DB 9

.docx

School

Liberty University *

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Course

502

Subject

Philosophy

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

1

Uploaded by jrjohnson9

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In the counseling profession it is common to interact with diverse clientele who are experiencing hardships, challenges and life scenarios that are not familiar. It is important to meet each client with the same level of compassion, grace, and willingness to work together. Gender and sexual orientation are a very big part of the human experience so for individuals experiencing those constructs differently than the majority, it can be isolating. It can also be very intimidating to reach out in times of need to professionals such as doctors or counselors because of the possibility of being mistreated or looked down on. Beliefs about what is appropriate regarding gender norms and sexual orientation affect self-esteem, relationships, mental health, and coping strategies that impact how an individual interacts with society (Moe et al., 2023). As a heterosexual cisgendered individual, I recognize my ease of access to resources and health care. I learned that this is called Heterosexual Privilege. Heterosexual Privilege is the idea that heterosexual people have advantages in our society that impact many aspects of their life including mental health care, human rights, and social status (Hays & Erford, 2023, p.193). I think it’s important to understand where you are privileged so that you can be a part of the fight for equality and justice. Due to the persistent stigma and lack of education and training around homosexuality or uncommon sexual orientations, professionals such as teachers, counselors, and social workers are not as well equipped to work with clients facing crisis or struggles regarding their sexuality (Chan et al., 2022). My perspective on this also changed when learning about Attribution bias which is how we conclude where blame should be placed for a situation or event (Hays & Erford, 2023, p. 205). Placing the blame for mental health struggles on someone for their own circumstances rather than the environment that they are from is not productive and ultimately adds the problem. Finding and issue and attacking it at the source is how real change occurs. The final element that impacted my views is how spirituality is affected within the LGBTQ+ community. The problems surrounding acceptance and love for all within our religious institutions is disheartening. My hope as a future counselor is that everyone feels safe with me and open to explore all aspects of their identity including their spirituality, gender, and sexual orientation. God calls us all to be kind and empathetic towards others. There is no one on this earth who deserves God’s love and forgiveness, yet we receive that every day and it is our job as Christians and counselors to give that love back to others whether we think they deserve it or not.
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