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Ethical guidelines in counseling
Ethical guidelines in counseling
Ethical guidelines in counseling
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Standards of ethical behaviour are supported by policies, laws and code of ethics. These guidelines are put in place to assure that practices meet the highest standard when dealing with clients. They also work as a guide for all councillors across the board as a minimum standard for all to follow and for ethical guidance when required. As a councillor, these documents will be referred to, followed and practiced when faced with ethical dilemmas concerning clients and their wellbeing.
As a professional councillor, I will ensure that I abide by the code of Ethics when I am dealing with clients. I will endeavour to protect my client and ‘do no harm’. My practice will create a safe space for clients to be honest, open and comfortable; free from judgement and prejudice. I will refer to and be guided by the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Association of NSW (CAPA), Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and various other organisations.
In my practice, clients will be given a contract that outlines the guidelines, expectations and boundaries to the
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If sessions are not beneficial for the client, new methods need to be created or the relationship must be re-evaluated by the therapist. The sessions may be terminated due to certain circumstances such as dual relationships forming or ethical dilemmas are occurring where it is no longer professional to maintain sessions with the clients. Referring clients to another councillor may be an option if the client is willing (Heppner, Wampold & Kivlighan, 2008). To allow for the best possible service for my clients and to promote non-malficence, a counsellor needs to recognise their own limitations, therefore I will ensure that I am promoting self-respect and continually working towards being self-aware, practicing in my own life what I tell my clients (Franklin,
In the mental health profession of counseling, therapy, psychology, psychiatric and social services ethical dilemmas are faced primarily on a daily basis. Being that mental health professionals are working with clients who are often fragile and vulnerable, they must develop an intense awareness of ethical issues. On the other hand, mental health professionals would never intentionally harm their clients, students or colleagues and others whom they work with. Unfortunately, good intentions are not enough to ensure that wrong doings will not occur and mental health professionals have no choice but to make ethically determined decisions. Depending upon the experience and expertise of the professional determines the outcome of the ethical circumstance. For example, if you were practicing mental health professional and had a friend who’s a licensed psychologist, who is invited to attend the wedding of a patient that she has been seeing in court-ordered therapy for a year; what advice would you give your friend?
To conclusion this, ethical issues rising in social work have regularly received substantial attention but responses to them have habitually been premised on the conviction that professional boundaries are clear for all to see and are professionally determined on the basis of separation and passivity as opposed to connection and dynamism. Working together with the client in the setting of professional boundaries is most likely to have a optimistic impact on the quality of the relationships we have with clients itself a vital factor in successful outcomes.
A counselor should always keep their thoughts to themselves and remain open-minded about the situation. The only time a counselor should share their thoughts is if it helps the client with their situation that they are dealing with. “Counselors must practice only within the boundaries of their competence (Standard C.2.a.), and, if they “determine an inability to be of professional assistance to clients” (Standard A.11.b.), they should facilitate a referral to another provider. (Kocet, M. M., & Herlihy, B. J. (2014). Addressing Value-Based Conflicts Within the Counseling Relationship: A Decision-Making Model. Journal Of Counseling & Development, 92(2), 180-186 7p. doi: 10.1002/j.1556-6676.2014.00146.x).” Keeping your thoughts to yourself is
Opening the session and delivering the contract I did not provide my client with enough information about the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP, 2016), the role of supervision and the person-centred approach. In the next session I would deliver the contract in a way that would involve the client more in the process, for example I would ensure understanding and ask if she had any questions regarding any of the information. By creating a user centred contract and delivering it in more of a dialogue with my client this would potentially demonstrate to the client that the power is equal. person-centred counsellors believe that they are not authoritative, but they are equal to their client (Thorne, 1991).
It shows that professional values and personal morals do not always have to clash. These values can be used concurrently to provide better services to clients as a social worker. A lot of these professional values practitioners follow are extracted from morally and ethically accepted practices which means they go hand in hand with many personal standards which are also mainly tailored in accordance to moral and ethical beliefs and practices. They all focus on treating every individual equally and fairly and putting the client’s interests first just as the ethical standards
Ethical Issues in Social Work I will provide practical help for new social workers to help them understand and deal with ethical issues and dilemmas which they will face. There are many ethical issues which are important to social work, but I feel that these are all covered by the care value base. The care value base Was devised by the care sector consortium in 1992, this was so that the workers in health and social care had a common set of values and principles which they would all adhere to. It is important because for the first time the social care sector had a clear set of guidelines from which ethical judgements could be made. The care value base is divided into 5 elements - The care value base covers - Equality and Diversity - Rights and responsibilities - Confidentiality - Promoting anti Discrimination - Effective communication Equality and Diversity Carers must value diversity themselves before they can effectively care for the different races, religions and differently abled people they will come across in their caring profession.
The National Association of Social Work's Code of Ethics is not only something that is crucial to someone in the field of Social Work but can also be applied to everyday life. These values in which the Code of Ethics mandates professionals to use are very important in knowing how to help clients in bettering their lives, and in help society as a whole become a better place. Service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence are all the core values of Ethics and should be learned and practiced by all, not only Social Workers (NASW, 2008).
Ethics in the counselling and psychotherapy protects the client and the therapist involved in the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic process as a whole; with the concepts that act as a guide for the therapists in provision of good practice and care for the client. The framework is built on values of counselling and psychotherapy; principles of trustworthiness, autonomy, fidelity, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence and self-respect, and provides standards of good practice and care for the practitioner (BACP, 2010). Ethical framework contributes to the development of the therapeutic relationship and process by assisting therapist’s decisions, and guides their behaviour and proceedings within their legal rights and duties. The ethical frame is structured on the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship and the therapists should be aware of their categories and be responsible for their forms. Monitoring and being aware of what goes on in and out of the room physically, emotionally and psychologically is primarily the duty of the therapist.
The relationship between the counsellor and client is fundamental to the success of the counselling experience and the results that will follow. The counsellor and client need to build rapport and trust. The client needs to feel comfortable enough to open up and discuss their inner most thoughts and fears in the knowledge that the discussion is confidential and non-judgemental. The resulting relationship should be one of mutual respect.
To explain, the client should not be inferior to the counselor; the environment should be two people discussing an issue and ways to make a difference. A therapist should occasionally share similar experiences; therefore, sessions should make clients feel comfortable. To add, the client should feel safe due to the positive atmosphere the therapist brings to the session. The goal is to finally give the client a chance to be heard, regularly people are muted and feel like they are insignificant to society. Similarly, to Person-centered therapy where communication with the client is unconditionally positive. The therapist needs to genuinely care about the client needs for them to fully express themselves successfully. Furthermore, clients should be encouraging to make their own choices which model how to identify and use power responsibly. Hence, this will help the client feel more confident in everyday life when making a meaningful
I don’t think I could just focus on a client’s problem and problematic behavior, and not try to help better them as a person. This is the type of therapy that is the warm and fuzzy type. I like to think as myself as very empathic person, and always try to put myself in other people’s shoes. I try
This paper will explore the concept of dual relationships between counselors and clients and the ethical implications of such relationships. In addition to presenting several examples of dual relationships, this paper will also explore how ethical decisions must be made to avoid potentially harmful or exploitive relationships in therapy as well understanding how different interactions between counselor and clients can be understood from an ethical standpoint, as well as how reviewing these ethical dilemmas may shape my future career as a counselor.
The counselor’s objective is to identify the problem of the client and plan out the method of helping the client overcome the problem. The most rewarding part of being a counselor is the ability to make a difference in people’s lives. In private practice, there is a constant push to become more skilled at helping so that clients will refer others to you for help. It is also important to follow up with the client about their well-being even after treatment has ended to ensure that they are still living a healthy and stress-free life. The client must make time for all scheduled sessions with the counselor for best results of treatment. If we don’t express our feelings during counseling sessions, the hurt and frustration behind the situation will build up, and once the client releases, it may trigger other situations and bring on severe mental health
In Social Work there are several different policies, procedures, rules and guidelines that govern the way we make ethical decisions as professionals. Our jobs as Social Workers are to provide knowledgeable decisions based on our profession in the most sound and ethical way possible for our clients. The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) provides us a Code of Ethics, which sets out standards and ways we can approach different clientele with a set of knowledge and skills that can be beneficial to their well being (Canadian Association of Social Work (CASW), 2005). Making the appropriate decisions in the line of Social Work can be very difficult because everyone’s reactions and responses will be different. All of us hold a different set of values, beliefs and personal ethics that we classify as a justifiable decision.
There are few circumstances counselors have to oblige when dealing issues from clients. Counselors have to be trustworthy; this is a fundamental to understanding and solving issues. Counselors have to keep information gathered confidential and restrict any disclosure of information to anybody. Clients voluntarily seek help to counselors for therapy or any kind of help they need. Hence as a counselor it is important to respect their clients’ self-government and ensure precision in information given. Commitment of a counselor plays a big role in a therapy. It is not ethical for a counselor to neglect a client such that the client’s well being is not taken care of. It is also important for counselors to have a fair treatment with all their clients. No matter how each client will be, there must not be any form of judgment, which will cause any form of unfair