Respect for cultures,beliefs and attitudes: A way to better relationships and understanding

Beliefs and attitudes play a very important role in human behaviour. Particularly when strategies in psychological, social counselling and therpay are being forumulated, attitudes and beliefs, and beliefs about beliefs, play a crucial role. Personal, political and social considerations become more relevant and unavoidable (Lokare, 1975). When the counsellor or the therapist translates their theoretical and so-called scientific training and knowledge into gudance and advice things get tinted with the therapist's personal attudes and beliefs and mingle with those of the client (Loakare, 1974).     

Counselling and the Relevance of Counsellors' and Clients' Views and Attitudes

Directing attention towards the counsellor's experience of the client and neglecting to include the client's experience of the counsellor can lead to serious errors and to a considerable distortion in attitudes and theoretical presuppositions. The behaviouristic revolution has generally tended to leave unanswered questions related to the role of the counsellor as a variable in the client-counsellor relationship. Theoretical views are discussed in relation to practical problems encountered in clinical practice.