Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities

Posted: January 5th, 2023

Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities

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Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities

Counseling is defined as incorporating professional guidance and assistance in resolving various personal and psychological problems among different individuals within the community. Counseling comes along with multiple challenges that require sound ethical decision-making capabilities. In making decisions during counseling sessions, it requires the following of certain laid-down principles that aid in upholding the ethical considerations as stipulated both professionally and under state laws (Sugiarti, 2020, June). Other factors like the duty to warn and protect while upholding professional and state ethics and regulations in the counseling session. Therefore, counseling of various individuals requires upholding certain ethics and responsibilities, as illustrated in this paper.

Client Rights

while making the decision, five basic principles have been formulated to uphold ethical consideration, hence maintaining clients due to the excellent rapport established among both parties. These principles include; autonomy, justice, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and fidelity (Conlin and Boness, 2019). Freedom is the principle that defines respect for self-determination hence independence. This principle focuses on the counselor’s responsibility to influence the clients in making individual decisions accordingly acting based on their values. The autonomous code has got two considerations to help the clients become independent by assisting the clients in understanding how their personal decisions may be perceived in the societal context they reside in and encroach on other people’s rights (Coaston, 2017). Client’s ability to make their own choices and decision is a major concern. In counseling ethical consideration, justice focuses on treating various individuals equally in proportions of the client’s convenience and differences. The counsellor is required to offer a rationale for the individuals that he or she treats differently (Sugiarti, 2020, June). For instance, a counsellor provides a braille to the blind or presents to the blind individual orally instead of offering it in normal written form. However, the counselor would treat him the same way as other clients who are not disabled.

The beneficence principle in counseling ethical consideration addresses the counselor’s contribution to client welfare. This principle indicates the need to be fair, the ability to be proactive, and the evasion of any possible harmful occurrences from happening (Conlin and Boness, 2019). This principle offers protection to the client and intervenes on actions that seek to contribute to better welfare for the client. The Fidelity principle is constituted of faithfulness, loyalty, and ability to honor commitments. It further illustrates that for the success of the therapy, there must be trust and faith between the counsellor and the client (Sugiarti, 2020, June). The counsellor must therefore be careful to evade anything that may threaten the therapeutic relationships. The Nonmaleficence principle is the concept of being harmless to others (Conlin and Boness, 2019). This principle focuses on the idea of refraining from inflicting any intentional harm or engagement in various risks that could cause damage to others. Therefore, the Nonmaleficence principle addresses the counselor to analyses the potential harm against potential benefits, which then guides the counselor’s norm and goal to evading any liability.

Upon joining any counseling session, the counselor is entitled to offer the appropriate data for the client’s informed consent as it is law-bound by the state rules and professional ethics. the client is informed of the counselor’s policies, state policies, federal laws, and the client’s rights through the billing policy. A copy should be available in case of any demand by the client. There are diverse forms that address the rights to privacy by various counselors. However, certain information is crucial so as the client can provide their informed accord (Conlin and Boness, 2019). In the HIPAA compliance and the compliance with credentialing board necessities vital for interacting consent to practice, the for is a legal binding document, informed consent thus need to be supportive, appealing and comprehended (Coaston, 2017). This documentation is read and understood, and retained before the client commences on the therapy session, setting the tone for the session’s commencement.

Responsibility to Warn and Protect

As a counselor, there are various factors to consider during the duty to warn and protect. An obligation to warn is a law that comes along with a variety of occasions which indicate that a particular party is to be held responsible for any risk or damage to another that may result along the way, where the party had previously a chance to warn others of the dangers and risks but failed to execute it (Rothstein, 2018). The health condition of a client is a fundamental factor to consider. For instance, clients who are HIV positive and involved in sexual immorality and sharing of piercing equipment pose a greater risk to their associates who probably might be unaware of the client’s health condition. The likelihood of the infection spreading is a significant concern within. However, the accountability to warn others does not entail breaking the health ethics and laws safeguarding the revealing of a particular medical condition (Sugiarti, 2020, June). There might be the uncertainty of the victims and ignorance entailing the incidence of any actions that might pose the risk of transmitting the disease. Therefore, the requirement and the application of the duty to warn and protect present the clinicians and therapists on the law threatening their careers. It is an offense both legally and professionally to disclose any individual’s medical condition (Coaston, 2017). This is because the clinicians might also not be confident of the client’s potential for violent behavior (Rothstein, 2018). In addition, confidentiality demonstrates respect and upholds trust between a counselor and the clients where the breach of this law might break the trust and consequently lead to the counselor being sued by the client.   

Client Record-Keeping

There are various set guidelines designed for record-keeping. The policies are formulated along with the ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Due to variance on THE purpose, setting, and ethical requirements, the guidelines differ with nature and the recording system’s extent (Conlin and Boness, 2019). Through the tratement documentation plans, client’s progress and services provided, both the client and the counsellor benefit. Record keeping protects the counselor from any liability, especially if there is a specific period when a client seeks counseling services elsewhere. Correct and detailed records are a general requirement for third-party reimbursement for the psychological services offered as it a professional standard of care for the demand of payment (Sugiarti, 2020, June). The detailed documentation of records helps protect the counselor from being sued by the client, demanding a professional standard of care. It is a requirement by law to document any patient’s history.

Self-Care

ASCA Ethical standards define the need for counselors to monitor their emotional and physical health and practice wellness to ensure their services’ optimal professional effectiveness. The counsellor’s need to engage in the self-care activities is essential as it ensures that the counsellor maintains the self-physical, emotional, spiritual well-being as well as mental fitness as stipulated in the ACA code of 2014. It is paramount to boosting their professional duties and responsibilities (Coaston, 2017). For a work-healthy-life balance, there is a need to have a plan to maximize profits and offer an extended period for relaxation. One cannot provide all services in society; therefore, the need to play up to one’s strength (Sugiarti, 2020, June). It is essential to prioritize one’s time in the management of the business and set work-hours and sticking by them. An individual has to know of the individual own peaks and troughs and how to maneuver during the trenches. Plotting some personal time during the management of works ensures that an individual is not tied alone to the work schedule. Tapping into technology and acquiring the necessary equipment and resources provides that the workspace works for the individual’s benefit, hence attaining a healthy work-life balance (Conlin and Boness, 2019).

There are different self-care activities that one can engage in to help an individual bear against illness, depression, stress, and sad moments, hence acting as recreational activities. The self-care activities are categorized into seven that are mental, physical, pleasure, social, spiritual, sensory, and emotional (doing adult coloring, reading old emails and looking at the old picture, and refreshing the memories). Some mental activities that I have engaged in include; taking a nap without an alarm clock, reading fiction stories, and rearranging my sitting room. The physical exercises include; attending free martial art classes, swimming, and playing some basketball. According to (Coaston 2017), pleasure self-care activities that have engaged in the past are: going on a holiday for the weekend, going on a comedy club, and allowing Netflix day while sensory activities are; creating a playlist of songs that are calming and doing some gardening. In addition, social self-care engagements in the past include; accompanying family members attending an event, calling a friend or family members to say hi, and joining and attending a support group meeting while spiritual activities are; attending a church, setting a time for meditation within the day and donating money towards a charity organization). Some self-care engagement activities have never been implemented, like booking a holiday in a fancy hotel, doing something for someone in secret, sending a surprise package to someone I love, and getting a massage.

Some certain occurrences and instances indicate the need to address some personal issues to avoid emotional impairment in life. Some of these instances include; excluding one-self from the rest, constant engagement with an argument with various individuals, and being upset by various petty issues (Rothstein, 2018). Like other public members, counselors also undergo multiple problems like anxiety, loss, stress, depression and grief, and various other mental issues that require therapy. It is vital for the counselors and social workers when faced with such to refrain from negatively affecting their clients (Coaston, 2017). Various psychological resources are available within my residential area to offer some assistance, like a modern hospital with mental health counselors and a psychiatric center with clinical social workers and psychiatric nurse practitioners. In addition, there are several private psychiatric centers established within the area.

American Counselling Association (ACA) members identified, according to the ACA act of 2010, have a significant effect in advocating for counseling. It is believed that legislators pay attention to issues when they hear them directly from their constituents (Sugiarti, 2020, June). Therefore, if the legislators fail to hear from anyone concerning counseling, they are less likely to pay attention. Thus, the ACA incorporates using the VoterVoice to simplify the procedure for their members to contact their representatives on federal and state issues. Licensed professional counselors are tasked with the responsibility of counseling the veterans (Coaston, 2017). The ACA has been advocating for the increased allocation of money to fund school counseling; hence, students gain mental health issues. Schools are thus able to hire counselors and create more opportunities for mental-health-related programs, therefore developing programs designed to create a safe environment and end school violence. The government’s allocation of funds through ACA will enable individuals with various disabilities and those aged above 65 years living within rural areas to access mental health care.

Counselor Values

Abortion

Although the young woman is old enough to make her own choice, under biblical teachings and the social norms, it is encouraged not to subject anyone to murder; therefore, the need for a young woman to keep the pregnancy (Conlin and Boness, 2019). According to the ethics and state rules, abortion is prohibited unless under certain life-endangering circumstances, hence keeping the pregnancy.

Extramarital affairs

Although the constitution may uphold the idea of an open marriage and allow the freedom to engage in other affairs outside marriage, it is ungodly to engage in such since the bible provides no such (Sugiarti, 2020, June). The bible instead stipulates for companionship as well as demanding sexual monogamy among the couples. Sexual polygamy exposes the teams at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and also affects the children psychologically.

Ultimately, in counseling, the counselors’ employees, the five principles of ethical practice within their professional way, encourage and maintain client rights, and uphold the constitutional rights. The responsibility to warn and protect the third party puts the counselors on the verge of the constitutional right of privacy and protection. Record keeping is often encouraged as it upholds the right to access professional health care and protects the counsellor of any liability that may arise therein. According to the ACA code of ethics, one should check concern on personal self-care with an individual’s engagement in the various seven categories. There is advocacy for counseling in government affairs.

References

Coaston, S. C. (2017). Self-Care through Self-Compassion: A Balm for Burnout. Professional Counselor, Vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 285-297.

Sugiarti, I. (2020, June). Legal Protection of Patient Rights to Completeness and Confidentiality in Management of Medical Record Documents. In 2nd Bakti Tunas Husada-Health Science International Conference (BTH-HSIC 2019). Atlantis Press.

Conlin, W. E., & Boness, C. L. (2019). Ethical considerations for addressing distorted beliefs in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, Vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 449.

Rothstein, M. A. (2018). Reconsidering the duty to warn genetically at-risk relatives. Genetics in Medicine, Vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 285-290.