Journal of Counseling Psychology Vol. 5, No. 3, 1958

The Place of Values in Counseling and Psychotherapy1
C. H. Patterson
University of Illinois

fact, ethics might be considered as an expression of a group's values, an attempt to represent or express them in a systematized form. This is no doubt why Sutich (28) became involved in values in his discussion of ethics. Bixler and Seeman (3) state that "ethics are principles of action based on a commonly accepted system of values," thus relating professional ethics to social values. The APA code of ethics (1, p. 49) states that a cardinal obligation of the psychologist "is to respect the integrity and protect the welfare of the person with whom he is working." This is clearly an expression of the value of the individual in our society, as is recognized in Principle 1.13: "The psychologist should express in his professional behavior a firm commitment to those values which lie at the foundation of a democratic society, such as freedom of speech, freedom of research, and respect for the integrity of the individual" (1, p. 10). Philosophy of Counseling. From ethics and values to philosophy is only a short step. A philosophy is an integration of values, usually resulting in statements of postulates and assumptions, or principles. It is only natural, and to be expected, that philosophies of counseling and psychotherapy should reflect the philosophies How Values Affect Counseling of the societies in which these activities and Psychotherapy operate. The prevailing philosophy of our Besides the fact that many of the client's society is a democratic one. This is more problems involve values and value conflicts, than a political term, although Meehl and there are other ways in which values af- McClosky (15) would make it primarily fect the therapeutic relationship. such. Democratic principles and values Values and Counseling