Genuineness
“Do not accept anything as truth that lacks love, and do not accept anything as love that lacks truth.”
- St. Edith Stein
This artifact explores the essential elements that contribute to a successful therapeutic relationship. It highlights the importance of trust, empathy, genuineness, respect, active listening, and creating a safe and supportive environment where clients feel heard and understood. The artifact also emphasizes the importance of maintaining appropriate professional boundaries while building a strong therapeutic connection. A successful therapeutic relationship is collaborative and centered on the client’s needs, values, goals, and autonomy. These elements help establish a foundation where clients can feel comfortable being vulnerable, develop insight, and work toward meaningful change.
I demonstrate genuineness in multiple contexts by being authentic, honest, and present with others. Edith Stein stated, “Do not accept anything as truth that lacks love, and do not accept anything as love that lacks truth.” This quote reminds me that genuineness requires both honesty and compassion. In counseling, I strive to create a safe environment where clients feel comfortable being themselves while I remain authentic and professional. I want clients to experience me as a real person who genuinely cares about their experiences rather than someone simply fulfilling a professional role. I also demonstrate genuineness by being honest about my limitations, seeking supervision when needed, and being open to growth. In group settings and my personal relationships, I practice genuineness by listening, communicating honestly, and remaining true to my values. For me, genuineness means that my words, actions, and values are consistent with who I am.
How do I demonstrate genuineness?
ACA Code of Ethics (2014)
A.1.a (Primary Responsibility): The primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity and promote the welfare of clients.
A.4.b (Personal Values): Counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and avoid imposing their values on clients, especially when their values are inconsistent with the client’s goals or are discriminatory in nature.
CACREP Common Core Standards (2016):
2.F.5.f (Ethical and Legal Considerations): Ethical standards of professional counseling organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling.
2.F.2.h (Counseling and Helping Relationships): A systems approach to conceptualizing clients in their environments and considering the impact of contextual factors on clients’ functioning and counseling relationships.
Program Objectives:
Counseling and helping relationships