Code of Ethics Comparrison

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In 2005, the American Counseling Association (ACA) published a document titled the ACA Code of Ethics which was designed to aid counselors in the ethical decision making process and, in response, “expand the capacity of people to grow and develop” (p. 3). The ACA Code of Ethics provides regulatory guidelines for all counselors to follow in ethical decision-making and practice. Of a more specific nature, the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) has also published a document stating the ethical practices and procedures for the Christian counseling field. The two documents contain many similarities, but, due to differing goals and principals, also containing may differences. This paper compares these two documents and more specifically focuses on the similarities and differences in the areas of confidentiality, fees, and records. General Comparison of Ethics Codes The ACA Code of Ethics and the AACC Code of Ethics are both written for those involved in the field of counseling and helping others and are written with a central focus on the well being and protection of clients. The major difference leading to most other distinctions in these two codes is centered on the guiding principals and goals of each organization. The ACA code is written from a secular perspective with emphasis on human development and embracing diverse cultures, ideas, beliefs, and lifestyles while the AACC (2004) code is written from a biblical perspective with its primary goals being “to bring honor to Jesus Christ and his church, promote excellence in Christian Counseling, and bring unity to Christian counselors” (pg. 3). The AACC code is written with respect to much more specific beliefs and thus, in many areas, provides more specific ... ... middle of paper ... ... is not easy to develop and in the development of the AACC Code of Ethics, the AACC Law and Ethics Committee had the additional task of encompassing specific Christian concerns. The ACA and AACC codes provide a comprehensive look at areas and concerns in the counseling environment that requires specific guidelines. Although the documents differ in certain areas and in depth of content, the overall focus of both documents is the well being and of clients and dedication to professionalism. Works Cited American Association of Christian Counselors (2004). AACC code of ethics. Forest, VA: AACC Law and Ethics Committee. American Counseling Association (2005). ACA code of ethics. Alexandria, VA: ACA. Clinton, T. & Ohlschlager, G. (2002). Competent Christian counseling: Foundations and practice of compassionate soul care. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press.

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