Clarifying values in psychotherapy

This article addresses the complex issue of how to clarify conflicts involving value judgments. The author reviews his experiences as therapist, supervisor, and consultant in offering second opinions on in-progress therapies. He summarizes six major obstacles to effective value clarifications and interpretations. Therapists can help patients to explicitly verbalize otherwise only implicit values. Distress from guilt and shame can be reduced by helping a patient reprioritize values and gain self-reflective awareness skills for resolving moral dilemmas.