What would be a bias for you and why?
BACKGROUND: Every interviewer experiences this world in certain ways which create biases. These biases are feelings about situations and people that may contribute to resistance (even unintentional) for helping professionals. It is natural to have a preference for our own values and have a more difficult time accepting those values that might differ from ours. With this in mind, it is important that we become as aware as possible of our reactions so we can understand how our views may affect the interview (again, intentionally or not). Although, even after looking at them, we will never be without values or biases. Our hope is that by challenging ourselves to look at our beliefs, without being judged for them, we can lessen the negative impact of these beliefs on our clients. Denying our biases will only hold us back; by identifying them, discussing them, and exploring how they affect our clients, we can begin to effectively deal with these biases in a helpful way.PURPOSE:The goal of the assignment is to explore one of your biases and explore its potential impact on your ability to be an effective interviewer. For this assignment, explore one type of issue (or person) that would be difficult for you to work with (e.g., politics, religion, cultural differences, sexual orientation, high emotionality, a particular diagnosis, substance use, someone of a particular age group, anger/abuse issues, infidelity, abortion, etc.), and why (e.g., the feelings/reactions this situation creates for you); brainstorm situations in which your feelings might enhance or be detrimental to the interaction; and identify ways you can work to reduce the negative impact of your feelings on the interviewing process.The purpose of this assignment is not for us to judge you for anything you write. The goal is for you to take an honest look at what your biases may be. Your honesty and openness will only help you improve your skills as an interviewer. That being said, do not disclose more than you feel comfortable. It is quite likely that we all have more than one potential bias; aim to challenge yourself to explore something that might be difficult to talk about. This paper is less about the details of your bias and how it developed and much more about how to handle it within the interviewing process. Please be aware that issues such as serious thoughts of self-harm, harm to others, child abuse, and threats to national security, may legally and ethically have to be disclosed:1. What would be a bias for you and why?2. To what degree, if any, would you share this with the client? Why or why not?3. How might your bias that you have identified impact your future work? (identify ways inwhich this could enhance AND be detrimental to the interaction)4. What are some ways to reduce the negative impact of the bias on the interviewing process?
