MODULE 4: ETHICAL ISSUE IN COUNSELING PRACTICE

Client Welfare

client needs come before counselor needs and the counselor needs to act in the client's best interest.

RA 9258 (The Guidance and counseling Act of 2004)

An Act Professionalizing the Practice of Guidance and Counseling and Creating for This Purpose a Professional Regulatory Board of Guidance and Counseling.

Confidentiality

it is the legal duty NOT to disclose info about a client. What the client says stays in the session unless the client is threatening harm to self or others.

Dual Relationship

when a counselor has more than one relation ship with a client.

Autonomy

fostering the right to control the direction of one’s life; counselors should encourage and enable clients to take control of the direction of their own lives.

Nonmaleficence

counselors chosen action or inaction should never intentionally cause harm. Avoiding actions that cause harm

Beneficence

working for the good of the individual and society by promoting mental health and well-being

Justice

treating individuals equitably and fostering fairness and equality

Fidelity

honoring commitments and keeping promises, including fulfilling one’s responsibilities of trust in professional relationships

Veracity

dealing truthfully with individuals with whom counselors come into professional contact.

Section A: The counseling Relationship

Counselor must wait 5 years after the counselor client relationship ended before engaging in any romantic or sexual relations with client, client's family member or client's romantic partner.

Section B: Confidentiality, Priviledged Communication, & Privacy

inform the client with whom, when, and how information will be shared. Maintain confidentialty of deceased clients. Inform parents of the confidential nature of counseling relationship

Section C: Professional Responsibility

be alert of signs of impairment and refrain from providing services if impairment could harm a client. Use techniques, modalities, or procedure that have scientific foundation and grounded in theory.

Section D: Relationship with other Professional

work to develop and strengthen relations with interdisciplinary collegues.

Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation

take into account cultural, social, and personal factors when making assessment.

Section F: supervision, Training, and Teaching

foster professional relationship and create bounderies with students. Be accurate, honest, and fair during the training and assessment of students.

Section G: Research and Publication

do not plagiarize or present another person's work as your own.

Section H: Resolving Ethical Issue

if there is a conflict between ethical responsibilities and laws, professional counselor should make known their commitment to the Code of Ethics, and work to alleviate the conflicts.

Ethical Standards

the foundation for ethical behavior and decision making.

American Counseling Association

ACA

Philippine Guidance Counseling Association

PGCA

Transference

refers to a client’s projection of their feelings about someone else onto their therapist).

Countertransference

the redirection of a therapist’s feelings toward the client.

Privilege Communication

a legal concept that generally bars the disclosure of confidential communication in a legal proceeding