Ethics and Issues in Counseling
Question 1
a) Ethics are a list of conduct or principles drawn with the purpose of providing a guideline to what defines professional practice (Corey, 2009) while values are the basis of one’s thoughts or ideals in which decisions are generated (Manthei, 1997). Certain institutions derive their own core values to help provide a guide to “proper” behaviors. In simple terms, ethics are like “rules” within a society, culture or institution while values are like “policeman” in our mind, helping us determine between desirable and non-desirable behaviors while keeping in mind these “rules” that governs them (Dolgoff, Loewenberg & Harrington, 2008).
The professional code of ethics is a guide designed to determine what constitutes professionalism in which governs the institution in the best interest of the values of the profession (Corey, 2009). It not only serves as a clarification to existing and future members of the institution or association governing it, but also helps supports the mission and vision of the institution or association. Its objective is to provide guidelines to practitioners, clarify the professional stand of institutions and organizations governing these practitioners, and at the same time protecting the rights of clients (consumers) (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2003). The Professional Code of Ethics also helps to bound practitioners ethically so that they do not try to impose their own values onto others and behave as moral authorities.
While the Professional Code of Ethics may be written as clear as possible and as comprehensive as possible, in reality there are person’s feelings, values, as well as emotions involved, which are absent during the compilation (Betan, 1997). The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) states “Counselors terminate a counseling relationship when it becomes reasonably apparent that the client no longer needs assistance, is not likely to benefit, or is being harmed by continued counseling.” The practitioner would be caught in a
a) Ethics are a list of conduct or principles drawn with the purpose of providing a guideline to what defines professional practice (Corey, 2009) while values are the basis of one’s thoughts or ideals in which decisions are generated (Manthei, 1997). Certain institutions derive their own core values to help provide a guide to “proper” behaviors. In simple terms, ethics are like “rules” within a society, culture or institution while values are like “policeman” in our mind, helping us determine between desirable and non-desirable behaviors while keeping in mind these “rules” that governs them (Dolgoff, Loewenberg & Harrington, 2008).
The professional code of ethics is a guide designed to determine what constitutes professionalism in which governs the institution in the best interest of the values of the profession (Corey, 2009). It not only serves as a clarification to existing and future members of the institution or association governing it, but also helps supports the mission and vision of the institution or association. Its objective is to provide guidelines to practitioners, clarify the professional stand of institutions and organizations governing these practitioners, and at the same time protecting the rights of clients (consumers) (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2003). The Professional Code of Ethics also helps to bound practitioners ethically so that they do not try to impose their own values onto others and behave as moral authorities.
While the Professional Code of Ethics may be written as clear as possible and as comprehensive as possible, in reality there are person’s feelings, values, as well as emotions involved, which are absent during the compilation (Betan, 1997). The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) states “Counselors terminate a counseling relationship when it becomes reasonably apparent that the client no longer needs assistance, is not likely to benefit, or is being harmed by continued counseling.” The practitioner would be caught in a
References: American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Washington, DC: Author. Altmaier, E.M. & Hansen, J.C. (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Counseling Psychology. NY: Oxford University Press Betan, E.J.(1997) Coetzee, M. & Jacobs, H.R. (2006) Career Counselling and Guidance in the Workplace. Cape Town, South Africa: Juta and Company Corey, G Corey, G., Corey, M.S. & Callanan, P. (2003). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. (6Th Ed) CA: Brooks/Cole Dryden, W Dolgoff, R., Loewenberg, F.M. & Harrington, D. (2008). Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice (8Th Ed, pp. 19-23) CA: Cengage Learning Manthei, R Palmer, S. & Milner, P. (2006) Integrative Stress Counselling: A Humanistic Problem-Focused Approach. GB: Sage Publications Co. Singh, K. (2007). Counselling Skills for Managers. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Wood, J.T. (2009) Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters. CA: Cengage Learning Welfel, E.R