients and the counsellor but emphasizes on connecting them in order to create a dynamic environment.
ACCEPTANCE
There are times in our individual lives that we do things or have made somethings happen that we often find difficult to understand or come into terms with . With such experiences, we often find ourselves confused, not aware if the path we were on is the right one or if a change would make a better choice.
A good counselling relationship for both parties is one where the counsellor genuinely accepts the feelings, emotions and the situation of the client. The stories are often in a none too nice ways of expressing it.This are often complicated nuance that is the client as a whole. By listening and respecting the uniqueness of the client, the view of the counsellor can assist in improving the acceptance of the client.
The acceptance of the client implies that counsellors are in full agreement with the experiences and situation of the client. Counsellors strive to reach a formidable solution with the client regarding acceptable situations of client care as well as professional conduct that allows for change, growth, and development of the client.ACA code of ethics attaches some important conditions for change and acceptance. Some who need assistance come to you. For them to be assisted they need to be aware that you understand their feelings. They also need to understand that you have accepted them for who they are irrespective of what they might think. You need to respect their right to choose the path in life.
By definition, acceptance is about showing the warmth you really feel about the other person problems. By active listening and showing that you have empathy for them will demonstrate that you respect them and can assist in gaining acceptance as a counsellor. ACA code of ethics shows that acceptance is not practical skill but a mind-set. It is a complex process to develop this frame by showing warmth to others.
RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility can be described as the willingness to accept that we have the capability of taking power over our actions, reactions as well as the overall conduct of our lives. In that way, we acknowledge that we have been able to guide our personhood through the sometimes turbulent and rocky situations. In addition, with personal responsibility, we are willing to accept our success and failures and the overall course of our lives.
Our responsibility is not the jobs we obtain, the degree of our success, the titles we have acquired or the accolades that have been bestowed upon us. In addition, responsibility ensures that our individual identity never includes disagreement, disputes and other undesirable actions committed in life. In some cases, we may have been caught in between various wrangling, but the truth remains that our personal responsibility is greater than our mere accomplishments or failures.
When compared to ACA code of ethics, it is the individual responsibility of the counsellor to deal with the clients who lack the capacity to give informed consent of their issues. It is not the responsibility of the counsellor to give accounts of their individual success but focus on protecting the confidentiality of information they receive in the counselling relationship and specified in the ACA written policies and the applicable ethical standards. Moreover, counsellors have the obligation of informing parents and legal guardians regarding their role as well as the confidential nature of their relationship with the client. It is important to note that counsellors are sensitive to the cultural diversity of relatives and therefore should respect the responsibilities of the parents over the welfare of their children according to the ACA policies.
GENUINE
Genuine is another important aspect of counselling. Another name of genuineness is authenticity. The easiest definition of genuineness is by regarding it as open communication. Through open communication, it is easy for the client to understand things much better. Therefore it is important to be open and direct while communicating.
According to the ACA code of ethics, a counsellor should not put themselves on a pedestal and allow the client think you are the teacher and he/ she the student. No one has the answers to all questions or problems. A counsellor needs to basically be him/ herself as they literally feel at that moment. Moreover, it is important to encourage the client to communicate in an open manner. By being open to each other, will set a viable environment for both of them by stopping to denying or hiding their genuine thoughts and feelings.Even though a counsellor might work at various levels of intensity, for one to be effective, genuine needs to be present. A misunderstanding regarding the thinking about genuineness is that it often involves suppression of thought and feelings of the counsellor.
Genuine is not something learned through training or research, but a personal characteristic. However, there are various ways in which one can improve the way one communicates in a genuine manner to others. First, it is important to understand individual characteristics. Second, understand individual changes and strength and weakness. Finally, it is important to read books regarding personal growth and acknowledge individual thoughts when reading such kind of literature.
When empathy, responsibility, genuineness, trust, and acceptance are all incorporated, it is a clear sign that the counsellor is open to engaging the clients with his thoughts and feelings.By the counsellor having these values, it shows that he or she is open and willing to express themselves just as much as the client. It also demonstrates that the counsellor has his or her own need during the entire session. It is vital for a counsellor to be a bit spontaneous and capable of expressing his/ her thoughts and feelings and not conceal.
What these characteristics do not show is a weakness. Often many people fear to be great listeners since they think it will make them more vulnerable. It is safer since the society is full of all kind of people who might be exploiting you. In other words, to be a great person with the best values, I believe in is better to go over the differences portrayed by the society. Therefore, I prefer staying strong.
It appears ironic to me that, those who cry about their problems are usually the most afraid. Most will say that they act that way in order to ensure that the job gets done .However, it goes much deeper than that. Evidence from the ACA code of ethics shows that counsellors that have a good relationship with their clients often outperform those where defensiveness and backstabbing is prevalent. The remedy for such kind of drawbacks is not avoidance but trustworthiness, genuine, frank communication and full acceptance of the different situations.
The problems have long been with us. However, in some cases, they are slow to take hold in a counselling process, because they are regularly supplanted by new ideas.In this paper, I have explored the key personal values required in order to be a great counsellor’s would like to point out that all the qualities in this paper are of equal importance and need for a client to feel at ease with the counsellor.
