ETHICAL SITUATIONS IN COUNSELLING

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!y "edro #ondim
$ prominent aspect of counsellor training involves the analysis of ethical situations. %ounsellors need to be malleable to the
variety of situations in which the client&s personality traits and environmental circumstances are prominent barriers to the
relationship&s progress.
%odes of practice' ethical guidelines and counselling micro-s(ills play a role in supporting the counsellor&s decision-ma(ing
process towards the relationship) however' client and situation uni*ueness are not the e+ception in the therapeutic process ,
they reign supreme. -ffective counselling invo(es the ongoing need for adaptability and critical analysis.
.n this conte+t' three situations which fre*uently give rise to ethical dilemmas are dual relationships' mandatory reporting and
informed consent. $re you aware of the particular conditions which delineate each of these situations' and how to act upon
them/ 0his article provides a snapshot of the topic' along with some strategies for practising and student counsellors who are
li(ely to face similar situations throughout their careers.
DualRelationships
1ual relationships can be defined as social interactions between counsellor and client' in addition to their professional 2or
therapeutic3 relationship. !ecause the relationship was initiated in a therapeutic environment , which invo(es behavioural
restrictions and re*uires particular decorum from both entities , clients and counsellors are li(ely to face natural obstacles
when developing relationships outside of the counselling room.
$s %orsini 24555' p. 6673 states: 8.t is often aw(ward for both the therapist and the client when interactions occur outside the
psychotherapeutic relationship. 9ome relationships' such as those that include se+ual or financial involvement' clearly violate
the ethical codes of almost all professional organi:ations. ;thers' such as allowing a client to buy the therapist a cup of
coffee after a chance meeting in a restaurant' appear to be *uite harmless. <ost decisions are not this straightforward'
however' and deciding whether to accept a %hristmas gift or flowers for the waiting room can become a ve+ing dilemma=.
0he main *uestion to be as(ed is how much influence particular social interactions can wield in the professional relationship
, that is' the counsellor&s perspective towards the client' and vice-versa. 9imple interactions' such as a chat on the street or
even the cup of coffee cited by %orsini are li(ely to have little influence over both entities& mindsets' thus it is generally not
perceived as a challenging situation. !ut certain situations which induce emotional attachment can be damaging to
counselling goals and/or outcomes.
<ental health professionals diverge in opinions when it comes to dual relationships. >owever' the vast ma?ority of therapists
agree that dual relationships should be avoided' arguing that transference and counter transference are powerful responses
that will inevitably influence the therapeutic relationship. $long with most ethical dilemmas' it is largely a matter of each case:
conte+t' individual personality traits and nature of the counselling relationship.
$ccording to @aren @itchener 219883' the types of dual relationships which were most li(ely to be detrimental to a therapeutic
relationship included the following aspects: 8incompatibility of e+pectations between roles) diverging obligations associated
with different roles' which increases potential for loss of ob?ectivity and) increased power and prestige between professionals
and consumers' which increases the potential for e+ploitation=.
0o surpass difficulties with dual relationships' counsellors ought to ascertain clear and realistic boundaries around the
professional relationship with their clients. 9uch boundaries need to consider the needs and characteristics of each client'
and how that will reflect in the overall relationship. %odes of practice and guidelines are important to set these boundaries)
however' professionals must be sensitive to particular needs in each relationship and apply such (nowledge to improve
decision-ma(ing in the counselling process.
MandatoryReporting
<andatory reporting' or duty to warn' is one of the most sensitive topics in therapy and mental health. 0he bare e+istence of
this concept already conflicts with ethical principles of confidentiality' thus deciding to report a client is a parado+ical pattern
of thin(ing for any such professional. Aevertheless' it is an e+tremely important issue.
.t can be defined as the necessity to brea( client confidentiality in order to protect the client or the community as a whole'
when the client imposes a threat to his/her own safety' the community&s safety or the framewor( of law to which the
community abides by. Bhen laws and values conflict' which side should you ta(e/ <ost cases of information disclosure in
therapy are for the benefit of the client' such as sharing information with colleagues or supervisors in order to obtain an
alternative opinion or perspective. >owever' when it comes to mandatory reporting' best interest of the community or society
are preceded over the client&s interests. 0hus' the default answer to the previous *uestion is in fact' the law.
Aeedless to say' counsellors should be fle+ible when ma(ing decisions regarding mandatory reporting. 0here are several law
framewor(s which govern countries' states and regions' and each of them has its own agenda in respect to mandatory
reporting re*uirements. $dditionally' a wide variety of codes of conduct are also li(ely to influence the decision-ma(ing
Counselling Ethis! Ethial Dile""a # the Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model %age & o' (
process for therapists and mental health professionals.
$ common basis for reporting a client is the imminence of danger for the individual 2self harm3 or others 2e.g. an e+-partner3.
8-+ceptional circumstances may arise which give the counsellor good grounds for believing that serious harm may occur to
the client or to other people. .n such circumstances the clientCs consent to change in the agreement about confidentiality
should be sought whenever possible unless there are also good grounds for believing the client is no longer willing or able to
ta(e responsibility for his/her actions. Aormally' the decision to brea( confidentiality should be discussed with the client and
should be made only after consultation with the counselling supervisor or if he/she is not available' an e+perienced
counsellor.= 2$ustralian %ounselling $ssociation - %ode of %onduct3
In'or"edConsent
.nformed consent involves the communication of any information which matters to the client and which is pertinent to the
therapeutic relationship. $ building aspect of the client-counsellor relationships is the development of trust and rapport. $
premise for creating trust and rapport is good communication. #ood communication' conversely' is based on honesty. 0hus'
informed consent is not only an ethical re*uirement for the counsellor' but also a condition to achieve the collective goals of
the relationship.
8%lients are entitled to (now about all matters that affect them. 0hey deserve to (now the li(elihood of harm 2physical or
mental3 that could result from treatment' the possibility of side effects' the probability of success for treatment' the limits of
confidentiality' whether student counsellors will be involved' and the li(ely duration and cost of treatment.= 2%orsini' 45553
$n effective way to ensure clients are ade*uately informed is to produce a standard information disclosure statement: a
contract which comprises the counsellor&s and clients& responsibilities and rights. $ well-defined statement will provide the
client with valuable information about areas such as: confidentiality' record-(eeping' counselling management' relationship
boundaries' and more. .t is also a measurement which improves the *uality of the service provided as it creates a clear
framewor( of conduct for clients which are not ac*uainted with the process of therapy.
8%ounsellors are responsible for reaching agreement with their clients about the terms on which counselling is being offered'
including availability' the degree of confidentiality offered' arrangements for the payment of any fees' cancelled appointments
and other significant matters. 0he communication of essential terms and any negotiations should be concluded by having
reached a clear agreement before the client incurs any commitment or liability of any (ind.= 2$ustralian %ounselling
$ssociation - %ode of %onduct3
Re'erene List
$ustralian %ounselling $ssociation 245543. $%$ %ode of %onduct. 26th version3. !risbane: $uthor. %orsini' R.' D Bedding' 1.
245553. %urrent "sychotherapies. 2th -dition3. !elmont: !roo(s/%ole. pp. 66E-6E3. @itchener' @. 9. 219883. 1ual role
relationships: Bhat ma(es them so problematic/ Fournal of %ounseling D 1evelopment' 7263' pp. 417,441.
"edro #ondim is a writer and publisher for the $ustralian .nstitute of "rofessional %ounsellors. 0he .nstitute is $ustraliaCs
largest counsellor training provider' offering the internationally renowned 1iploma of "rofessional %ounselling. Gor more
information' visit www.aipc.net.au/l:.
ETHICS AND COUNSELLING A%%LICATIONS
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35th' 4557
-thics 2from #ree( - meaning HcustomH3 is the branch of a+iology' one of the four ma?or branches of philosophy' which
attempts to understand the nature of morality) to distinguish that which is right from that which is wrong. 0he Bestern
tradition of ethics is sometimes called Cmoral philosophyCH. 2Bi(ipedia3.
0he origins of ethics are related to the introduction of moral behaviour in early societies. 0he application of concepts such as
CrightC and CwrongC' and the definition of these concepts in different environments' induced the need for a formal approach to
social behaviour - an attempt to create commonality and organisation in a society. .n this conte+t' codes of behaviour were
created' and different forms of behaviour enforcement adopted.
$s societies developed' and increasing importance was placed in structural thin(ing - such as the advent of sciences - meta-
ethics became an eminent topic of discussion. <eta-ethics refers to the investigation of ethical statements' an actual analysis
of ethics itself. Aames such as >obbes' @ant and Aiet:sche were prominent in this period.
Aowadays' ethics is still a main topic of discussion. $s societies evolve' the relationships between individuals become more
comple+' and so do the eti*uettes and codes of conduct. 0he development of business relationships has raised many ethical
dilemmas' and ethical counselling is one of them.
EthialCounselling
!ecause counselling is not a regulated profession in many countries 2including $ustralia3' the use of ethical standards is a
Counselling Ethis! Ethial Dile""a # the Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model %age ) o' (
method of guiding the *uality of the services provided by counsellors' the *uality of training provided to counsellors' and of
protecting clients.
0hese standards provide conduct guidelines for professionals and are an effective way support many counsellors lac(ing
e+perience or (nowledge of the industry. .t also serves the purpose of structuring the counselling industry' providing common
professional descriptions' definitions and service boundaries according to each type of counsellor.
0here is a wide range of issues comprising the field of ethical counselling - which are also part of common guidelines for the
practice of therapy. $ccording to 1anilu( and >aver(amp 219933' Hthe main ethical framewor( referred to in many
discussions of therapy is one based on the concepts of autonomy' fidelity' ?ustice' beneficence' non-maleficence and self
interestH. .n this conte+t' we devise several Cproblem areasC in ethical counselling:
La*andCounselling
0he need for professionali:ation has created a common lin( between ethical behaviour and legal conduct in the therapy
fields. Iegislation was provided to primarily protect clients from misguidance' and ultimately to provide guidelines for the
profession. >owever' as cited previously' in most countries ethical conduct in counselling is not yet part of the legal
framewor( - which outlines the importance of professional and industry pea( associations in providing guidelines and codes
of conduct for affiliated professionals.
0he $ustralian %ounselling $ssociation is one industry association in $ustralia that provides ethical guidelines and a code of
conduct for counsellors. 0he $%$Cs %ode of -thics and %ode of "ractice are part of the %ode of %onduct - which can be
accessed from their website at www.theaca.net.au/docs/codeJconduct.pdf. $n e+cerpt from this %ode is:
%ounsellors will:
;ffer a non-?udgemental professional service' free from discrimination' honouring the individuality of the client.
-stablish the helping relationship in order to maintain the integrity and empowerment of the client without offering advice.
!e committed to ongoing personal and professional development.
Con'identiality
0his area is closely lin(ed with the legal issues in counselling therapy. %onfidentiality plays a ma?or role in defining the
communication between a counsellor and a client' bearing in mind that trust is one of the bac(bones of a therapeutic
relationship. $lbeit confidentiality is a (ey component of the relationship' it is also one of the leading causes of ethical
dilemmas for counsellors. 9ituations which may put the client - or other individuals - in danger usually re*uire the counsellor
to ma(e difficult decisions in regards to breaching confidentiality. .n many instances' the actual breach is a legal re*uirement
as it may incur the prevention of a crime against the state' or another person.
;ther predominant issues such as consultancy with supervisors or colleagues) definition of the type of confidentiality to be
used 2absolute or relative3 prior to the counselling relationship) and session record-(eeping' must be considered by therapists
when practicing professional counselling.
+ad %ratie
0he issues of privacy and power in a counselling session can be pre?udicial in terms of unethical practice. 0he private nature
of a counselling session leaves a Cgap for unsupervised practiceC' and therefore it is *uite difficult to be assessed. Gor
instance' fairly recent e+plorations of unethical practice in therapy have shown the emerging problem of se+ual abuse of
clients. 0his issue is augmented by the power relationship between client and counsellor' in which the therapist could ta(e
advantage of their position of power to practice unethical behaviour.
Training and %ro'essional Reognition ,Australian Industry-
$s cited before' counselling is not regulated in most countries. .n order to standardise the industry' and ensure that
counsellors have the necessary s(ills to professionally practice' training and recognition must be accentuated. .n $ustralia'
the $%$ plays a role in coordinating industry efforts' providing information to the public and maintaining records of
counsellors in practice.
0hat system protects clients from bad practice' and supports training standards for organisations that provide counsellor
training. 0he $ustralian .nstitute of "rofessional %ounsellors' as an e+ample' is recognised by the $%$ - which means that
$."% and the 1iploma of "rofessional %ounselling complies with industry standards defined by this pea( organisation in
regards to training standards for counsellors.
Sa'ety and Negligene
0hese concepts are utmost concerns of counsellors in practice. $ counsellor-client relationship is a very delicate encounter of
an individual see(ing help' and a professional providing advice. "rimarily' it is the counsellorCs responsibility to provide a safe
environment for the counselling session - particularly because physical and psychological safety is a premise for the
counselling therapy to succeed. Aegligence is closely related to the concepts of breach of confidentiality and safety.
;bserving principles for duty of care is part of ethical behaviour in counselling.
%omplying with ethical guidelines is one of the most important aspects of being a professional counsellor. %reating
awareness in both counsellor and clients of the boundaries of the services provided will lead to a better development of the
Counselling Ethis! Ethial Dile""a # the Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model %age . o' (
profession' and overall improvement of industry standards. %ounsellors are responsible for (eeping up-to-date with
professional codes of ethics' confidentiality guidelines' and other relevant information.
"edro #ondim is a writer and publisher for the $ustralian .nstitute of "rofessional %ounsellors. 0he .nstitute is
$ustraliaCs largest counsellor training provider' offering the internationally renowned 1iploma of "rofessional
%ounselling. Gor more information' visit www.aipc.net.au/l:.
ETHICAL DILEMMA IN COUNSELING/ DECIDING +ET0EEN T0O RIGHTS
-thics' considered the study of moral philosophy' is a broad way of defining human duty' right and wrong) essentially' it is
more e+pansive than simply applying a principle. -thical dilemmas are situations where professionals face two or more
competing courses of action. !y choosing one course of action' they may compromise the ethical principles supporting the
other competing courses of action 2!eauchamp and %hildress' 1983) Fordan and <eara' 199E) Bilson et al.' 19913.
1ilemmas are situations re*uire a choice between options appearing uniformly favourable' unfavourable or mutually
e+clusive. Aaturally' an ethical dilemma can place a professional counsellor in a precarious position' thereby compromising
the effectiveness of the therapy' the trust in the client-practitioner relationship' and the counsellorCs professional standing.
0rying to determine the HmostH right choice for a particular problem is of the utmost importance. %onsider the following
hypothetically comple+ ethical dilemma posed to a licensed professional counsellor in the %hristian %ommunity.
$ %hristian %ounsellor at a local church wor(s with a married couple concerning their troubled se+ life. 0he husband re*uests
a confidential private session) during the first session' he starts to reveal his repressed homose+ual desires. .n later private
sessions' he admits to fre*uent rental of homose+ual pornography' engagement in unprotected se+ while fre*uenting area
brothels' and e+orbitant spending of family funds to support this HshamefulH habit. >is current concern is not so much whether
or not he is a homose+ual) he see(s advisement to embrace his HrealH homose+ual self' and ultimately' he desires to divorce
his wife to live an alternate lifestyle.
0he main ethical dilemma categories involve disclosure' vocational' legal' health' family/social' se+ual' death' and
counsellor/client relationship issues.
An Ethial Deision1"a$ing %roess
1. 1etermine whether the issue is an ethical 2and/or legal3 issue.
4. %onsult guidelines or standards that may apply to a specific identification and possible mechanism for resolution.
3. %onsider as best as possible all sources that might influence the (ind of decision you will ma(e.
6. Iocate and consult a trusted colleague.
E. -valuate the rights' responsibilities' and vulnerability of all affected parties.
. #enerate alternative decisions and determine what additional information may be needed.
7. -valuate the conse*uences of ma(ing each decision.
8. <a(e the decision.
9. .mplement the decision.
ETHICAL %RINCI%LES O2 COUNSELLING
Retrieved from http://www.n:ac.org.n:/ethics/6.html
0he following principles are e+pressions of these core values in action. 0hey form the foundation for ethical practice.
%ounsellors shall:
$ct with care and respect for individual and cultural differences and the diversity of human e+perience.
$void doing harm in all their professional wor(.
Respect the confidences with which they are entrusted.
"romote the safety and well-being of individuals' families' and communities.
9ee( to increase the range of choices and opportunities for clients.
!e honest and trustworthy in all their professional relationships.
"ractice within the scope of their competence.
0reat colleagues and other professionals with respect
Counselling Ethis! Ethial Dile""a # the Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model %age 3 o' (
A %RACTITIONER4S GUIDE TO ETHICAL DECISION MA5ING
!y >olly Gorester-<iller' "h.1. D 0homas 1avis' "h.1.
Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/%ounsellors/"ractitioners#uide.asp+
%opyright K 199' $merican %ounseling $ssociation. $ free publication of the $merican %ounseling $ssociation promoting
ethical counseling practice in service to the public. "rinted and bound copies may be purchased in *uantity for a nominal fee
from the ;nline Resource %atalog or by calling the $%$ 1istribution %enter at 855.644.468.
$%$ grants reproduction rights to libraries' researchers and teachers who wish to copy all or part of the contents of this
document for scholarly purposes provided that no fee for the use or possession of such copies is charged to the ultimate
consumer of the copies. "roper citation to $%$ must be given.
Introdution
%ounsellors are often faced with situations which re*uire sound ethical decision ma(ing ability. 1etermining the appropriate
course to ta(e when faced with a difficult ethical dilemma can be a challenge. 0o assist $%$ members in meeting this
challenge' the $%$ -thics %ommittee has developed $ "ractitionerCs #uide to -thical 1ecision <a(ing. 0he intent of this
document is to offer professional counsellors a framewor( for sound ethical decision ma(ing. 0he following will address both
guiding principles that are globally valuable in ethical decision ma(ing' and a model that professionals can utili:e as they
address ethical *uestions in their wor(.
Moral %riniples
@itchener 219863 has identified five moral principles that are viewed as the cornerstone of our ethical guidelines. -thical
guidelines can not address all situations that a counsellor is forced to confront. Reviewing these ethical principles which are
at the foundation of the guidelines often helps to clarify the issues involved in a given situation. 0he five principles' autonomy'
?ustice' beneficence' nonmaleficence' and fidelity are each absolute truths in and of themselves. !y e+ploring the dilemma in
regards to these principles one may come to a better understanding of the conflicting issues.
1. $utonomy is the principle that addresses the concept of independence. 0he essence of this principle is allowing an
individual the freedom of choice and action. .t addresses the responsibility of the counsellor to encourage clients' when
appropriate' to ma(e their own decisions and to act on their own values. 0here are two important considerations in
encouraging clients to be autonomous. Girst' helping the client to understand how their decisions and their values may or
may not be received within the conte+t of the society in which they live' and how they may impinge on the rights of others.
0he second consideration is related to the clientCs ability to ma(e sound and rational decisions. "ersons not capable of
ma(ing competent choices' such as children' and some individuals with mental handicaps' should not be allowed to act
on decisions that could harm themselves or others.
4. Aonmaleficence is the concept of not causing harm to others. ;ften e+plained as Habove all do no harmH' this
principle is considered by some to be the most critical of all the principles' even though theoretically they are all of e*ual
weight 2@itchener' 1986) Rosenbaum' 1984) 9tadler' 1983. 0his principle reflects both the idea of not inflicting intentional
harm' and not engaging in actions that ris( harming others 2Gorester-<iller D Rubenstein' 19943.
3. !eneficence reflects the counsellorCs responsibility to contribute to the welfare of the client. 9imply stated it means to
do good' to be proactive and also to prevent harm when possible 2Gorester-<iller D Rubenstein' 19943.
6. Fustice does not mean treating all individuals the same. @itchener 219863 points out that the formal meaning of
?ustice is Htreating e*uals e*ually and une*uals une*ually but in proportion to their relevant differencesH 2p.693. .f an
individual is to be treated differently' the counsellor needs to be able to offer a rationale that e+plains the necessity and
appropriateness of treating this individual differently.
E. Gidelity involves the notions of loyalty' faithfulness' and honouring commitments. %lients must be able to trust the
counsellor and have faith in the therapeutic relationship if growth is to occur. 0herefore' the counsellor must ta(e care not
to threaten the therapeutic relationship or to leave obligations unfulfilled.
Bhen e+ploring an ethical dilemma' you need to e+amine the situation and see how each of the above principles may relate
to that particular case. $t times this alone will clarify the issues enough that the means for resolving the dilemma will become
obvious to you. .n more complicated cases it is helpful to be able to wor( through the steps of an ethical decision ma(ing
model' and to assess which of these moral principles may be in conflict.
Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model
0o resolve these conflicts' professionals traditionally have resorted to an ethical dilemma resolution model based on
cognitive reasoning that utili:es primarily principle ethics. Lnder this model' professionals first identify the principles
underlying a dilemma' typically autonomy' beneficence' nonmaleficence' ?ustice' or fidelity. ;nce professionals have
identified the principle' they determine several viable courses of action and select one based on a rational evaluation of the
advantages and disadvantages of choosing one course of action over another. 0his implies ma(ing a rational ?ustification for
choosing one ethical principle 2e.g.' autonomy3 while compromising another 2e.g.' client beneficence3.
;ther ethical dilemma resolution models involve moral reasoning approaches based primarily on virtue ethics. 0he intuitive
method developed by @itchener 219863 is an e+ample of such a model. Mirtue ethics models rely on the personal
characteristics and moral beliefs of the professionals ma(ing an ethical decision.
Counselling Ethis! Ethial Dile""a # the Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model %age 6 o' (
Be have incorporated the wor( of Man >oose and "aradise 219793' @itchener 219863' 9tadler 21983' >aas and <alouf
219893' Gorester-<iller and Rubenstein 219943' and 9ileo and @opala 219933 into a practical' se*uential' seven step' ethical
decision ma(ing model. $ description and discussion of the steps follows.
&7 Identi'y the %ro8le"7
#ather as much information as you can that will illuminate the situation. .n doing so' it is important to be as specific and
ob?ective as possible. Briting ideas on paper may help you gain clarity. ;utline the facts' separating out innuendos'
assumptions' hypotheses' or suspicions. 0here are several *uestions you can as( yourself: .s it an ethical' legal'
professional' or clinical problem/ .s it a combination of more than one of these/ .f a legal *uestion e+ists' see( legal
advice.
;ther *uestions that it may be useful to as( yourself are: .s the issue related to me and what . am or am not doing/ .s it
related to a client and/or the clientCs significant others and what they are or are not doing/ .s it related to the institution or
agency and their policies and procedures/ .f the problem can be resolved by implementing a policy of an institution or
agency' you can loo( to the agencyCs guidelines. .t is good to remember that dilemmas you face are often comple+' so a
useful guideline is to e+amine the problem from several perspectives and avoid searching for a simplistic solution.
)7 Apply an appropriate ode o' ethis ,E7g7 the ACA Code o' Ethis-7
$fter you have clarified the problem' refer to the %ode of -thics 2$%$' 455E3 to see if the issue is addressed there. .f
there is an applicable standard or several standards and they are specific and clear' following the course of action
indicated should lead to a resolution of the problem. 0o be able to apply the ethical standards' it is essential that you have
read them carefully and that you understand their implications.
.f the problem is more comple+ and a resolution does not seem apparent' then you probably have a true ethical dilemma
and need to proceed with further steps in the ethical decision ma(ing process.
.7 Deter"ine the nature and di"ensions o' the dile""a7
0here are several avenues to follow in order to ensure that you have e+amined the problem in all its various dimensions.
%onsider the moral principles of autonomy' nonmaleficence' beneficence' ?ustice' and fidelity. 1ecide which
principles apply to the specific situation' and determine which principle ta(es priority for you in this case. .n theory'
each principle is of e*ual value' which means that it is your challenge to determine the priorities when two or more of
them are in conflict.
Review the relevant professional literature to ensure that you are using the most current professional
thin(ing in reaching a decision.
%onsult with e+perienced professional colleagues and/or supervisors. $s they review with you the
information you have gathered' they may see other issues that are relevant or provide a perspective you have not
considered. 0hey may also be able to identify aspects of the dilemma that you are not viewing ob?ectively.
%onsult your state or national professional associations to see if they can provide help with the dilemma.
37 Generate potential ourses o' ation7
!rainstorm as many possible courses of action as possible. !e creative and consider all options. .f possible' enlist the
assistance of at least one colleague to help you generate options.
67 Consider the potential onse9uenes o' all options and deter"ine a ourse o' ation7
%onsidering the information you have gathered and the priorities you have set' evaluate each option and assess the
potential conse*uences for all the parties involved. "onder the implications of each course of action for the client' for
others who will be affected' and for yourself as a counsellor. -liminate the options that clearly do not give the desired
results or cause even more problematic conse*uences. Review the remaining options to determine which option or
combination of options best fits the situation and addresses the priorities you have identified.
:7 E;aluate the seleted ourse o' ation7
Review the selected course of action to see if it presents any new ethical considerations. 9tadler 21983 suggests
applying three simple tests to the selected course of action to ensure that it is appropriate. .n applying the test of ?ustice'
assess your own sense of fairness by determining whether you would treat others the same in this situation. Gor the test
of publicity' as( yourself whether you would want your behaviour reported in the press. 0he test of universality as(s you
to assess whether you could recommend the same course of action to another counsellor in the same situation.
.f the course of action you have selected seems to present new ethical issues' then youCll need to go bac( to the
beginning and re-evaluate each step of the process. "erhaps you have chosen the wrong option or you might have
identified the problem incorrectly.
.f you can answer in the affirmative to each of the *uestions suggested by 9tadler 2thus passing the tests of ?ustice'
publicity' and universality3 and you are satisfied that you have selected an appropriate course of action' then you are
ready to move on to implementation.
(7 I"ple"ent the ourse o' ation7
0a(ing the appropriate action in an ethical dilemma is often difficult. 0he final step involves strengthening your ego to
Counselling Ethis! Ethial Dile""a # the Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model %age : o' (
allow you to carry out your plan. $fter implementing your course of action' it is good practice to follow up on the situation
to assess whether your actions had the anticipated effect and conse*uences.
The Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model at a Glane
1. .dentify the problem.
4. $pply an appropriate code of ethics 2-.g. the $%$ %ode of -thics3.
3. 1etermine the nature and dimensions of the dilemma.
6. #enerate potential courses of action.
E. %onsider the potential conse*uences of all options' choose a course of action.
. -valuate the selected course of action.
7. .mplement the course of action.
.t is important to reali:e that different professionals may implement different courses of action in the same situation. 0here is
rarely one right answer to a comple+ ethical dilemma. >owever' if you follow a systematic model' you can be assured that
you will be able to give a professional e+planation for the course of action you chose. Man >oose and "aradise 219793
suggest that a counsellor His probably acting in an ethically responsible way concerning a client if:
>e or she has maintained personal and professional honesty' coupled with
0he best interests of the client'
Bithout malice or personal gain' and
%an ?ustify his or her actions as the best ?udgment of what should be done based upon the current state of the professionH
2p.E83.
Gollowing this model will help to ensure that all four of these conditions have been met.
Re'erenes
$merican %ounseling $ssociation 2455E3. %ode of -thics. $le+andria' M$: $uthor.
Gorester-<iller' >. D Rubenstein' R.I. 219943. #roup %ounseling: ethics and professional issues. .n 1. %apu::i D 1. R. #ross
2-ds.3 Introduction to Group Counseling 2357-3433. 1enver' %;: Iove "ublishing %o.
>aas' I.F. D <alouf' F.I. 219893. Keeping up the Good Work: A Practitioner's Guide to Mental Health Ethics. 9arasota' GI:
"rofessional Resource -+change' .nc.
@itchener' @. 9. 219863. .ntuition' critical evaluation and ethical principles: 0he foundation for ethical decisions in counseling
psychology. Counseling Psychologist' 14233' 63-EE.
Rosenbaum' <. 219843. -thical problems of group psychotherapy. .n <. Rosenbaum 2-d.3' Ethics and Values in
Psychotherapy: A Guideook 2437-4E73. Aew Nor(: Gree "ress.
9ileo' G. D @opala' <. 219933. $n $-!-%-1-- wor(sheet for promoting beneficence when considering ethical issues.
Counseling and Values' 37' 89-9E.
9tadler' >. $. 21983. <a(ing hard choices: %larifying controversial ethical issues. Counseling ! Hu"an #e$elop"ent' 19' 1-
15.
Man >oose' B.>. 219853. -thics and counseling. Counseling ! Hu"an #e$elop"ent' 13213' 1-14.
Man >oose' B.>. D "aradise' I.M. 219793. Ethics in Counseling And Psychotherapy: Perspecti$es in Issues and #ecision%
Making. %ranston' R.: %arroll "ress
ETHICS IN COUNSELLING
Retrieved from http://www.*ueendom.com/advices/advice.htm/adviceO656
Question: .f you have a client who has told you he is using drugs' without ruining the honest relationship you have with your
client' how can you ensure the wellness of your client and address the need for rehabilitation/
Answer: 0he answer is simple. Nou are not a policewoman. Nou are not your clientCs mother. Nou are not his conscience.
Nou are a helper' a catalyst for the change the client would li(e to achieve.
.f someone comes to me' wanting to beat a heroin addiction' then we wor( on the addiction. .f a heroin addict comes to me
for help with a relationship problem' then we wor( on the relationship problem.
;nce rapport has been established' and your client trusts you' it is fine to as( C1o you want to wor( on your drug habit/ .
(now that you (now itCs terribly unhealthy for you' and it must cost you heaps of money' but itCs entirely up to you.C
$n ethical imperative under the law only comes in if the client is li(ely to do self-harm 2and sniffing cocaine or smo(ing a
cigarette donCt *ualify3' in?ure another person or cause damage to property.
>ave a good life'
&his 'uestion (as ans(ered y #r) *o +ich) #r) +ich has ,- years e.perience as a psychologist and is registered (ith the
Australian Psychological /ociety) He practices in Australia)
Counselling Ethis! Ethial Dile""a # the Ethial Deision Ma$ing Model %age ( o' (