DIASS
Lesson 2:
Discipline of
Counseling
Professionals and
Practitioners in
Counseling
Learning
Objectives 1. To show an understanding of the roles and
functions of counseling and value rights,
responsibilities and accountabilities
[Link] identify specific areas of specialization
of counselors and career opportunities for
counselors
[Link] distinguish between ethical and
unethical behaviors among counselors
[Link] demonstrate understanding of values
and rights and responsibilities through a
debate
DIASS
What do you
think a counselor
does?
DIASS
What makes
someone a good
counselor?
Roles/Functions
Individual Individual Group Career Placements
Assessment Counseling Counseling and Assistance and Follow-up
Guidance
Referral Consultation Research Evaluation and Prevention
Accountability
Competencies
of Counselors
[Link] Skills
Counselors who are competent display the
ability to listen, communicate, empathize, be
present, and aware of nonverbal
communication, as well as being sensitive to
voice quality, responsive to expressions of
emotion, and skilled in turn-taking, time
structure, and the use of language.
Competencies
of Counselors
2. Personal Beliefs and Attitude
Counselors have the capacity to
accept others, belief in potential of
change, awareness of ethical and
moral choices and sensitive to values
held by client and self.
Competencies
of Counselors
3. Conceptual Ability
Counselors have the ability to
understand and assess client’s
problem; to anticipate future
problems; make sense of immediate
process in terms of wider conceptual
scheme to remember information
about the client.
Competencies
of Counselors
4. Personal Soundness
Counselors must have no irrational beliefs
that are destructive to counseling
relationships, self confidence, capacity to
tolerate strong or uncomfortable feelings
in relation to the clients, secure personal
boundaries, ability to be a client, must
carry no social prejudice, ethnocentrism,
and authoritarianism.
Competencies
of Counselors
5. Mastery of Techniques
Counselors must have a knowledge of
when and how to carry out specific
interventions, ability to assess
effectiveness of the interventions,
understanding the rationale behind
techniques, possession of wide
repertoire of intervention.
Competencies
of Counselors
6. Ability to understand and work within
a social system
this would be compromise of awareness
of family and work relationships of the
client the impact of agency on the
clients, the capacity to use support
networks and supervisions, sensitivity to
client from different gender, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, or age group.
Competencies
of Counselors
7. Openness to learning and inquiry
Counselors must have the capacity to be
curious about clients' backgrounds and
problems; being open to new
knowledge.
1. Marriage and Family
Counseling
Career 2. Child and
Counseling
Adolescent
Opportunities
and Areas of 3. Group Counseling
Specializatio
n
4. Career Counseling
5 School Counseling
Career
Opportunities
and Areas of
Specializatio 6 Mental Health Counseling
n
Rights, Responsibilities and
Accountabilities of
Code of ethics help counselors remind them of their rights, responsibilities and
Counselors
accountabilities in the counseling profession. The rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities
of the counselors are based on the counselors’ associations of Code of Conduct.
Rights, Responsibilities and
Accountabilities of
The code of ethics is divided into seven sections: a) counseling relationships, b)
confidentiality, c) professional Counselors
responsibility, d) relationships with other professionals, e)
evaluation, assessment and interpretations, f) teaching, training, and supervision, g) research
and publication.
Counseling
Relationships
Client Respecting Client Rights
Welfare Diversity
Counseling
Relationships
Client Served Personal Dual
by Others Needs and Relationships
Values
Counseling
Relationships
Sexual Multiple Group Work
Intimacies Clients
with Clients
Counseling
Relationships
Fees
Confidentiality
Right to Privacy
• Respect clients' privacy; avoid unauthorized
disclosure.
• Disclosure allowed with client or legal
representative's consent.
• Required disclosure allowed only to prevent
harm or by court order.
• Disclosure for contagious diseases allowed if
others are at risk.
• Seek court exemption if disclosure may harm
the counseling relationship.
Confidentiality
Group and Families
• Clarify confidentiality in group settings.
• Family information should not be shared
without permission.
Confidentiality
Minor Incompetent Client
Involve parents/guardians in counseling if
clients are minors or unable to consent.
Confidentiality
Records
• Maintain accurate, confidential
counseling records.
• Secure records in any format (written,
digital, etc.).
• Allow client access unless it may cause
harm.
• Require written permission for third-
party access.
Confidentiality
Research and Training
• Use client data only with consent and
anonymity for training or publication.
• Identification allowed only with client
approval.
Confidentiality
Consultation
• Share client info only with professionals
concerned with the case.
• Protect confidentiality and inform
clients of consultation policies.
“Why is confidentiality both
important and difficult to
maintain?”
Professional
Responsibilities
[Link] Knowledge
Know and follow the Code of Ethics and
Standards of Practice
Professional
Responsibilities
[Link] Competence
• Work within areas of training and
experience.
• Develop new skills safely with
supervision.
• Accept jobs only within qualified
expertise.
• Continuously improve skills and self-
monitor.
• Avoid practice if mentally/emotionally
Will I give up
What if you are a counselor
my job or Not? and you have fallen in love
with your client, and the
client has also fallen in love
with you? Since it is unethical
to pursue the relationship,
will you quit your job or not?
Will I report
In the area of confidentiality,
my Client or there is a portion on the
Not? client’s right to privacy. What
if the counselor, in his/her
conversation with the client,
found out that the client
accidentally killed a person,
will you report or not?
Ethical or
Unethical? Read each case carefully.
Decide whether the
counselor's action is Ethical
or Unethical based on the
counseling code of ethics.
Choose the best answer.
Ethical or
Unethical? A counselor sees a student
crying and asks if they want
to talk. When the student
says no, the counselor
respects their choice and
gently lets them know they’re
available when ready.
Ethical or
Unethical? A counselor shares a client’s
personal story with other
teachers during lunch to
make them aware of the
student’s home issues.
Ethical or
Unethical? The counselor begins a
romantic relationship with an
adult client after six months
of sessions.
Ethical or
Unethical?
A counselor refuses to work
with an LGBTQ+ client,
saying they are not
comfortable.
Ethical or
Unethical?
The counselor regularly
attends trainings to improve
their skills and stays updated
on ethical guidelines.
Ethical or
Unethical?
After hearing about a
student's plan to harm
someone, the counselor
reports it to the authorities.
Ethical or
Unethical?
The counselor offers free
sessions to a friend but
discusses other clients’ cases
during casual conversations.
Ethical or
Unethical?
The counselor listens
actively, avoids interrupting,
and creates a safe
environment for clients to
open up.
Ethical or
Unethical?
A counselor gives advice to a
client on which college to
choose without exploring the
client’s own goals.
Ethical or
Unethical?
A school counselor allows a
teacher to read a student's
counseling records without
written consent.