Coleman (n.d) suggests ten (10) barriers to the ethical problem solving process. They are: Lack of knowledge of Ethical Standards Financial Incentives Perfectionism Fear of Criticism/Scrutiny by Others High Affiliative Needs Personal and/or Professional Immaturity Counsellor Substance Abuse Lack of Personal Values Clarification Limitations of Codes of Ethics and Conduct Lack of a Decision Making M... »
Ethics are a set of moral principles or rules of conduct for an individual or group. The term ethics comes from the Greek ethos meaning custom, habit or character. Ethics determine choices made. In counselling, ethics underpin the nature and course of actions taken by the counsellor. Counsellors and others in helping professions are expected to behave in an ethical manner. »
Marcia, 29 years of age, came to you six weeks ago with issues of poor self-esteem and lack of self worth. She has been married for 8 years to Michael, however in session she speaks little about him and when the conversation turn towards him she quickly tries to change the subject or issue. Although you have noted this shift you have not challenged her regarding this relationship as you work on di... »
Disclosure is a controversial issue when examining therapeutic boundaries. There are two issues to consider regarding disclosure. The first is counsellor disclosure and confidentiality. The second is counsellor disclosure (ie. how much does a client disclose about their own lives to a client?). »
The following is an extract from an article published at the news.com.au website in November: “PHILANDERING husbands could soon be forced by the courts to keep paying for their mistresses after an affair ends. That is just one outcome set to arise from laws on broken de facto relationships that will take effect early next year, The Courier-Mail reports. »
Bernard and Goodyear, (1998) describe the major legal issues for clinical supervisors as malpractice, the duty to warn, and direct and vicarious liability. »
John has been attending counselling sessions for several months seeking help with the difficulties he is finding in dealing with his relationship break-up. He and his partner were together for ten years and have two children, a boy aged 9 and a girl aged 7. John has access to them every other weekend and for part of each school holiday. This arrangement has been operating reasonably well for the p... »
Boundaries are a crucial aspect of any effective client-counsellor relationship. They set the structure for the relationship and provide a consistent framework for the counselling process. Some boundary lines are clear. Most counsellors would acknowledge that it is ethically problematic, for example, to counsel your ex-partner because the pre-existing relationship impairs objectivity and serves to... »
Houser, R., Wilczenski, F.L., & Ham, M. (2006). Culturally Relevant Ethical Decision-Making in Counseling. London: Sage Publications Ltd. 334 pages. ISBN: 1-4129-0587-7. »
You have a client of the opposite sex who is coming to see you weekly about problems with family and social relationships. He/she has been attending sessions with you for two months and seems likely to be a long-term client. Although initially very quiet and reluctant to discuss issues, you have succeeded in gaining his/her confidence. »
A client comes to you having had to quit work due to a degenerative visual impairment. He has a 3 year-old child and his wife is expecting another baby. His sight may continue to deteriorate or it may remain at the current level. He is suffering stress, feelings of grief and loss and anxiety about the future. »
An Asian couple has been referred to a counsellor for marriage guidance. The impact of migrating to Australia has taken its toll on their relationship. In the session, the husband seems quite controlled and reserved, whereas the wife cries often but says little. The counsellor is a novice in the area of multicultural difference, but has just completed some workshops in multicultural counselling. T... »
You have a long-term client who is suffering from liver failure. Trevor is 45 years of age and was diagnosed with this condition approximately 3 years ago. His state of health is rapidly deteriorating and he has recently been hospitalised, awaiting a transplant. Trevor has a rare blood type and all attempts to acquire a compatible organ for him have been unsuccessful. The medical team is urging Tr... »
You had been counselling your client Renee for approximately two years and in that time had developed a very strong counselling relationship. Renee was a highly motivated client who worked very hard to overcome the challenges in her life. Renee had missed a session during the week and you were quite concerned because this was out of character for her as she had always notified you in the past if s... »
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