PSY3120 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Dsm-5, Therapeutic Relationship, Bipolar Disorder
11 Aug 2018
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Department
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Corey - Chapter 3
Ethical Issues in Counselling Practice
• Mandatory ethics involves a level of ethical functioning at the minimum level of rules
• Aspirational ethics focuses on doing what is in the best interests of the client - functioning at
this level involved the highest standards of thinking and conduct. It requires counsellors to do
more than simply meet the letter of the ethics code
• Fear based ethics does not constitute sound ethical practice
• Ethics is more than a list of things to avoid for a fear of punishment
• Positive ethics is an approach taken by practitioners who want to do their best for clients
rather than simply meeting minimum standards to stay out of trouble
• Clients needs must come first
Role of Ethics Codes as a Catalyst for Improving Practice
• They educate counselling practitioners and the general public abour the responsibly of the
profession
• Provide a basis for accountability and protect clients from unethical practices
Steps in Making Ethical Decisions
• Identify the problem or dilemma. Gather information that will shed light on the nature of the
problem. This will help you decide whether the problem is mainly ethical, legal, professional,
clinical, or moral.
• Identify the potential issues. Evaluate the rights, responsibilities, and welfare of all those who
are involved in the situation.
• Look at the relevant ethics codes for general guidance on the matter. Consider whether your
own values and ethics are consistent with or in conflict with the relevant guidelines.
• Consider the applicable laws and regulations, and determine how they may have a bearing on
an ethical dilemma.
• Seek consultation from more than one source to obtain various perspectives on the dilemma,
and document in the client’s record the suggestions you received from this consultation.
• Brainstorm various possible courses of action. Continue discussing options with other
professionals. Include the client in this process of considering options for action. Again,
document the nature of this discussion with your client.
• Enumerate the consequences of various decisions, and reflect on the implications of each
course of action for your client.
• Decide on what appears to be the best possible course of action. Once the course of action has
been implemented, follow up to evaluate the outcomes and to determine whether further
action is necessary. Document the reasons for the actions you took as well as your evaluation
measures.
Informed Consent
• Informed consent is an ethical and legal requirement
• It involves the right of clients to be informed about their therapy and to make autonomous
decisions pertaining to it.
• Informed consent in counseling can be provided in written form, orally, or some combination
of both. If it is done orally, therapists must make an entry in the client’s clinical record
documenting the nature and extent of informed consent
Dimensions of Confidentiality
• Confidentiality is an ethical concept , and in most states it is the legal duty of therapists not to
disclose information about a client.
Document Summary
It requires counsellors to do more than simply meet the letter of the ethics code. Role of ethics codes as a catalyst for improving practice: they educate counselling practitioners and the general public abour the responsibly of the profession, provide a basis for accountability and protect clients from unethical practices. Gather information that will shed light on the nature of the problem. This will help you decide whether the problem is mainly ethical, legal, professional, clinical, or moral. Evaluate the rights, responsibilities, and welfare of all those who are involved in the situation. Look at the relevant ethics codes for general guidance on the matter. Consider whether your own values and ethics are consistent with or in conflict with the relevant guidelines: consider the applicable laws and regulations, and determine how they may have a bearing on an ethical dilemma.
