Unit 5 and Ethical Issues in Counseling
Practice
Mandatory ethics involves a level of ethical functioning at the minimum level of
professional practice. In contrast, aspirational ethics focuses on doing what is in the
best interests of clients. Functioning at the aspirational level involves the highest
standards of thinking and conduct. Aspirational practice requires counselors to do more
than simply meet the letter of the ethics code. It entails understanding the spirit of the
code and the principles on which the code is based. Fear-based ethics does not
constitute sound ethical practice. Ethics is more than a list of things to avoid for fear of
punishment. Strive to work toward concern-based ethics, and think about how you can
become the best practitioner possible (Corey, Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2015). Positive
ethics is an approach taken by practitioners who want to do their best for clients rather
than simply meet minimum standards to stay out of trouble (Knapp & VandeCreek,
2006).
As counselors we cannot always keep our personal needs completely separate from our
relationships with clients. Ethically, it is essential that we become aware of our own
needs, areas of unfinished business, potential personal problems, and especially our
sources of countertransference. We need to realize how such factors could interfere
with effectively and ethically serving our clients. We must also examine other, less
obviously harmful personal needs that can get in the way of creating growth-producing
relationships, such as the need for control and power; the inordinate need to be
nurturing; the need to change others in the direction of our own values; the need for
feeling adequate, particularly when it becomes overly important that the client confirm
our competence; and the need to be respected and appreciated.
Professional codes of ethics serve a number of purposes. They educate counseling
practitioners and the general public about the responsibilities of the profession. They
provide a basis for accountability, and protect clients from unethical practices. Perhaps
most important, ethics codes provide a basis for reflecting on and improving your
professional practice.
Most models for ethical decision making focus on the application of principles
to ethical dilemmas. My colleagues and I have identified a series of procedural
steps to help you think through ethical problems when using these principles
(see Corey, Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2015):
• Identify the problem or dilemma. Gather information that will shed light on
the nature of the problem. This will help you decide whether the problem is
mainly ethical, legal, professional, clinical, or moral.
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• Identify the potential issues. Evaluate the rights, responsibilities, and
welfare of all those who are involved in the situation.
• Look at the relevant ethics codes for general guidance on the matter.
Consider whether your own values and ethics are consistent with or in
conflict with the relevant guidelines.
• Consider the applicable laws and regulations, and determine how they may
have a bearing on an ethical dilemma.
• Seek consultation from more than one source to obtain various
perspectives on the dilemma, and document in the client’s record the
suggestions you received from this consultation.
• Brainstorm various possible courses of action. Continue discussing options
with other professionals. Include the client in this process of considering
options for action. Again, document the nature of this discussion with your
client.
• Enumerate the consequences of various decisions, and reflect on the
implications of each course of action for your client.
• Decide on what appears to be the best possible course of action. Once the
course of action has been implemented, follow up to evaluate the outcomes
and to determine whether further action is necessary. Document the
reasons for the actions you took as well as your evaluation measures.
Informed consent involves the right of clients to be informed about their therapy and to
make autonomous decisions pertaining to it.
Confidentiality and privileged communication are two related but somewhat different
concepts. Both of these concepts are rooted in a client’s right to privacy.
Confidentiality is an ethical concept, and in most states, it is the legal duty of therapists
not to disclose information about a client. Privileged communication is a legal
concept that protects clients from having their confidential communications revealed in
court without their permission (Herlihy & Corey, 2015a).
All states have enacted into law some form of psychotherapist–client privilege, but the
specifics of this privilege vary from state to state.
Ethical practice requires that we take the client’s cultural context into account in
counseling practice. In this section we look at how it is possible for practitioners to
practice unethically if they do not address cultural differences in counseling practice.
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