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Ethics and Professional Studies – Final Reflection
Ethics are essential in successful practice for any clinician, counselor, or therapist. To provide effective, respectful, and responsible counseling services to clients, patients, and society. The purpose of the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics is to guide counselors in making ethical decisions, protecting their clients' welfare, honoring one's dignity and the diversity of human beings, and promoting growth and positive development (ACA, 2014, p. 3). My favorite part of the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics is the preamble, reminding us constantly to honor and respect one's autonomy, avoid nonmaleficence, work to the benefit of others, work with justice, be steadfast in fidelity and veracity, coupled with the word of God, Ephesians 6:10-18. Here is where we are instructed to apply the armor of God to protect us spiritually from the negatives of society and old wounds hindering our positive progress and healing (NKJ, 2023). The 2014 Code of Ethics is a reliable source for solving ethical dilemmas encompassing today's technology and methods of teletherapy. Section A.5 and A.6 of the 2014 Code of Ethics set how to establish and maintain appropriate boundaries with clients and colleagues addressing multiple relationships, conflicts, and interactions (ACA, 2014. Pg4 -6).
Sections H.2 through H.6
covered distance counseling, social media, and electronic records and how to protect our clinicians' and client's private information (ACA, 2014). pg. 17-18) Conclusion
Ethics should be at the forefront of everyday living; if we walk with a high ethical standard, we feel our actions will reflect more positively and ethically without thinking.
