Ethical and Legal Viewpoints
Ethical and Legal Viewpoints
Geneva Moore
Grand Canyon University
Abstract
Professional counselors are always confronted with “ethical dilemma” that arises from conflicts in maintaining standards of right or wrong in specific counseling practice. Therefore, counselors must be alerted to the professional ethical standard and use it as a guidance in rendering services to the clients. This paper will discuss volunteerism; the legal issues that can surface from volunteering, the legal ramifications of self-disclosure, being objective and bias and self-care. This paper reviews various aspects of a counseling professional ethics within the local context. Specifically, from the viewpoint of the professional counselor. Keywords: Volunteerism, self-disclosure, objectivity, self-care
Volunteerism
Is it ethical to volunteer at your daughter’s school if you know a client is going to be there? "A central question in any multiple relationship situation is whose needs are being met here?" says Stephen Behnke, JD, PhD, director of APA's Ethics Office, which advises counselor’s ethical dilemma. Whenever the answer is the needs of the counselor thats when a counselor should consult with another professional. According to the Ethics Code, counselors should avoid relationships that could impair the professional, or could exploit or harm the client. Behnke emphasizes, however, that multiple relationships that are not reasonably expected to have such effects are not unethical. It is sometimes not possible for the counselor to completely avoid multiple relationships. How does the counselor weigh the pros and cons in such a situations? APA Ethics Committee member Michael Gottlieb, PhD, suggests in a Psychotherapy (Vol. 30, No. 1) article that counselors should think about the factors. The first is “Power”. How much of a power difference is there between the counselor and the client? “Duration”. Will it be brief contact or will it be
Geneva Moore
Grand Canyon University
Abstract
Professional counselors are always confronted with “ethical dilemma” that arises from conflicts in maintaining standards of right or wrong in specific counseling practice. Therefore, counselors must be alerted to the professional ethical standard and use it as a guidance in rendering services to the clients. This paper will discuss volunteerism; the legal issues that can surface from volunteering, the legal ramifications of self-disclosure, being objective and bias and self-care. This paper reviews various aspects of a counseling professional ethics within the local context. Specifically, from the viewpoint of the professional counselor. Keywords: Volunteerism, self-disclosure, objectivity, self-care
Volunteerism
Is it ethical to volunteer at your daughter’s school if you know a client is going to be there? "A central question in any multiple relationship situation is whose needs are being met here?" says Stephen Behnke, JD, PhD, director of APA's Ethics Office, which advises counselor’s ethical dilemma. Whenever the answer is the needs of the counselor thats when a counselor should consult with another professional. According to the Ethics Code, counselors should avoid relationships that could impair the professional, or could exploit or harm the client. Behnke emphasizes, however, that multiple relationships that are not reasonably expected to have such effects are not unethical. It is sometimes not possible for the counselor to completely avoid multiple relationships. How does the counselor weigh the pros and cons in such a situations? APA Ethics Committee member Michael Gottlieb, PhD, suggests in a Psychotherapy (Vol. 30, No. 1) article that counselors should think about the factors. The first is “Power”. How much of a power difference is there between the counselor and the client? “Duration”. Will it be brief contact or will it be