The ethical framework requires that counsellors respect their client’s human rights and dignity at all times and should work equally with all clients regardless of their background, race, culture, religious…
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.…
* I believe it is unethical for the counselor to reveal anything said in individual counseling with the husband. She didn’t address a “no secrets” policy in the informed consent. Sharing this information with the wife without his permission is unethical. In marriage counseling the “no secrets” policy needs to be addressed and explained in the informed consent. Since she did not have a policy concerning this, she is bound by confidentiality which should have been in her informed consent.…
The ethical aspects of counseling are based on a system of rules which have been constructed for a precise group of people or field of work, and were developed for the purpose of setting the standards of conduct and behavior that are to be used by professionals. Ethical connotations hardly ever have an easy answer, and often counselors must seek help from more experienced professionals, but this is not a guarantee that the anticipated result will be accomplished. The first guideline in the ACA’s (2005) Code of Ethics reads “the primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity and promote the welfare of clients” (Kaplan, 2014).…
The first is an abortion case where a nineteen year old had been raped, resulting in a…
According to the ACA Code of Ethics and guidelines for counselors. Basically , has standards of ethical behaviors that identifies the do and do not for a trained professional from an ethical and legal standpoint, their client and even for a terminally ill client, and how effective counseling building a relationship, and the rapport of trust and integrity amongst their clients based on confidentiality. There’s a difference that differentiates a counselor who is protecting and has respect for the client’s confidential information such as; what they’re being treated for, their treatment, and history, verses confidentiality regarding end-of-life decisions. Counselors are expected to uphold ethical ramification for the best interest of the client.…
If the boundaries are not kept to then issues could become apparent which could effect the ethical practice of counselling. Such issues include, dual relationships is a no no, the counsellor is there to counsell and the client is there to be counselled and this is the way it must remain, the counsellor must by no means make a self disclosure to the client. If the counsellor feels they have something to disclose than they must see a counsellor themselves. It is important that the counsellor…
Both the therapist and the client should be aware of what the boundaries are. Some boundaries include, but are not limited to, no socializing with the client, no gifts to be exchanged, no goods or services accepted as payment for the sessions and not counseling friends or relatives (Kitchener, 1988). The relationship between counselor and client is very intense and personal and without clear boundaries it is very easy for this relationship to shift from a professional one to a personal one.…
Ethical dilemmas and multicultural issues are things that you will come across in your professional career. When we seek the assistance of a counselor in schools or in any other setting we want to know that what we share will not be shared with others. We want to feel comfortable and know that our standards and ethics will not be violated. While working in a school setting we came across Amy who is a 16 year old African American high school student. She went to talk to her high school counselor Mrs. Hill and revealed that she is pregnant but she wants the pregnancy terminated. She has her boyfriend Michael support. Michael is 17 years and currently still in high school. Amy doesn’t want her mother to find out about her pregnancy. She feels…
Professional boundaries are vital between the client and the Human Service professional. Setting limits in the beginning of the therapeutic process will ensure that the professional and client have established defining boundary lines. As professionals, we want our clients to feel a secure environment. Within this paper, our learning team will discuss and provide a variety of situations in which the professional and client have unknowingly or intentionally crossed these professional boundaries and, as a result, created ethical violations.…
The effectiveness of a counsellor relies on their ethical competence and behaviour. In this situation the counsellor needs to have the knowledge of dealing with loss and aged populations. Along with knowledge the counsellor must also be aware of the types of therapy and situations they are competent in. Since the client is an elderly woman over the age of 18 her information is confidential to everyone. However, she is in a retirement home, which means we may need to make the client aware that any relevant information that would put her or others at risk could be passed on to nurses or caregivers. Another ethical issue the counsellor should be aware of is generational differences. Since the client is older she may think of things in a…
Dual Relationships: Refers to the professional’s assuming two or more roles simultaneously or sequentially with the person seeking help, such as friendship and business deals. Judgement is likely to be affected, impaired as the relationship of counsellors and clients in power and status is unequal, thus exploration may occur.…
Ethics are based on philosophical principles and these guidelines assist a practitioner in making the best possible decisions for the welfare of the clients and the practitioner himself. Ethics are normative or critical in nature and concern human conduct and moral decision. Morality describes decision making and judgement by an individual concerning an incident or human behaviour. This is greatly influenced by the values he or she has acquired or formed as a result of external influence or indoctrination. Value is an enduring belief that a specific that a specific end-state of conduct is desirable (McLeod, 1998). Terminal and instrumental values are two types of values where the former refer to the desired end-state of existence, for example wisdom and the later refer to the mode of conduct that leads to it, for example broad-mindedness .Values then influence and determine the decisions we choose to make in our daily lives.…
Professional counsellors are increasingly mindful not to step on the mines of unethical practices. Sometimes, we might be too cautious to have overlooked issues that are neither unethical, nor avoidable, or even beneficial, in terms of the interests of our clients and our own professional satisfactions. Ethics are more than codes and taboos. While counsellors should protect themselves from unnecessary lawsuits, we should also find resolutions for our constant struggles towards the best service to clients, in light of the various moral and ethical principles, and the context in which we work, to promote, other than to protect client benefits.…
Ethical decision making while necessary, can at times be challenging. This is particularly true when working with clients that have different values and worldviews. Ethical issues seldom have an easy answer, and often counselors must seek help from more experienced and knowledgeable professionals, but this is not a guarantee that the desired outcome will be achieved. The ethical aspects of counseling are based on a system of rules which have been created for a specific group of people or field of work, and were developed for the purpose of setting the standards of conduct and behavior that is to be used by these professionals. Moral principles and virtue are the root foundations on which the ethics codes were formed, and they are for the protection of both the counselor and the client. The legal aspects in counseling are usually the result of unethical behavior, or a perceived misconduct, and counselors can find themselves on trial for malpractice, or unethical behavior practice. There may be times when there are legal issues between the ethics codes and federal and/or state statutes, and even with one’s employer’s policies; and counselors are sometimes required to appear in court as witnesses in litigation cases. This paper will examine both ethical and legal issues that can affect both counselors and their clients, both in general and specialized areas of counseling.…