PCN 500 Discussions

.docx

School

Augusta University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

101

Subject

Management

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by knockyknocks

Understanding ethical guidelines and counselor’s responsibilities are key to providing clients with the best possible service. By understanding the counselor’s responsibilities and their ethical boundaries, counselors can continue to be the gatekeepers of all information that their clients supply them with. Ultimately, when working with our clients, we should strive to provide the best services and if we question our practices, we should reach out for help rather than to continue down a path that possibly could be detrimental to our overall wellbeing. The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) acknowledges that, in areas that a counselor is thought to be weak, they must notify the proper supervisor, notify clients when they are new to a specialty, ensure that they qualified to be able to assist the client, continue their education and continue to maintain ethical, sound treatment processes whilst monitoring whether their techniques are helping their client. American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author. The ACA’s Code of Ethics section B.6.c., states the following in regarding to attaining permission to record “counselors obtain permission from clients prior to recording sessions through electronic or other means” (2014). Understanding ethical guidelines and counselor’s responsibilities are key to providing clients with the best possible service. By understanding the counselor’s responsibilities and their ethical boundaries, counselors can continue to be the gatekeepers of all information that their clients supply them with. Ultimately, the recording of a session should be beneficial to the client. Supervision has been overall extremely helpful during this period. My supervisor allows me the freedom to learn how to be a counselor. She does not brood over me and offers insight respectfully. Because of my background, my supervisor I believes is somewhat comfortable with me working, especially with juveniles. I worked as a juvenile counselor in a mental health facility for four years and I have been a mentor for over 15 years. I enrolled in grad school to attain my licensure and get just pay for my services. I was doing all the work of a counselor at the site I volunteered at but could not be hired on due to not having my masters even though I had the experience. My supervisor assists me with learning the in’s and outs of private practice, which I had no previous experience with prior to practicum. One aspect in supervision that I did not think I would have to learn was billing and coding. Thus far, I have been mainly utilizing individual supervision but recently I have had a few group supervisions and I honestly liked them better. I enjoyed learning some techniques from others and being able to listen some instead of babbling on and on. Supervision can get somewhat redundant. I believe if we were in the office more, instead of utilizing telemental services, supervision would be more interesting and thought provoking. I have my goals in place and I am continuously working on my skills set, in addition to trying to ensure that I am providing quality services to my community and clients. Do you "clean up" your client interactions in presenting them at supervision? If so, why? If not, what are your thoughts on this topic? I do cleanup my supervision conversation with my supervisor and in my notes. For my notes, my supervisor noted that everything can be subpoenaed and some information is not needed for client

notes. I like to try to maintain privacy with my clients and in the previous course, it was suggested that I maintain client-counselor confidentiality. I was originally giving a play by play of each session and I have since stopped that but rather when I have concerns, I’ll address the issues directly during supervision or outside depending on the nature. For instance, I had a client attempt suicide. I was comfortable in my skills and the outcome with my client however I felt compelled to let my supervisor know of the incident. I have tried to catch myself from utilizing adjustment order. Adjustment disorder covers soooo much though. I am going more indepth with utilizing the DSM-V and when working with clients, I am now applying my impression to the clients notes in Theranest. On days of supervision, my supervisor goes over my choices. I try to articulate as best as I can what led me to choose the diagnostic codes for my clients. I am still working on ensuring that I decipher subtypes as well. Adjustment Disorder can be chosen as an option, but I can leave it unspecified or specify the emotional and behavioral symptoms as well. Adjustment Disorders in hospital settings are can reach to 50% of the clients whilst outpatient facilities diagnose Adjustment disorders less at rates of 5-20% of clientele (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). As I am learning more, I want to ensure that I develop better skills with my diagnostic impressions of clients. I don’t want to do cookie cutter diagnosis. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5 ed.). Washington, D.C. I have not had any experience utilizing this tool. With Theranest, we have the tools in the program built in. My clients are sent questionnaires to fill out prior to coming to their sessions. If a client does not complete their assessment, then we will complete them during the session. As a counselor, there is no one size fits all model that is going to fit each client, after all we are all individuals and treatment should be developed on an individual level. I will ask my supervisor about this screening tool to see if it is something that I need to utilize in practice. I agree that overdiagnosis does not serve any purpose in therapy. When working with clients, counselors can utilize the DSM to provide assistance when attempting to develop treatment plans for their clients and checking the symptoms presented for diagnosis. Through understanding how to utilize assessment tools, counselors can begin the process of screening, assessment, and treatment plan development. Without the proper screening a client, a diagnosis cannot be formed for a client. Having the proper diagnosis helps to provide the best form of therapy to fit the client’s needs I actually have a client now who has multiple personalities, suicidal ideations, and a diagnosis of schizophrenia. This will be my first clients to have known comorbidities. I have to ensure that assessments are continued throughout counseling and therapy to ensure that my client is gaining the necessary skills to recover and achieve set goals. Whilst completing on-going assessments, due to my clients diagnoses, I may have to intervene during crises to provide immediate insight, change treatment plan, give referrals, and a host of other options. With my client, I have to

ensure that I work with my supervisor as well and let her know if working with this client is beyond my scope at any time, I feel uneasy. Max Points: 5.0 How can you, as a therapist, avoid becoming "stuck" in a particular theoretical framework? Identify specific ways that you can ensure you continue to grow. By understanding that “within each discipline, theory and practice differ” (NCBI,2004). As a therapist, understanding that many techniques and theories share many common traditions and approaches, yet differ in noteworthy philosophical and practical ways, affect therapy techniques and goals for treatment. By keeping up to date on theories, maintaining a relationship with licensing board and fellow therapists, and continuing education, a therapist can avoid becoming stuck in one theoretical framework. One of the major ways that I believe that will be beneficial to me is ensuring that I fulfill my continuing education credits, once I am in my career and that will assist me in keeping up to date. knowledgeable, and competitive amongst my peers. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2004. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 39.) Chapter 3 Approaches to Therapy. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64259/ As a counselor, there is no one size fits all model that is going to fit each client, after all we are all individuals and treatment should be developed on an individual level. I think that as counselors, we should use the theories that best fit our clients and match our expertise. Professional aptitude is what matters the most to me. The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) acknowledges that, in areas that a counselor is thought to be weak, they must notify the proper supervisor, notify clients when they are new to a specialty, ensure that they qualified to be able to assist the client, continue their education and continue to maintain ethical, sound treatment processes whilst monitoring whether their techniques are helping their client. We are ethically bound not to work outside our areas of expertise. I wonder what else the insurance company would have you to do instead. American Counseling Association(ACA). (2014). ACA Code of Ethics . Alexandria, VA: Author. As a counselor, there is no one size fits all model that is going to fit each client, after all we are all individuals and treatment should be developed on an individual level. I think that as a counselor, I would utilize narrative therapy for sure. Narrative therapy describes the type of therapy I would like to receive if

I needed therapy. Narrative therapy gives clients the option to utilize their personal skills while the therapist "does not act as the expert, but rather helps clients see how they are the experts regarding their own life and, as such, can uncover the dreams, values, goals, and skills that define who they really are, separate from their problems"(Psychology Today, 2018). Professional aptitude is what matters the most to me. The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) acknowledges that, if their areas a counselor is thought to be weak in they must notify the proper supervisor, notify clients when they are new to a specialty, ensure that they qualified to be able to assist the client, continue their education and continue to maintain ethical, sound treatment processes whilst monitoring whether their techniques are helping their client. . American Counseling Association(ACA). (2014). ACA Code of Ethics . Alexandria, VA: Author. Psychology Today. (2018). Narrative Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/therapy-types/narrative-therapy Out of the three types of therapy listed, I believe narrative therapy would be the one I would most likely use if given an oppurtunity. Feminist theory to me seems divisive rather than incorporating ideals that you would think would fall into place in most forms of therapy now. I do not see the need for a therapy solely dedicated to gender as realistic for me. Solution based therapy seems to be in general what most people come to therapy for, to find a solution to their problem, but it seems as if it's merely been given a title to a part of therapy that is practiced in multiple theories. With narrative therapy, I fet to learn more about the client and how we got to the point we are at. Narrative therapy in a nutshell describes what I personally would like if I needed a therapist. With Narrative therapy the therapist "does not act as the expert, but rather helps clients see how they are the experts regarding their own life and, as such, can uncover the dreams, values, goals, and skills that define who they really are, separate from their problems"(Psychology Today, 2018). Bibliography Chavis, A. M. (2004). Genograms and African American Families:Employing Family Strengths of Spirituality,Religion, and Extended Family Network. Michigan Family Review, 9(1), 30-36. Retrieved from https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/p/pod/dod-idx/genograms-and-african-american-families-employing- family.pdf?c=mfr;idno=4919087.0009.104;format=pdf Psychology Today. (2017). Gestalt Therapy. (Sussex, Producer) Retrieved December 19, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/therapy-types/gestalt-therapy#when-its-used Psychology Today. (2018). Narrative Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/therapy-types/narrative-therapy

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version