n order to minimize professional liability and ensure treatments of clients so that they remain soundly and within the boundaries of professional standards it is up to the counselor to inform and educate his/her clients about the code of ethics (the clients may not know there boundaries) as well as determine if the client needs to be transferred to another professional. For example if the client attempts to cross the boundaries it’s the consoler responsibility to be an authority figure in these cases, as mentioned in the ACA it’s part the counselors job to determine if the client needs to see a different professional. Decisions and treatment options for the client are always made with the best interest in mind for the client. As mentioned in the code of ethics section A.2.e Mandated client’s counselors discuss the required limitations to confidentiality when working with clients who have been mandated for counseling services.…
This paper will attempt to compare the similarities and differences in the ethics codes of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). In addition to the discussion of general similarities and differences of the two codes of ethics, the paper will also will also compare and contrast the following three areas of counseling in depth: confidentiality, sexual intimacies, and research and publication. While both codes of ethics have guidelines for each of these topics that are similar in scope, they also vary from one another on the specific details. Each of the codes of ethics keeps the client in mind and wants to ensure the best quality of care, but outlines how that care should be administered a little differently between the two.…
The field of professional counseling provides for occasions for the counselor to make decisions based on professional ethics. Ethics can be commonly derived from one’s own values. In order to create a more consistent standard codes of ethics have been published. Two of these publications will be used in this paper: 1) American Counseling Association (ACA): Code of Ethics (2005), 2) American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC): Code of Ethics (2004). Whereas these organizations are based on different ideals, a general comparison will be made. Inasmuch as revisions are ongoing, this paper will review several that were revised in the latest publication, as highlighted in the article New Mandates and Imperatives in the Revised ACA Code of Ethics. (2009)…
Believe it or not, when it comes to the code of ethics that a counselor must follow with his or her patients during sessions, it is very…
Many professions have their own either written or understood code of ethics. This holds true for the profession of counseling, including the Christian sector of counseling. The American Counseling Association along with the American Association of Christian counselors both published codes of ethics for the licensed professionals in this particular field. Their specific ethics provide counselors with a guideline of how to correctly and ethically serve their clients. Some of the ethics described in these documents are: confidentiality, informed consent, and discrimination, healthy relationships with clients, laws and regulations, along with other specific duties to the clients and to the profession itself. These detailed standards are set in place to uphold the integrity of the counseling profession and ensure that clients are cared for in the most appropriate manner. This paper compares the two codes of ethics, pointing out specifically the similarities and differences the following topics: competence, fees, and personal problems of counselors.…
This codes speaks to the significance of how important it is for counselors to communicate clearly, and understandably in ways that are developmentally and culturally sensitive and appropriate to their clients (ACA, 2014, Standard A.2.c). The second ethical code is the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors ethical codes which explains the role of the counselor in how they are expected to respect cultural diversity and not discriminate. (IAMFC, 2011, Section A.4).…
* According to Corey (p. 98) counselors should have a process of self-examination to discover their own biases, beliefs and values. I think it is unethical to refer a client because of a therapist’s personal beliefs. Saying that, if the counselor has strongly held beliefs and values, they should be addressed in the informed consent and explained to client’s before the counseling process begins. This would give the counselor basis for referral. Since the counselor is bound by…
Based on the statement “Marriage and Family therapist provide professional assistance to persons without discrimination on the basis of race, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, gender, health status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation” from the AAMFT code of ethics principle 1.1, my personal life experiences and values have allowed me to learn how to follow this principle. Since, I was raised in many different places that were diverse in many aspects I did not learn to feel hatred or disgust for anyone that was not like me. Furthermore, my experiences in my own life have helped me to understand people who are not what society sees as normal.…
Cultural competence can be defined as being aware of our world views, developing skills for communication and interaction across cultures by using positive attitudes towards cultural differences by gaining knowledge of different cultural practices and world views. Cultural competence is about the actions to build understanding between people, to be respectful and open to differences. Understanding cultural competence is developing positive attitudes towards cultural differences.…
Dermer, S., Smith, S., & Barto, K. (2010). Identifying and correctly labeling sexual prejudice, discrimination, and oppression. Journal of Counseling & Development, 88(3), 325–331.…
Ethical questions regarding family therapy can become unique and complicated when dealing with more than one individual person. What may serve in the best interest of one person, may conflict with the interests of another. To help guide family therapists with these ethical dilemmas, The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has developed a code of ethical standards. The AAMFT code of ethics is divided into eight principle sections: responsibility to clients, confidentiality, professional competence and integrity, responsibility to students and supervisees, responsibility to research participants, responsibility to the profession, financial arrangements, and advertising (Cory, Corey, & Callanan,…
To be culturally competent the nurse needs to understand his/her own world views and those of the patient, while avoiding stereotyping and misapplication of scientific knowledge. Cultural competence is obtaining cultural information and then applying that knowledge. This cultural awareness allows you to see the entire picture and improves the quality of care and health outcomes.…
Current trends of an increasingly multicultural society emphasize the need for nursing education programs that effectively address cultural issues. To understand the diverse cultural backgrounds of clients, nurses must strive to be culturally competent (Marcinkiw 2003). Cultural competence requires the building of cultural awareness, knowledge, skill, encounters, and desire in the nurse. Clients will feel respected, valued, and have a greater desire to achieve mutually agreed upon health care goals if the nurse is culturally competent. The purpose of this essay is designed to show the cultural competence in the nursing profession by providing a guide that is useful for implementing cultural sensitivity in nursing education and practice.…
Due to the changing demographics of society and cultural changes, counselors must be diligent in preparing themselves to be diversely competent. Competence is the ethical challenge at hand. Research suggests that the past and current versions of the ACA Code of Ethics do not adequately address the demands of working with non-white, non-western clients. Past versions of the ACA Code of Ethics paid little attention to the presenting multicultural issues of counseling. The difference between the 1988 and 1995 code is an indicator of the movement of the profession and the changes in values held by many in the profession. Recent revision efforts of the ACA Code of Ethics have given special consideration to culture to serve as guidelines for counselors. Kocet (2004) believes the revisions of the 1995 Code of Ethics could lead to a new focus in the counselor relationship that encourages interaction with clients that occurs both in clinical and non-clinical settings. Given the constant revision considerations it is important that education and…
Cultural competence as the process of recognizing one own lifestyle, feeling, opinion and surrounding without making it impact others with a different background. Cultural competence is also acknowledging, understanding, embracing, respecting cultural differences and assimilate nursing care accordantly to each client’s culture. (Deborah L. Flowers).…