An examination of ethical issues in counseling and the status of counselor ethics at present.
Written in 2004; 3,648 words; 22 sources; APA; $ 101.95
Paper Summary:
The tasks of psychotherapy and counseling are ones of extreme significance in the lives of the hurting. This paper attempts to define ethics and their personal application as they relate to the counseling profession. It also discusses some of the issues that counselors face which can challenge their concepts of ethical practice. Finally, it gives a general overview of the status of the counseling profession as it exists at present.
From the Paper:
"The tasks of psychotherapy and counseling are ones of extreme significance in the lives of the hurting. This paper will attempt to define ethics and their personal application as they relate to the counseling profession. It will also discuss some of the issues that counselors face which can challenge their concepts of ethical practice. Finally, it will give a general overview of the status of the counseling profession as it exists at present. These concepts of ethics should dictate the daily decision making of any counselor. In developing our own personal ethics as counselors, we must fully understand the accepted standards of ethics as they exist in established mental health practice. The difficulty in this endeavor is that often these codes are difficult to apply to a specific situation or at worst, contradictory (American Counseling Association [ACA], 1995). Although there are many similarities between the various ethical codes of conduct, differences and conflicts do arise due to the world view and primary goals of each organization. In determining our own individual ethical guidelines, a counselor must utilize these varying interpretations of ethical behavior to serve as a basis for lifelong growth in decision making skills and formation of ethical standards. These ethical situations often arise out of the power dynamic in the counselor / client relationship. It is the ethics of this relationship that form the foundation for what is defined as a counseling code of ethics. Clients seek out therapists for reasons as varied as marital problems, and work anxiety. Whatever the reason one approaches a therapist, by the time they do so they are usually in a very emotionally sensitive. By this point they have often times tried to handle their difficulties on their own. They may have talked to friends, clergy, or family about the issue. Unfortunately, untrained advice often makes issues more confusing. When none of these things work, they seek the help of a professional counselor of therapist. When they do this it is vital that they be able to trust the professionalism and the ethics of the therapist and counselor they turn to. The ethics of professional counselors are strictly defined and adhered to (Kelman, 1968). Some of the numerous codes that exist include those of the America Counseling Association, the American Association of Christian Counselors, and the American Psychological Association. Familiarization and adherence to these codes is essential in learning good decision making skills as a professional counselor."
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