1. I don't think it is appropriate or ethical to "try to alter the
worldview" of the client. See Principle D of the APA Ethics Code.
2. you would help the client explore and deepen/refine/change his
worldview, help him gain greater awareness and ownership of his choices
in life, and help him through the process of making changes in his life.
For me it is true that I see a real difference between trying to impose my world view on a person and helping them explore to refine their world view but it is a fine line and not always easy to manage. It is so hard that I often like to explore these issues with resources in the community. Contact with ministers and theologians in the area often leads to a more therapeutic outcome. In fact in this case this client knew a priest that he could relate to and we both talked to him. This resulted in the client being able to come to a resolution that allowed him to live. Circumstances stopped me from knowing whether or not he found a way to live a fully satisfying love and work life but we made some progress and reduced both his suicidal and drinking urges.
I do agree with you that there is a lot of unexamined bias in our field and it can lead to destructive effects and we don't like to examine these so few cases of the type you mention are ever examined. I find explanations like unconscious bias and defensive denial to make sense of these processes most compelling.
> The most painful case I had in this regard was a
> man who had strong Catholic religious beliefs-who
> believed deeply that homosexual urges and behavior
> were sinful and yet who experienced uncontrollable
> homosexual desires. His choices were to drink
> himself into sever alcoholism or kill himself if
> he didn't alter his worldview. Do you try to
> alter the world view or watch him die slowly or
> more quickly-perhaps taking someone else with him?
I don't think it is appropriate or ethical to "try to alter the
worldview" of the client. See Principle D of the APA Ethics Code. To
me, that would imply that you know what is best for the client and you
are try to impose your worldview on him. In the above case, after you
dealt with any immediate crises and risks to his life or the life of
others, you would help the client explore and deepen/refine/change his
worldview, help him gain greater awareness and ownership of his choices
in life, and help him through the process of making changes in his life.
Maybe through the process of assimilation or accomodation he deepens or
matures his worldview. Maybe he reaches the conclusion that parts of
his worldview no longer fit him and he refines parts of his worldview.
Maybe he makes the decision that his underlying worldview no longer fits
him anymore and he replaces it altogether with another worldview.
I've had gay male clients that have abandoned their Christian faith and
I've had gay male clients whose Christian faith has been strengthened.
I have my own personal beliefs about the truthfulness of a Christian
worldview, but it is not my role to force that on clients who decide not
to embrace a similar worldview. My role is to model love and grace to
my clients and offer them an opportunity for redemption and
transformation. I believe that is consistent with my ethical obligation
as a psychologist. I also believe it is consistent with my role as a
Christian not to force others or make others accept my beliefs (although
the Christian church historically has been guilty of this).
Granted, the therapy process is much more complex than what I've
presented above, but I wanted to offer some response. I'm not quite
sure how this topic came up, but I think it was related to the
usefulness or practicality of conducting research on the psychology of
religion. Actually, it is not uncommon for people to present these
kinds of scenarios to me when they find out that I'm a Christian and a
psychologist. These hypothetical (or real) case scenarios that are
presented to me usually involve a client who is gay and usually involve
two equally distasteful responses from which I'm asked to choose, such
as "alter his worldview" or "watch him die." Kind of a lose-lose
proposition from the very beginning. The reality of the situation is
that the therapeutic relationship, like all relationships, is quite
complex, and therapists should treat all people with the fundamental
dignity, respect, and honor that they deserve.
I do have a serious question, though. Why doesn't anyone ever present a
hypothetical situation where the psychologist is a passionate atheist
(or secular humanist) who holds disdain or pity for his overly religious
client, pathologizes him for his commitment to his faith, and tries to
get him to give up his nutty religious beliefs and accept a more secular
worldview. I guess that situation just never occurs in real life...
I also wonder why we don't hear too many cases about how we need to get
our orthodox Jewish clients to give up their silly and outdated
religious convictions, or our Native American clients to stop
worshipping animals and wearing such garish religious symbols, or our
clients who have adapted the latest Deepak-Chopra New Age mumbo-jumbo to
give up the incense burning and crystal wearing, or our Hindu clients to
just eat a stinking hamburger for crying out loud! Does this sound
offensive and insensitive? Relax, I'm just trying to make a point and
don't personally believe any of this. But that is how it makes
Christians feel when their faith is compared to "believing in fairy
tales" or when they are dehumanized and treated as stereotypes.
Okay, if you made it this far, thanks for letting me vent. I promise
that no offense is meant, it's just been a long day. Besides, if I can
vent in this post, then I don't have to kick the dog when I get home...
Rod
p.s. The dog comment was a joke, too. I love my little girls!
______________________________________________
Roderick D. Hetzel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
LeTourneau University
President-Elect, Division 51
American Psychological Association
Department of Psychology
LeTourneau University
Post Office Box 7001
2100 South Mobberly Avenue
Longview, Texas 75607-7001
Office: Heath-Hardwick Hall 115
Phone: 903-233-3312
Fax: 903-233-3246
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Homepage: http://www.letu.edu/people/rodhetzel
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