Ethics Desk Reference for Counselors

Jeffrey E. Barnett, W. Brad Johnson

• Publisher: American Counseling Association
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781119027010
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Psychotherapy
• Index: Psychology

The second edition of this highly practical and easily understood handbook provides counselors and students with the means to quickly apply the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics to practice and to professional roles and activities. It contains on-point recommendations for each standard of the Code, a decision-making model, and a listing of ethics resources.

Part I presents each section of the Code, along with a brief commentary that emphasizes its most essential elements, common ethical dilemmas and problems relevant to that section, and specific strategies for risk prevention and positive practice. Part II contains ethical guidance sections focused on areas that counselors often encounter in their work, including culture and diversity, confidentiality and exceptions to confidentiality, counseling suicidal clients, multiple relation­ships in counseling, competence, supervision, managed care, termination and abandonment, and how to respond to an ethics complaint or malpractice suit. New to this edition is a section titled "Integrating Technology into Counseling Practice."

*Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com. *To request print copies, please visit the ACA website.

*Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed [email protected]

Part I
The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics

The ACE Code of Ethics Preamble

The American Counseling Association (ACA) is an educational, scientific, and professional organization whose members work in a variety of settings and serve in multiple capacities. Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.

Professional values are an important way of living out an ethical commitment. The following are core professional values of the counseling profession:

1. enhancing human development throughout the life span;
2. honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of people within their social and cultural contexts;
3. promoting social justice;
4. safeguarding the integrity of the counselor–client relationship; and
5. practicing in a competent and ethical manner.

These professional values provide a conceptual basis for the ethical principles enumerated below. These principles are the foundation for ethical behavior and decision making. The fundamental principles of professional ethical behavior are:

• autonomy, or fostering the right to control the direction of one's life;
• nonmaleficence, or avoiding actions that cause harm;
• beneficence, or working for the good of the individual and society by promoting mental health and well-being;
• justice, or treating individuals equitably and fostering fairness and equality;
• fidelity, or honoring commitments and keeping promises, including fulfilling one's responsibilities of trust in professional relationships; and
• veracity, or dealing truthfully with individuals with whom counselors come into professional contact.

Essential Elements

In contrast to the ethical standards that comprise the bulk of the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics and that are specific and enforceable, ACA's core values and ethical principles represent foundational virtues and guiding beliefs shared by counselors. The ACA professional values and ethical principles constitute the core moral commitments counselors live by—regardless of their area of expertise or practice. Whereas many of the specific standards help a counselor answer the question “What shall I do?” in the face of an ethical question or conflict, values and principles help the counselor address a more foundational question: “Who shall I be?” Put another way, counselors are most likely to make wise ethical decisions when they both appreciate the rules and standards guiding professional behavior and are themselves virtuous moral agents. Sound ethical decisions and counseling strategies will always be consistent with the professional values and ethical principles contained in the Preamble.

Section A
The Counseling Relationship

Introduction

Counselors facilitate client growth and development in ways that foster the interest and welfare of clients and promote formation of healthy relationships. Trust is the cornerstone of the counseling relationship, and counselors have the responsibility to respect and safeguard the client's right to privacy and confidentiality. Counselors actively attempt to understand the diverse cultural backgrounds of the clients they serve. Counselors also explore their own cultural identities and how these affect their values and beliefs about the counseling process. Additionally, counselors are encouraged to contribute to society by devoting a portion of their professional activities for little or no financial return (pro bono publico).

Essential Elements

Counselors are mindful of their role with clients and the potential impact their actions may have on clients. Therefore, counselors give careful consideration to how they interact with clients with a specific focus on each client's privacy and welfare, only acting in ways that are consistent with clients' best interests. Counselors pursue the overarching goal of helping clients to develop and maintain healthy and trusting relationships. This begins with the counseling relationship and the counselor's tireless protection of the client's confidentiality. Counselors give careful attention to diversity issues, thoughtfully considering the impact of culture on themselves, their clients, and all interactions with clients. Because of a lifelong commitment to the betterment of others and to assist those without ready access to needed counseling services, counselors are encouraged to offer services to some reasonable portion of their clients either free or for a reduced fee as they are financially able to do so.

Common Dilemmas and Conflicts

• Counselors who become preoccupied or distracted by personal needs or concerns may lose sight of the best interests of their clients.
• Counselors wh...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Foreword
• Preface
• About the Authors
• Part I: The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics
• Part II: Decision Making and Ethical Practice in Counseling
• Appendix: Resources for Counselors
• Index
• Technical Support
• End User License Agreement