PRESENTED BY SHIMIL ABRAHAM

15SO10119

ETHICAL ISSUES IN

COUNSELLING PRACTICE

Aim: helping individual to solve their personal problems

These problems often include ethical issuesThe counsellors ethical standards and his

professional techniques are inseparable

COUNSELLING(intro)

Ethics are guidelines that are based on the basic principles of the counsellor in the code of ethics.

A moral philosophy of what is right and wrong and which bring the greatest benefit for most people

INTRODUCTION

Therapeutic boundaries are based upon.Beneficence: A counselor must accept responsibility

for promoting what is good for the client with the expectation that the client will benefit from the counseling sessions.

Nonmaleficence: "doing no harm". The counselor must avoid at all times, (even inadvertently) any activities or situations with the client that could cause a conflict of interest.

Autonomy: The counsellor's ethical responsibility to encourage client independent thinking and decision-making, and to deter all forms of client dependency.

Corey’s (1996)five principles

Therapeutic relationships are unbalanced (Who has more power?)

Therapeutic relationships are complicatedClient’s issues/problems are complicatedThe nature of the relationship itself is

complicated

Therapists are human, and humans are fallible. Ethical guidelines provide guidance and accountability

WHY ONE NEEDS ETHICAL PRINCIPLES?

Ethical codes are guidelines for what therapists can and cannot do that have been developed by each therapeutic discipline’s organizational body, including the ACA & APA

There are two dimensions to ethical decision making:

1. Principle ethics: Overt ethical obligations that must be addressed

2. Virtue ethics: Above and beyond the obligatory ethics and are idealistic

What are ethical codes?

counsellorhimself professio

n

counsellee

Referring bodies

Self care autonomy

Fidelity

beneficence

non-

maleficence

What Ethical Frameworks can one use?

Ethical

framework

First and most important – to safeguard welfare of client and society

Define ethical conduct in a profession – to inform and educate members

Define Standards of Practice – important in legal actions

Functions of Ethical Code

Create a means by which members are held accountable for actions –protecting public

Offer s a way to promote professional growth.

Schmidt L.D. and Meara 1984 Ethical Professional and Legal Issues in Counselling Psychology. Chapter 2 in Brown S.D. and Lent R.W. Handbook of Counselling Psychology Wiley.

REFERENCES

Hope, you all have no questions.

THANK YOU