Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling (Spring 2026)

With Dr. Lien Nguyen :)

The best statement about the nature of professional ethics in counseling is that: (Chapter 1)

A. if counselors study ethical codes and keep current with the professional literature, they can be assured of practicing in an ethical manner.

B. in order to practice in an ethical manner, counselors must always be in compliance with federal and state laws.

C. because there are few absolute right answers to ethical practice questions, consultation with lawyers is very important when making ethical decisions.

D. the ethical standards have changed very little in the last 50 years, so if counselors learn the rules, they will be able to practice in an ethical manner.

E. because there are few absolute right answers to ethical practice questions, consultation with counseling colleagues is very important when making ethical decisions.

E. because there are few absolute right answers to ethical practice questions, consultation with counseling colleagues is very important when making ethical decisions.

Counselors who function according to mandatory ethics: (Chapter 1)

A. would favor judging the actions of counselors based on the circumstances, rather than on strict rules.

B. believe that their duty is to comply with basic “must” and “must not” statements in codes of ethics, and nothing more.

C. believe that employers should require specific behaviors of counselors they hire.

D. believe counselors should determine what is ethical based on the specific situations in which they find themselves.

E. would favor ethical standards that use the word “should,” instead of the word “must.”

B. believe that their duty is to comply with basic “must” and “must not” statements in codes of ethics, and nothing more.

When attempting to make an ethical decision, it is recommended that counselors take all of the following steps EXCEPT: (Chapter 1)

A. involve the client in the decision-making process.

B. consider the moral principles.

C. identify desired outcomes.

D. consult with an attorney.

E. tune into their feelings.

D. consult with an attorney.

Once counselors have disclosed their legal questions to their immediate supervisors, and have received a response either from the supervisor or from an attorney who is advising them as to the proper course of action: (Chapter 1)

A. it is essential for counselors to choose and act on their own choice.

B. it is essential for counselors to seek a second opinion.

C. it is essential for counselors to follow legal advice given to them, even if they do not agree with it.

D. it is essential for counselors to follow legal advice given to them, but only if they agree with it.

E. it is essential for counselors to ask the ACA Ethics Committee for an opinion.

C. it is essential for counselors to follow legal advice given to them, even if they do not agree with it.

All of the following are situations in which it is necessary to consult with colleagues EXCEPT: (Chapter 1)

A. when it is possible that clinical decisions will be challenged later.

B. when they are not certain whether a client might be suicidal.

C. when there are no clear right or wrong answers.

D. when deciding whether to respond to a subpoena.

E. when counselors face issues that require them to exercise judgment.

D. when deciding whether to respond to a subpoena.

The ACA Code of Ethics: (Chapter 1)

A. helps to stabilize the profession.

B. sets forth ethical responsibilities that never change.

C. is the single, universally accepted code of ethics for counselors.

D. is updated every two or three years.

E. answers nearly all questions that a counselor might have.

A. helps to stabilize the profession.

When a counselor discovers that a client holds values that are dramatically different from the counselor’s own values, the counselor should: (Chapter 1)

A. try to gently persuade the client to re-examine his or her values.

B. ask the client how he or she would feel if people discriminated against him or her because of values held.

C. immediately refer the client to another counselor.

D. give the client some reading material that will broaden his or her perspective.

E. respect the client’s values, even though the counselor disagrees with them.

E. respect the client’s values, even though the counselor disagrees with them.

External forces that can support counselors in their efforts to practice ethically include all of the following EXCEPT: (Chapter 1)

A. intentionality.

B. consultation.

C. continuing education workshops and seminars.

D. codes of ethics.

E. supervision.

A. intentionality.

Virtue ethicists believe that: (Chapter 1)

A. counselors should always be truthful.

B. to determine whether a counselor is ethical, each decision the counselor makes must be carefully weighed.

C. actions speak louder than words.

D. people exist in connection to and in relationship with one another.

E. there are no universal moral principles.

D. people exist in connection to and in relationship with one another.

While principle ethics asks the question “What should I do?,” virtue ethics asks the question: (Chapter 1)

A. “What should counselors who want to follow the law do?”

B. “What would an ethical counselor do?”

C. “Who should I be?”

D. “Who am I?”

E. “What does virtue mean?”

C. “Who should I be?”

Counselors with a strong professional identity are able to do all of the following EXCEPT: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. articulate the similarities and differences between their profession and other similar groups.

B. demonstrate that they hold a master’s degree from a CACREP-accredited program.

C. show pride in belonging to the counseling profession.

D. describe the services their profession renders to the public.

E. explain the philosophy that underlies the activities of counselors

B. demonstrate that they hold a master’s degree from a CACREP-accredited program.

A core belief that members of the counseling profession hold concerning helping others with their mental health concerns is: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. the goal is to help clients return to the level of functioning enjoyed before the illness occurred.

B. it is important to identify the illness presented by clients.

C. prevention and early intervention are the most appropriate means to deal with emotional and personal problems.

D. remediation is the most appropriate means in dealing with emotional and personal problems.

E. in most cases, giving support is all that is necessary for people to resolve their personal crises

C. prevention and early intervention are the most appropriate means to deal with emotional and personal problems.

Counseling aims to help clients: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. be empowered to problem-solve independently.

B. become autonomous and no longer need other people in their lives.

C. have a person who can offer sound advice and solve their problems for them.

D. learn to counsel themselves.

E. have a place to go that is comforting and supportive

A. be empowered to problem-solve independently.

All of the following statements about advertising one’s services in an ethical manner are true, EXCEPT: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. many counselors hold multiple credentials and it is ethical to list all relevant credentials on their business cards.

B. the ACA Code of Ethics imposes strict criteria and restrictions on advertising.

C. counselors must correct misrepresentations of their qualifications if they learn about such misrepresentations.

D. counselors must present their credentials accurately.

E. counselors are required to distinguish between paid and volunteer work experience when they advertise their qualifications

B. the ACA Code of Ethics imposes strict criteria and restrictions on advertising.

The primary difference between counselors and other mental health professionals is: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. counselors do not diagnose and treat mental illnesses.

B. only counselors use the term “counseling” to describe the service that they provide to clients.

C. counseling is the primary professional service that counselors provide.

D. only counselors provide mental health counseling services.

E. the primary service that counselors provide to clients is to connect them with resources in their communities that can help the clients achieve greater wellness

C. counseling is the primary professional service that counselors provide.

When counseling a client from a racial, ethnic, or cultural group different from the counselor’s, it is important for the counselor to remember that: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. although certain groups share similar traits or beliefs, each individual is unique and may not be like most others from his or her group.

B. since certain groups share similar traits or beliefs, the counselor should begin by assuming that this particular person is like most others.

C. stereotyping is often useful in understanding differences.

D. stereotyping is often useful in understanding differences.

E. basically, all people are alike although they may look different

A. although certain groups share similar traits or beliefs, each individual is unique and may not be like most others from his or her group.

According to McIntosh, examples of White privilege include all of the following EXCEPT: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. seeing White people positively represented on television.

B. not needing to teach White children about systemic racism for their own daily protection.

C. growing up in a White middle or upper-class family environment.

D. being able to watch television and see people of the White race widely represented.

E. knowing that if legal or medical help is needed, race will not work against the White person

C. growing up in a White middle or upper-class family environment.

When a counselor determines that a gay or lesbian client may have been illegally discriminated against, the counselor should: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. offer to find out the legal ramifications of the situation and report them back to the client.

B. inform the client that he or she should seek legal advice from an attorney who advocates for gay rights.

C. insist that the client seek immediate legal advice.

D. tell the client that he or she has been discriminated against and that the client should seek to have the situation rectified.

E. help the client determine whether or not to seek legal advice

E. help the client determine whether or not to seek legal advice

Counselors who work with female clients should have an understanding of the high-prevalence problems and issues experienced by women, including each of the following EXCEPT: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. domestic violence.

B. sexual assault and harassment.

C. body image and objectification.

D. tendency to be passive-aggressive.

E. conflicts between work and family responsibilities

D. tendency to be passive-aggressive.

The term “culturally encapsulated counselor” refers to a counselor who: (Chapter 2 & 3)

A. understands that all counseling is cross-cultural.

B. considers evidence that challenges his or her assumptions.

C. has internalized some of society’s biases.

D. defines reality according to one set of cultural assumptions and fails to evaluate other viewpoints, which renders the counselor insensitive to cultural variations.

E. counsels in a setting where the clients are not diverse

D. defines reality according to one set of cultural assumptions and fails to evaluate other viewpoints, which renders the counselor insensitive to cultural variations.

The court cases in Bruff and Walden demonstrated that: (Chapter 4)

A. counselors who work in secular community agencies should not discuss religion with clients.

B. counselors may be terminated from their employment if they take rigid positions regarding referring out LGBTQIQ clients.

C. counselors can successfully claim that their Title VII of the Civil Rights Act have been violated if they refuse to counsel LGBTQIQ clients.

D. counselors should carefully explain each possible exception to privacy before beginning the counseling relationship.

E. counselors with strong religious beliefs against abortion should refer clients who wish to explore whether or not to terminate a pregnancy

B. counselors may be terminated from their employment if they take rigid positions regarding referring out LGBTQIQ clients.

Because clients may have emergencies between counseling sessions, it is usually wise for counselors to: (Chapter 4)

A. explain to clients that any situation they are dealing with can be resolved at the next regularly scheduled counseling session.

B. avoid accepting clients for counseling who may have between session emergencies.

C. instruct clients to call a 24-hour mental health hotline number or report to a hospital emergency room.

D. supply clients with a voicemail number by which the counselor may be reached.

E. give clients their home cell phone number to text in cases of crises or emergency

C. instruct clients to call a 24-hour mental health hotline number or report to a hospital emergency room.

It is ethically permissible for counselors to terminate a counseling relationship for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: (Chapter 4)

A. the client does not pay the fees charged.

B. insurance benefits for mental health care have been exhausted.

C. the client experiences a crisis.

D. it is clear the client is no longer benefitting from counseling.

E. agency limits do not allow services to continue

C. the client experiences a crisis.

Because counselors have a fiduciary relationship with their clients, counselors must: (Chapter 4)

A. make arrangements for clients to be taken care of by family members or close friends if their clients can no longer care for themselves.

B. ensure that clients do what is best for themselves.

C. protect the best interests of their clients and not benefit inappropriately from the counselor-client relationship.

D. act as the client’s guardian if the client cannot care for himself or herself.

E. ensure their client’s finances are being handled properly

C. protect the best interests of their clients and not benefit inappropriately from the counselor-client relationship.

It is vital for counselors to become aware of their own personal needs and values so that they: (Chapter 4)

A. can give clients advice that is congruent with the counselor’s value system.

B. know which of their values they can encourage clients to adopt.

C. can avoid getting their own personal needs met through their counseling relationships.

D. can choose a counseling specialty that allows them to get their personal needs met while providing counseling services to others.

E. can avoid accepting clients who hold values that are different from their own values

C. can avoid getting their own personal needs met through their counseling relationships.

When clients seek counseling related to issues such as abortion, assisted suicide, interracial marriage, premarital sex, or sexual identity, counselors: (Chapter 4)

A. must accept such clients for counseling services even if these issues distress counselors on a personal level.

B. should accept such clients for counseling only if the counselor has experienced such issues in his or her personal life and has successfully resolved them.

C. should immediately refer such clients to other counselors who specialize in counseling persons with those particular concerns.

D. must examine their own values regarding these issues to ensure they can provide counseling services without allowing their own beliefs to interfere.

E. must be able to rise above any personal feelings they have about such issues and have an obligation to assist all clients who come to them for services

D. must examine their own values regarding these issues to ensure they can provide counseling services without allowing their own beliefs to interfere.

Regarding counselors’ personal values, counselors: (Chapter 4)

A. could disclose their values to a client, but only if the counselor holds the same values as the client.

B. should disclose their values to clients so that clients see the counselor as genuine and authentic.

C. should avoid discussions of values if their own values conflict with those of their clients.

D. must always avoid disclosing their own personal values to their clients.

E. could disclose their values to a client, if it is possible to do so in a way that conveys to the client that the client’s values can be accepted or rejected without risking the relationship

E. could disclose their values to a client, if it is possible to do so in a way that conveys to the client that the client’s values can be accepted or rejected without risking the relationship

All of the situations below may lead to client dependency EXCEPT: (Chapter 4)

A. managed care programs that limit the number of counseling sessions.

B. the requirement in internship that counselors in training have a minimum number of client contact hours.

C. a counselor has a strong need to be needed by others.

D. it is less risky for clients to maintain close relationships with counselors than with others in their lives.

E. the belief that a counselor is effective if the client returns for counseling sessions on a regular basis

A. managed care programs that limit the number of counseling sessions.

When involuntary clients are required to sign documents waiving their privacy before beginning counseling sessions: (Chapter 4)

A. counselors should carefully explain to clients the limits of their privacy within the counseling relationship.

B. the client in these situations is the agency mandating the client into counseling, not the client himself or herself.

C. counselors then have no responsibility to maintain the client’s privacy.

D. counselors should refuse to counsel these clients who have been forced into counseling.

E. counselors should warn clients that they should never say anything in counseling sessions that may put them in a difficult situation with the person or agency that has mandated their counseling sessions

A. counselors should carefully explain to clients the limits of their privacy within the counseling relationship.

To avoid being sued by a client for abandonment, counselors are advised to: (Chapter 4)

A. continue to see the client if the client refuses a referral to another counselor.

B. give the client adequate notice that the counselor is terminating the counseling relationship.

C. give notice of termination orally but put nothing in writing.

D. terminate a counseling relationship if the client becomes angry with the counselor.

E. refer the client if the client gets into a life-threatening crisis situation

B. give the client adequate notice that the counselor is terminating the counseling relationship.

Privileged communication statutes: (Chapter 5)

A. state that counselors will lose their licenses if they reveal confidential information clients tell them in counseling sessions.

B. protect clients from having confidential communications with their counselors disclosed in a court of law without their permission.

C. make it a crime for counselors to reveal confidential communications with their clients unless their clients give them written permission to disclose the information.

D. protect the privacy of counselors.

E. ensure that counselors will never have to repeat information clients tell them in a counseling session

B. protect clients from having confidential communications with their counselors disclosed in a court of law without their permission.

Breaches of client confidentiality by counselors: (Chapter 5)

A. occur rarely and, when they do occur, are required by state statutes.

B. are the foundation for most complaints filed against counselors to their licensure boards.

C. occur rarely and, when they do occur, usually are inadvertent.

D. occur rarely and, when they do occur, are the result of counselors intentionally informing others of what a client said in a counseling session.

E. are the most common basis of malpractice cases against counselors

C. occur rarely and, when they do occur, usually are inadvertent.

In order to get a privileged communication statute passed that protects the privacy of clients who are in professional relationships with counselors, legislators must be convinced that: (Chapter 5)

A. counseling relationships are more important than physician-patient relationships.

B. counseling relationships are similar to the relationships between a priest and penitent, or between a minister and congregation member.

C. making an exception to the general rule that all evidence must be presented in court is vital to the well-being of society.

D. law suits can be as easily resolved without the benefit of information that clients tell their counselors in confidential relationships.

E. counseling has met all the tests to demonstrate that it is a true profession

C. making an exception to the general rule that all evidence must be presented in court is vital to the well-being of society.

When uncertain about the privileged status of information requested for disclosure through a subpoena, a counselor should consult with: (Chapter 5)

A. the client whose information is being requested.

B. other mental health professionals.

C. the attorney who sent the subpoena.

D. an attorney who represents the counselor or his or her employer.

E. another licensed counselor

D. an attorney who represents the counselor or his or her employer.

When a client accuses a counselor of wrongdoing through a complaint with the counselor’s licensure board or through a malpractice law suit filed in court: (Chapter 5)

A. counselors may reveal only information the client agreed may be revealed when defending themselves.

B. counselors are barred from revealing any information about the client when defending themselves.

C. counselors can use no information from the counseling relationship with the client in defending themselves.

D. the client’s written permission must be obtained before the counselor can reveal private information related to providing counseling services to the client.

E. the client automatically waives his or her privacy rights and the counselor can reveal private information related to providing counseling services to the client

E. the client automatically waives his or her privacy rights and the counselor can reveal private information related to providing counseling services to the client

It is TRUE that: (Chapter 5)

A. due to concerns about confidentiality, counselors should never use a family member as an interpreter when counseling a client who does not speak the same language as the counselor.

B. research clearly demonstrates that counselor assurances of confidentiality encourage client disclosures of personal and intimate information.

C. counselors should make the same guarantees of confidentiality in group counseling that they make when counseling individuals.

D. the majority of the complaints filed with state licensing boards against counselors involve claims of breach of confidentiality.

E. when counselors share confidential client information with other professionals involved in a client’s care, the counselors should first obtain client permission to share the information.

E. when counselors share confidential client information with other professionals involved in a client’s care, the counselors should first obtain client permission to share the information.

The Supreme Court ruling in Jaffe v. Redmond indicated that: (Chapter 5)

A. counselors have a duty to warn intended victims of clients who threaten those who are endangered.

B. a societal stigma is still associated with seeking counseling.

C. communications between ministers and their congregants are usually not privileged.

D. psychiatrists are more likely to be granted privileged communication on a case-by-case basis than counselors.

E. counselors can assert privilege on behalf of a client, even when the client has waived the privilege.

B. a societal stigma is still associated with seeking counseling.

All of the following statements are true EXCEPT: (Chapter 5)

A. both confidentiality and privileged communication are based on the client’s right to privacy.

B. counselors should consult with colleagues when they are uncertain about an exception to confidentiality.

C. counselors should consult with colleagues when they are uncertain about an exception to privileged communication.

D. confidentiality and privilege belong to the client, not the counselor.

E. confidentiality and privilege are not absolute

C. counselors should consult with colleagues when they are uncertain about an exception to privileged communication.

Counselors DO NOT have an ethical obligation to uphold the confidentiality of information revealed to them when: (Chapter 5)

A. a client has refused to sign a release of information giving the counselor permission to communicate with the client’s former counselor.

B. a family member of an adult client asks for information the client has revealed in an individual counseling session.

C. they encounter a client in the grocery store and the client reveals information about an event that occurred in the client’s life between sessions.

D. an adult client discloses that she was sexually abused ten years ago by her father who is now deceased.

E. a client reveals that he committed a burglary two years ago and was never caught

C. they encounter a client in the grocery store and the client reveals information about an event that occurred in the client’s life between sessions.

During the time that a counseling student is counseling clients in a practicum or internship setting, the student counselor: (Chapter 5)

A. should not videotape counseling sessions so that client confidentiality is protected.

B. should not reveal the names of clients to the practicum/internship supervisor.

C. has the same ethical obligations to uphold confidentiality as does a licensed counselor.

D. should refer all clients who engage in risky behaviors.

E. should maintain absolute confidentiality of participants in groups the student is facilitating

C. has the same ethical obligations to uphold confidentiality as does a licensed counselor.