It is useful for Counselors to take inventories of themselves, their surroundings, their reactions, and their decisions in order to help critique their effectiveness. Critical thinking is essential for rational thought, and rational thinking helps minimize the effects of irrational, emotionally driven thinking, including biases and prejudice. Self-awareness is a critical component of self-examination; it allows one to grow beyond their existing limiting beliefs. Some of the core values of the American Counseling Association (ACA) include self-awareness and respect for others. Seeking to clarify one’s own understanding facilitates being present with a client. Growing in awareness helps counselors move from merely being an observant stranger to joining them as an empathic listener (American Counseling Association, 2014.)
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On September 19, 2017, an Attitude and Beliefs Inventory was taken based on Cory and Callanan’s work in order to determine which three of 25 scenarios presented the most discomfort. At that time, the responses included, “a man convicted of pedophilia and court ordered for counseling,” “a woman who makes her living as an
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Removing the anxiety encouraged engaging issues with a more detached and clinical perspective, at least in theory. There is a complex interplay between intellectual bias and unspoken emotional processing. Reason uses primarily one part of the brain and irrationality another. They work together, but often emotions can dominate reason in a way that is difficult to discern. Prejudice, fear, and irrationality have an enormous neurobiological advantage in influencing how the mind operates. It takes discipline for reason to regain control over a mind that is under the influence of emotionally charged, irrational thinking. Fear has a way of influencing thought processes of even the most intelligent people (Phelps & LeDoux,