Counselors are ethically required to be aware of their own value systems to avoid imposing their values onto clients. This is as true for clients who are children as it is for clients who are adolescents and adults. Play therapists may tend to view children as being more in need of direction than adults in choosing their values; however, the ethical principle of autonomy applies to children as well as adults. Counselors acting in accordance with this principle allow clients to make their own choices, determine their own values, and set the course of their own lives (Remley & Herlihy, 2007). This article describes an experiential activity that can be used in classes or workshops for play therapy students or licensed play therapists to enhance their awareness in the area of values when working with children. Discussion prompts and suggestions for processing the activity are illustrated.
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