The most important aspect of therapy is the relationship between a client and a therapist. If I fail to establish a relationship with my client, therapy will be severely jeopordized and will fail. It is impossible to separate who I am from my profession, so I must be aware of how this will affect my relationship with a client. For the therapeutic relationship to be a helpful tool in guiding clients through painful, healing and growing experiences, it is essential that I recognize and understand my personal beliefs, expectations and abilities.

             In begginning to know myself, I must determine my perception of reality. I do believe that reality is somewhat beyond my realm of understanding. Reality consists not only of the seen and known, but, also, consists of the unseen and unknown. Whether I believe or am knowledgeable about reality, it still exsists. Reality, in my opinion, begins and ends with the absolute, almighty God.

             Since I define reality as beginning and ending with God, He is whom I am accountable to. But, because He is absolute, all will be accountable to Him one day whether their perception of reality is God or not. Ironically enough, being accountable to God does not enslave me, but, rather, sets me free. .

             Spirituality, my belief in Jesus Christ as my Savior, is the most essential aspect of my life. Without Christ, living is in vain. With this statement, I do not believe that anyone without Christ should die, but, rather that their only eternal hope lies in Christ. As a result of God being an absolute, all mankind is affected by the spiritual realm. Because of this fact and my strong conviction, when appropriate, spirtuality will play an intricate role in the therapeutic process.

             Not only must I determine when to integrate spiritual matters into therapy, I, also, must recognize what is a healthy functioning individual. A healthy individual posesses a secure attachment style that consists of having the ability to be intimate with others without fear of abandonment or mistrust.