ABSTRACT
Genetic counselors in the United States are almost exclusively guided by the principle of client autonomy in their interactions with counselees (Fletcher and Wertz 1987b). Autonomy requires counselors to remain value-neutral and nondirective in interactions with clients, so that the client’s choices are truly expressive of the client’s personal values. To maximize client autonomy, the counselor is to provide information, clarify options and their consequences, and assist clients in reaching decisions consistent with their personal values while maintaining a morally neutral posture overall. Thus, the essence of the counselor’s role is that of fact provider; the essence of the counselee’s role is that of value provider.
