Instructions: For your Course Project, you are a Human Services Professional at the hypothetical agency, New Directions, LLC. In Module 01, you are beginning the first step towards developing a portfolio that will be submitted to Dr. Rasmussen, your immediate supervisor, before your performance evaluation in six weeks. A few minutes ago, you open an email from Dr. Rasmussen that reads as such: Please make sure that I am able to understand what you are saying and that it makes sense. Any paper that I am not able to follow will be sent back with deductions of points.
Hello,
Thank you for accepting the invitation to our weekly supervision meetings that will be having for the next several weeks. As indicated, I am working towards the completion of annual evaluations and I want to ensure that you and I meet to discuss important dynamics relative to the practice of culturally competent practice with the diverse populations we serve. When we meet, I would recommend that you prepare evidence of your understanding of various elements of how best to work effectively with culturally diverse groups and I will be providing you with feedback along the way. I want you to do well and to also receive the annual bonus when your overall evaluation rates at Fully Effective. My job is to get you there.

So, our agenda for this first week is to focus on bias. To confront the challenge of personal bias (myself included), Human Services Professionals must actively work to identify, be mindful of, and critically examine the personal biases they bring into practice. We all have them! Once identified, personal biases can then be attended to through education, continuous training throughout ones career, self-reflection, and supervision. I look forward to seeing you in my office at the time that you chose.
Thanks! -Ralph
Directions: In a 3-page, double-spaced reflection paper, think about your own bias(es), and address the following:  It is important that you meet the minimum page length requirement and that your work is double-spaced throughout. All facts should be cited with a parenthetical in-text citation throughout your work, in addition to, the inclusion of a Reference Page at the end of your work. 

Why is it important to understand our personal bias(es), to include unconscious bias(es), so that we effectively work with diverse clients within any Human Services agency?
Thinking of yourself as a professional, explain how the following areas assist you towards proactively addressing your identified bias(es) so that they do not translate into your practice as a Human Services Professional:

education
continuous training/professional development,
self-reflection
supervision