Values, Beliefs, Clinical Gestalt with Individuals, and Systems

University of Phoenix

I am learning as much as I can about myself through the journal entries, exercises, and team discussion questions to better myself as a future therapist or clinician. To be productive and effective I must recognize, and accept my strengths and weaknesses with an attitude of striving for excellence. I have learned a great deal about myself and the areas where I can improve in the clinical setting. I realize that with improvement there will be challenges. I will overcome these challenges by utilizing the knowledge I am obtaining in these series of classes.
My Values and Beliefs All the choices and decisions I have made in my life are based on my values and belief system. My parents strived to teach me the best values and to instill wholesome values. I was raised to always know a person can not be judged on what is seen, but by what you learn of them. In a clinical atmosphere I believe I can put these lessons to use. I know not to judge a person based on their situation as each person has a story that has led to where they are today in life. There are certain issues that I have an opinion about that I know I will have to set aside in order for my client to benefit. A few of these issues are abortion, molestation, rape, and murder. Realize every situation has a story behind it and I need to be able to hear the story so that I can help my client in need.
My Clinical Gestalt I grew up in an area that lacked in diversity as far as ethnicity and income ranges. As a teenager I became defiant and deliberately placed myself in very diverse cultural, ethnic, and poverty effected areas so that I would learn how other people lived and could share in that experience. Although the lack of diversity early on has had its negative affects, there are positives as well. Because I was not subjected to a diverse population, I did not have early childhood traumatic experiences, therefore had a consistent, and stable childhood. Many people have their minds made up about people of a different race or ethnicity, I do not. In the clinical setting, I may find myself to be very comfortable with people of other races and ethnicities, and in fact am intrigued by whatever cultural differences we have. One of the best values I was taught as a child was not to be a racist and not to be judgmental; I think both of these lessons can be applied in the clinical setting.
Immediate and Larger Systems Contexts Before the exercise that dealt with immediate and larger systems contexts, I had no idea how large of a connection was between the two. According to what I have learned in Interviewing in action: Relationship, process, and change Ch 4. there are "immediate environments such as home, school, and community and larger systems such as the cultural and political context of the community” that directly effect everyone. Immediate system contexts can be directly related to the larger system context though. For example, an immediate system context currently affecting me is money issues. Money issues in my home are a result of the weakening economy- which is the larger system context. Another example is the child justice system (immediate) has me very frustrated as I do not feel the criminal justice or social service system handles the child abuse cases in a just manner for the sake of the child victim. My husband was just invited to sit on the on the board of trustees for Columbia River Mental Health (larger system) which is a way for us to make a difference by speaking out about the issues we have experienced and see going on and possibly be able to do something about this starting at the family level.
Clients I Might Find Hard to Accept Although it is not a therapist’s job to make assumptions or be judgmental there may be some individuals that I may not feel comfortable working with. These individuals may include rapists, molesters, child abusers, and murderers. When I found out I was pregnant for the first time I could not wait to be a mother. No one could take from me the excitement I felt. I had previously had an abortion as I got pregnant at age 15 and knew I could not be a good mother at that age and did not want to go through with pregnancy out of fear for my physical body. Today after having three beautiful children I could not knowingly end a baby’s life. As a therapist I would be sensitive to these situations realizing that each case is based on the individual. I would not let my personal opinions or even experiences interfere with the client and his or her story. I may not agree with certain situations or circumstances, but I would prefer to the best job of helping my client instead of judge someone based on what I believe to be a wrong choice. I would find myself struggling to work with individuals who have mistreated young children as I have a very strong maternal instinct. I do realize that there are events that usually lead to these forms of behavior.
Clinical Repose Repose is particularly important in a clinical setting. Many issues can arise in a therapy session; it is up to the therapist to keep the situation in control. This repose is central to supportive presence. It provides a clear but unobtrusive holding environment for the work and the relationship. Clients come to know that they can count on the clinician to remain centered and steady regardless of events and developments. Even in the face of the unexpected, clinicians try to remain as calm and reliable as possible. A clinical repose is developed with experience and tends to relax, reassure, and open others to process because it gives them confidence in the helper’s reliability. Such repose is expressed by a relaxed, open posture and gaze and a calm, confident manner in proceeding. To be effective, support has to be genuine—sincere and free from pretense or hypocrisy. I am much more carefree and have formed more opinion and pretense when I am hanging out with my family and friends because I trust they know me more intimately. I think I am a natural “people’s person.” I try very hard to be nice to everyone and am a non-aggressive person. I like having people’s respect and trust. Keeping composure in a clinical setting will only help accomplish this. Clients look at every aspect of their therapists for comfort, being an inviting individual will only be beneficial to these situations.
Personal and Professional Thoughts Communication Skills for the Human Service Professional has made me become very aware of why I would be great in this field. There have been so many great experiences in my life to share with others. I do not like to assume I know anything about anyone unless it comes out from that person. Being in the human service field provides me the opportunity to give others the great tools that have been given to me. Working with individuals who need support and guidance needs to feel comfortable. Setting the right tone, using facial expressions that are appropriate, being overall a warm person, and welcoming the client may be harder than it sounds. I personally believe that many of the topics covered in this paper do not always come naturally. Experience and hard work will help enhance these factors. Some therapists see a wide variety of people, but have only had book knowledge to share and I have education and life’s real experiences and that will help me to be a greater impact on those I want to be able to help.

References
Balliro, Lenore. (2002). What assumptions are you making?. Adult Literacy Resource Institute. Retrieved May 7, 2010 , from http://alri.org/pubs/assumptions.html
Murphy, B. C., & Dillon, C. (2003). Interviewing in action: Relationship, process, and change. Chapter 4
The University of Memphis. (2009). Department of Psychology. Retrieved May 8,2010, from http://www.memphis.edu/psychology/graduate/School/philosophy/index.php