In video role play 7, Family Values: The Divorce, the client (Janice) has decided to leave her husband and get a divorce. She tells her counselor (Gary) that she doesn’t want to work on her marriage...

In video role play 7, Family Values: The Divorce, the client (Janice) has decided to leave her husband and get a divorce. She tells her counselor (Gary) that she doesn’t want to work on her marriage anymore. Janice says that she is tired of her husband’s anger and moods. The counselor responds: “I hate to hear that. What about your kids? Who will be the advocate for them?” She says, “If I am happy, they will be happy. I will take care of my kids.” The counselor concludes by asking, “Is divorce the best way to take care of your children?” It is clear that the counselor has an agenda for the client. The counselor’s focus is on the welfare of her children. The client feels misunderstood and does not think the counselor is helping her. In small groups, discuss the main ethical issues in this case. If you were Janice’s counselor, how do you imagine you would respond? What kind of questions would you ask of Janice, if any? Put yourself in this situation with a client similar to Janice. Assume that your client is experiencing a great deal of ambivalence about getting a divorce, even though she tells you she is convinced that her marital situation is hopeless. She pleads with you to tell her whether she should remain married or get a divorce. What approach might you take? If your client expects you to provide her with an answer, because she is coming to you as the expert, what would you do? Have one student role-play the confused client who is searching for an answer and ask several students to give different ways of proceeding with this client.