A Helper
A Helper
A Helper
and probably cannot, ensure that practitioners will competently do what their
licenses permit them to do. The main advantages of licensure are protection
of the public from grossly unqualified and untrained practitioners and formal
representation to the public that practitioners are part of an established profession.
School Counseling
Accreditation guidelines for school counseling have been implemented over
the past 20 years, which has moved school counseling forward in terms of
accountability as a helping profession. All states now require a master’s degree
in school counseling, and professional organizations advocate and lobby for
legislative initiatives and the establishment of credentialing.
School counselors perform a wide variety of roles and functions in
elementary, middle, and secondary schools, including individual counseling,
group guidance, group counseling, consultation, advocacy, and coordination. In
addition to working with students, many school counselors consult with teachers,
administrators, and, at times, with parents. School counselors work with students
on a variety of educational issues, including personal and social counseling. From
a multicultural perspective, school counselors have the challenge of advocating
for all students, sensitizing the school community to cultural diversity issues, and
establishing a comprehensive developmental counseling program.
Rehabilitation Counseling
Rehabilitation counseling focuses on person-centered programs and services for
people with medical, physical, mental, developmental, cognitive, and psychiatric
disabilities to help them achieve their personal, career, and independent living
goals in the most integrated setting possible. The profession itself is founded
on humanistic values and the belief that each person has unique cultural
attributes. Rehabilitation counseling is a holistic and integrated program of
medical, physical, psychosocial, and vocational interventions (Commission on
Rehabilitation Counselor Certification [CRCC], 2014). Rehabilitation counselors
22 Chapter 1 Are the Helping Professions for You?
regain your momentum. Reflect on the points that most speak to you. What kind
of future do you want for yourself, both personally and professionally? Begin
taking action now on your journey toward the future.
____ ____ 4. Fees. If I were working with a client who could no longer continue
because of his or her inability to pay my fees, I would most likely
a. be willing to see this person at no fee, but in return expect him
or her to do some type of volunteer work in the community.
b. give my client the names of several referrals.
c. suggest some form of bartering of goods or services for therapy
services.
d. adjust my fee to whatever the client could afford.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 5. Change. Which of the following factors is most important in
determining whether the helping process will result in change?
a. The kind of person the helper is
b. The skills and techniques the helper uses
c. The motivation of the client to change
d. The theoretical orientation of the helper
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 6. Key attribute of effective helpers. Which of the following do you
consider to be the most important attribute of an effective mental
health practitioner?
a. Knowledge of the theory of counseling and behavior
b. Skill in using techniques appropriately
c. Genuineness and openness
d. Ability to specify a treatment plan and evaluate the results
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 7. Fieldwork. With respect to a fieldwork placement,
a. I do not feel at all ready to participate in fieldwork.
b. I would treat it like a job.
c. I expect to limit myself to working with the kind of clients that
I think I want to eventually work with in a job position.
d. I want to work with clients that I think would be a challenge
for me.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 8. Effectiveness as helper. To be an effective helper, I believe I
a. must have an in-depth knowledge of my client’s cultural
background.
b. must be free of any personal conflicts in the area in which the
client is working.
c. need to have experienced the same problem as the client.
d. must be aware of my own needs and motivations for wanting
to enter the helping field.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 9. Helping relationship. With regard to the client–helper
relationship, I think
a. the helper should remain objective and anonymous.
b. the helper should be a friend to the client.
c. a personal relationship, but not friendship, is essential.
d. a personal and warm relationship is not essential.
e. __________________________________
Self-Assessment: An Inventory of Your Attitudes and Beliefs About Helping 27
____ ____ 10. Being open and honest with clients. I should be open and honest
with my clients
a. when I like and value them.
b. when I have negative feelings toward them.
c. rarely, if ever, so that I will avoid negatively influencing the
client–helper relationship.
d. only when it intuitively feels like the right thing to do.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 11. Ethical decision making. If I were faced with an ethical dilemma,
the first step I would take would be to
a. talk to my supervisor or seek consultation.
b. attempt to solve the problem myself.
c. identify the nature of the problem or problems.
d. talk to my client and strive to involve him or her in working
through this dilemma.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 12. Dealing with inadequate supervision. If I were not getting the
kind of supervision I thought I needed and want, my inclination
would be to
a. make the best of the situation and not cause any trouble.
b. demand that my supervisor provide adequate supervision.
c. learn assertiveness skills and consistently ask for what I need
by way of supervision.
d. suggest that my peers and I form our own peer-supervision
group to talk about the concerns we are facing.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 13. Competence. If I were an intern and was convinced that my
supervisor was encouraging trainees to take on clients with
problems beyond their level of education and competence, I
would
a. first discuss the matter with the supervisor.
b. ask my supervisor to give me extra help and perhaps work
with me directly.
c. ignore the situation for fear of negative consequences.
d. refuse to engage in delivering any services that I thought were
beyond my level of competence.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 14. Cultural competence. Practitioners who work with culturally
diverse groups without having multicultural knowledge and skills
a. are certainly not going to be able to provide effective
services.
b. are probably guilty of unethical behavior.
c. will need to acquire the knowledge and skills by taking a
course, reading, or engaging in continuing education.
d. are making themselves vulnerable to a malpractice suit.
e. __________________________________
28 Chapter 1 Are the Helping Professions for You?
____ ____ 15. Dealing with difficult clients. If I were working with a difficult
and resistant client, my approach would likely be to
a. discuss my reactions to my client’s behavior with him or her.
b. keep my reactions to myself and figure ways that I might get
the upper hand with my client.
c. discuss strategies for reaching difficult clients with a supervisor
or colleague.
d. strive to honor and respect the resistances my client displays and
encourage my client to explore his or her attitudes and behaviors.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 16. Being ready. I won’t feel ready to offer professional help to others
until
a. I have completed the program I am now in.
b. I have developed a specialization that will make me an expert
in a particular area.
c. I feel very confident and know that I will be effective.
d. I have become a self-aware person and developed the ability to
continually reexamine my own life and relationships.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 17. Managing attractions. If a client evidenced strong feelings of
attraction or dislike for me, I think I would
a. immediately want to discuss this matter in my supervision.
b. not have a clue as to how to respond.
c. quickly refer my client to another professional.
d. engage in self-disclosure, letting my client know how I was
affected by what he or she said to me.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 18. Diversity. Practitioners who counsel clients whose sex, race, age,
social class, or sexual orientation is different from their own
a. will constantly be tested by these clients, which will make trust
almost impossible.
b. need to understand the meaning of the differences between
their clients and themselves.
c. are likely to be very effective if they are willing to acquire a
range of knowledge and skills that will enable them to become
culturally competent helpers.
d. are probably not going to be effective with such clients because
of these differences.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 19. Value priorities. When I consider being involved in the helping
professions, I value most the
a. money I expect to earn.
b. status and recognition that will be associated with the job.
c. knowledge that I will be intimately involved with people who
are searching for a better life.
d. opportunity to give back to the community.
e. __________________________________
Self-Assessment: An Inventory of Your Attitudes and Beliefs About Helping 29
____ ____ 20. Value judgments. With respect to making value judgments in the
helping relationship, I believe helpers should
a. feel free to make value judgments about their clients’ behavior.
b. actively teach their own values when they think clients need a
different set of values.
c. remain neutral and keep their values out of the helping process.
d. encourage clients to question their own values and decide on
the quality of their own behavior.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 21. Helper key tasks. Helpers should
a. teach desirable behavior and values by modeling them for
clients.
b. encourage clients to look within themselves to discover values
that are meaningful to them.
c. reinforce the dominant values of society.
d. very delicately, if at all, challenge clients’ value systems.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 22. Making referrals. I would refer a client to another professional if
a. I were convinced that I was no longer able to be effective with
this client for any reason.
b. I didn’t have much experience working with the kind of
problem the client presented.
c. any sort of conflict of values existed between my client and me.
d. the client seemed resistant and was not willing to be open to
my suggestions.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 23. Confidentiality. Regarding confidentiality, I believe
a. there is little hope that trust will be established unless clients
can be guaranteed absolute confidentiality.
b. it is ethical to break confidence when there is reason to believe
that a client will do harm to someone else or will harm him- or
herself.
c. it is essential for me to discuss in detail the purpose and limits
of confidentiality at the first session with a client.
d. it is ethical to inform the authorities when a client is breaking
the law.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 24. Sex with former clients. A sexual relationship between a former
client and a therapist is
a. ethical if the therapist can prove that the relationship will not
harm the former client.
b. considered ethical 5 years after the termination of the
professional relationship.
c. ethical only when client and therapist discuss the issue and
agree to the relationship.
d. never ethical, regardless of the time that has elapsed.
e. __________________________________
30 Chapter 1 Are the Helping Professions for You?
____ ____ 25. Accepting gifts. If a client were to offer me a gift, I would
a. possibly accept it, but only after fully discussing the matter
with my client.
b. never accept it under any circumstances.
c. accept the gift only if this was the termination of our
professional relationship.
d. accept the gift if gift-giving were a part of the client’s culture
and if refusing the gift would be insulting to my client.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 26. Spiritual and religious values. With respect to the role of spiritual
and religious values in the helping process, I would be inclined to
a. do my best to keep my own values out of the professional
relationship for fear that I would unduly influence my client.
b. recommend to my client that he or she think about how
spirituality or religion could bring new meaning to his or her life.
c. avoid introducing such topics in a session unless my client
initiated this discussion.
d. routinely conduct an assessment of my client’s spiritual and
religious beliefs during the intake session.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 27. Goals of helping. Regarding the issue of who should select goals
in the helping process, I believe
a. it is the helper’s responsibility to select goals.
b. it is the client’s responsibility to select goals.
c. the responsibility for selecting goals should be a collaborative
venture by both client and helper.
d. the question of who selects the goals depends on what kind of
client is being seen.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 28. Social justice counseling. Counseling from a social justice
perspective involves addressing the realities of oppression,
privilege, and social inequities. This implies
a. being aware of sociopolitical forces that have influenced my
clients.
b. teaching my clients how to become advocates for themselves.
c. assisting people in gaining full participation in society.
d. assuming an advocate role if I am to make a difference.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 29. Advocacy competence. To become a competent client advocate, a
helper must
a. be aware of his or her own beliefs, attitudes, and biases as they
relate to social and political factors influencing marginalized
and underserved populations.
b. have the courage to speak out against injustices.
c. engage in considerable reflection before taking action.
d. assess whether to engage in social advocacy action.
e. __________________________________
Self-Assessment: An Inventory of Your Attitudes and Beliefs About Helping 31
____ ____ 30. Internet counseling. Regarding the practice of counseling via the
Internet, I believe
a. the practice is fraught with ethical and legal problems.
b. this is a form of technology with real promise for many
clients who would not, or could not, seek out face-to-face
counseling.
c. it is limited to dealing with simple problems because of the
inability to make an adequate assessment.
d. will eventually replace traditional face-to-face counseling.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 31. Unethical behavior. I consider the most unethical form of
therapist behavior to be
a. abandoning a client.
b. becoming sexually involved with a client.
c. imposing my values on a client.
d. accepting a client who has a problem that goes beyond my
competence.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 32. Bartering. I believe bartering with a client in exchange for therapy
services
a. depends on the circumstances of the individual case.
b. should be considered if the client has no way to pay for my
services.
c. is almost always a poor idea.
d. should not be undertaken without prior consultation to explore
the possible harm to the client.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 33. Responsibility to the community. Concerning the helper’s
responsibility to the community, I believe
a. the helper should educate the community concerning the
nature of psychological services.
b. the central role of a helper is that of a change agent.
c. it is appropriate to function as an advocate for
underrepresented groups in the community.
d. helpers should become involved in helping clients use the
resources available in the community.
e. __________________________________
____ ____ 34. Working in systems. When it comes to working in institutions or
a system, I believe
a. I must learn how to survive with dignity within a system.
b. I must learn how to subvert the system so that I can do what I
deeply believe in.
c. the institution will stifle most of my enthusiasm and block any
real change.
d. I cannot blame the institution if I am unable to succeed in my
programs.
e. __________________________________
32 Chapter 1 Are the Helping Professions for You?
By Way of Review
Near the end of each chapter we list some of the chapter’s highlights. These key
points serve as a review of the messages we have attempted to get across. After
you finish each chapter, we encourage you to spend a few minutes writing down
the central issues and points that have the most meaning for you.
• Become active in getting the most from your education. No program is
perfect, but you can do a lot to bring more meaning to your course of study.
• Just as you are evaluated and graded in your educational program, you will
be evaluated in the professional world. Evaluation can create stress, but it is
part of your educational program and your future career.
• Remain open to the question of whether a career in one of the helping
professions is right for you. In deciding whether to pursue one of the helping
professions, do not give up too soon. Be prepared for doubts and setbacks.
• Although the “ideal helper” does not exist in reality, a number of behaviors
and attitudes characterize effective helpers. Even though you might not
reach the ideal, you can strive to reach your own goal.
• It is essential that helpers examine their motivations for going into the field.
Helpers meet their own needs through their work, and they must recognize
these needs. It is possible for both client and helper to benefit from the
helping relationship.
• Some of the needs for going into the helping professions include the need
to be needed, the need for prestige and status, and the need to make a
difference. These needs can work both for you and against you in becoming
an effective helper.
• In selecting an educational program, follow your interests. Be willing to
experiment by taking classes and by getting experience as a volunteer worker.
• Investigate various specialty areas in the helping professions before
committing to a particular path. Visit the websites of the professional
organizations or associations of each of these specializations to clarify your
thinking about your career direction.
• Be willing to seek information about careers in mental health from others,
such as professionals in the field and faculty members, but realize that
ultimately you will decide which career path is best for you.
By Way of Review 33