Ethics and the Keys to Happiness

Anchorage School District

Counselor’s December Meeting

December 12, 2008

Valerie Anne Demming Ph.D. L.P.C.

Values and Morality

• Values: Pertain to beliefs and attitudes that provide direction to everyday living.

• Morality: Is concerned with perspectives of right and proper conduct and involves an evaluation of actions on the basis of some broader cultural context or religious standard.

Ethics

Pertain to the beliefs we hold about what constitutes right conduct. Ethics are moral principles adopted by an individual or group to provide rules for right conduct. Ethics represent inspirational goals, or the maximum or ideal standards set by the profession, and they are enforced by professional associations, national certification boards, and government boards that regulate professions.

Ethics cont.

Codes of ethics are conceptually broad in nature and generally subject to interpretation by practitioners. Although these minimum and maximum standards may differ, they are not necessarily in conflict.

Mandatory Ethics

Describes a level of ethical functioning wherein counselors act in compliance with minimal standards, acknowledging the basic “musts” and “must nots.” The focus is on behavioral rules. Practitioners who comply at the first level, mandatory ethics, are generally safe from legal action or professional censure.

Aspirational Ethics

Describes the highest standards of thinking and conduct professional counselors seek, and it requires that counselors do more than simply meet the letter of the ethical code. It entails an understanding of the spirit behind the code and the principles on which the code rests. Practitioners who comply at the first level; mandatory ethics, are generally safe from legal action or professional censure.

Virtue Ethics

Focuses on the character traits of the counselor and nonobligatory ideals to which professionals aspire rather than on solving specific ethical dilemmas.

Difference Between Virtue and Principle Ethics

Virtue Ethics focuses on the character traits of the counselor and nonobligatory ideals to which professionals aspire rather than on solving specific ethical dilemmas. Principle ethics asks, “Is this situation unethical?” whereas, virtue ethics asks, “Am I doing what is best for my client?” Counselors should strive to integrate virtue and principle ethics

Five Characteristics of Virtuous Professionals

• Motivated to do what is right because they judge it to be right, not just because they feel obligated or fear the consequences

• Possesses vision and discernment; which involves sensitivity, judgment, and understanding that leads to decisive action

• Possesses compassion and are sensitive to the suffering of others. They are able to take actions to reduce their clients’ pain

Characteristics cont.

• Possesses self-awareness. They know how their assumptions, convictions, and biases are likely to affect their interactions with others

• Connected with and understands mores of their community and the importance of community in moral decision-making, policy setting and character development. They understand the ideals and expectations of their community.

Principle Ethics

Principle Ethics: a set of obligations and a method that focuses on moral issues with the goals of (a) solving a particular dilemma or set of dilemmas and, (b) establishing a framework to guide future ethical thinking and behavior. Principles typically focus on acts and choices, and they are used to facilitate the selection of socially and historically acceptable answers to the question “What shall I do?”

Moral Principles

• Autonomy: Independence

• Nonmaleficence: Not causing harm to others

• Beneficence: To be proactive and do good

• Justice: Not treating all persons the same

• Fidelity: Notions of loyalty, faithfulness, and honoring commitments

Legal Issues

Courts of law and state licensure boards now require minimal standards to which all mental health professionals will be held accountable. At the higher level of ethical functioning; inspirational ethics, practitioners go further and reflect on the effects their interventions may have on the welfare of their clients. It is the tone and addresses what counselors should aspire to with regard to ethical practice.

Legal Issues cont.

Most violations of ethics probably happen quite inadvertently in clinical or school practices. Ethical codes require practitioners to engage in self-monitoring and to take responsibility for misconduct. If the practitioner has acted unethically the first step is to recognize that they have acted in a way that is likely to be ethically problematic. Harm can happen to a client if the practitioner is not aware of the subtle ways his or her behavior can adversely affect a client.

Legal Issues cont.

We need to challenge our own thinking and apply guidelines to our behavior by asking ourselves, “Is what I am doing in the best interest of my clients? Would the codes of my professional organization agree?” We need to self-monitor and also group monitor to uphold our ethical codes.

Ethical Decision Making Model

• Identify the Issue• Identify possible options• Consult ethics codes• Assess ethical issues (autonomy, nonmaleficence,

beneficence, justice, fidelity)• Consult with other professionals• Identify legal concerns• Reassess options and identify a plan• Implement plan and document the process• Reflect on the outcome of your decision

Scenarios

to Discuss

Confidentiality

? How much information do you share with a student’s teacher/s

? Student’s information from an individual session or group session

? Parent’s information? Agencies/Counselor’s information? If it was not shared in a confidential setting how

much can be shared

Divorce and Custody Issues

? Boundaries? Court appearances? Testifying in front of mother and father. What

does this do with your relationship? Is it enough to just say, “I am not a Custody

Investigator”? How do these issues affect your relationship with

the student

Working Within the Systems

? How can/do counselors do this

? Contacts/Alliances

? How can school counselors be advocates for their students in situations that are conflict filled through no fault of the student

Contacts

• ACA: www.counseling.org

• American School Counselors Association:

www.schoolcounselor.org

• Valerie Anne Demming Ph.D. L.P.C.

Alaska School Counselors Board of Directors, Ethics Chair 907.227.4231 or vademming@acsalaska.net