While all three associations seek to set standards of ethical conduct based on the idea of doing no harm, the Christian Counseling Code of Ethics takes it one step further and acknowledges, and embraces, the role God and faith plays in our interactions with our clients. The APA and AAMFT both stress our responsibility to others and personal (and professional) integrity, but the AACC breaks down their ethics code into areas which represents our calls from God.
The calls represented by the code include Servanthood, Excellence, Integrity, Trustworthiness, Dignity, Soundness, Relationship and Humility. By breaking the Foundational Principles into calls, the AACC brings biblical obedience into every aspect of our practice. According to the AACC,
The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Code of Ethics is a list of principles set forth to guide healthcare executives in their daily practice. The Code of Ethics clearly defines the behavior and performance standards required by those performing the duties of healthcare executives. The ACHE Code of Ethics is designed in a way that clearly directs healthcare executives in their interactions with patients, employees, and the community. The ACHE Code of Ethics also clearly defines the responsibilities of the healthcare executive to the profession of healthcare management and also the responsibilities of the healthcare executive to the organization, as well as the
I am so thankful for the amazing gift of grace that God as gifted us. Grace, as defined by McMinn is, “merciful kindness offered by God to those who do not and cannot ever deserve God’s kindness, and it is our only hope.” Grace is such an interesting concept. The idea that we have already been forgiven for our sins before we even commit a sin is not widely accepted by most people nowadays. When people sin, they feel a sense
At the beginning of the semester, the framework for professional clinical counseling was presented during the class session. The objective was to study what the world calls “counseling” and how it is designed to provide the correct treatment to these people. The professional clinical model calls for a trained professional to handle the catharsis of the client in a controlled environment on the basis of a fiduciary relationship. Deliberate and guided questions are asked from the therapist to encourage catharsis. Once the professional compiles sufficient evidence via resources and intuitivism, a treatment plan would be prescribed. The client has a choice of accepting the treatment or
Other important changes to the newest ACA Code of Ethics is not allowing personal values and religious beliefs to interfere with the work counselors do. This includes not making referrals on the basis of the counselor’s religious beliefs. Instead, the counselor needs to educate themselves in order to provide services for a variety of clients before making a referral. These updated codes work to improve client-counselor relationships and uphold the standard for professional counselors
Ron Hawkins and Tim Clinton (2015), The New Christian Counselor: A Fresh Biblical & Transformational Approach book, is a resourceful guide for Christian counselors. Hawkins and Clinton (2015) state, “that the discipline of Christian Counseling is growing into a solid and substantiated multifaceted scriptural discipline of wide-reaching distinction” (p. 5). Furthermore, the definition of what Christian counseling is has changed over time.
In reading both codes you can see how different but yet alike they are, although one is from the Christian aspect and the other from a world view. According to Ralph Bass, Christian counseling has been a part of the work of ministry since the origin of the church. When people were sick they looked to the church for help, they were thought of as touched by the Gods and were given potions for their madness to cure them or driven from the community depending on the type of illness. Sigmund Freud was one of the most famous people to come out of the age where psychiatry was thought to have nothing to do with Christianity and that Christianity
This paper is a response to a video discussing the issues of confidentiality, privilege, reporting, and duty to warn. This paper looks at these issues and their explanations in the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics as well as the Georgia State Board of Professional Counselor’s ethical guidelines and provides a commentary on the laws. It was found that these issues are not always black and white, but there is some debate on these issues. Confidentiality is both an ethical and a legal responsibility yet there are often times when the ethical demands clash with the legal demands. This paper explores some of those crashes and explains what I have learned from the video and the professional and stage guidelines concerning confidentiality and its implications and how I will apply what I have learned into future practice.
Boundaries and ethics are very important to know whether you a counselor, coach, pastor, and so on because there are limitations in what you can do and say. Almost everywhere you go a business, organization, church, etc. has a Code of Ethics to follow. Having a Code of Ethics in place is to protect the coach and the client to create professional boundaries that can help build a professional relationship. The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) has very strong approach on how a coach should have professional boundaries with their clients. Having Code of ethic or professional boundaries is important to understanding before you meet your client so you and the client can have a proper environment during your time together. When
The American Counseling Association (ACA) developed the code of ethics with six principles in mind that they thought were the foundation for ethical behavior and decision making: autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity and veracity (American Counseling Association, 2014). This lead to the six different purposes for the code of ethics. First, it sets ethical obligations and ethical guidance for professional counselors (American Counseling Association, 2014). Second, it recognizes ethical dilemmas that are relevant (American Counseling Association, 2014). Third, it clarifies what is ethically expected and accepted of its members (American Counseling Association, 2014). Fourth, it is an ethical guide for members deciding the best course of action and expectations for conduct, when it comes to those using their counseling services (American Counseling Association, 2014). Fifth, it supports the mission of the American Counseling Association (American Counseling Association, 2014). Finally, it has standards that serve as a baseline for questions and complaints for ACA members (American Counseling Association, 2014). To fulfill the purposes of the code of ethics, the ACA categorizes the ethics into nine different areas (American Counseling Association, 2014).
Chapter two starts off with the author talk about his education of true christian counseling before settling on one called the discipleship approach (Collins, 23). Readers explore some people-helper principals; starting with “the helper.” This principal starts out citing Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia in which Paul instructed the leaders there to “restore” the individuals who were apparently struggling with sin and other issues (23). Paul instructs that only those who are spiritual may help the struggling individuals so that the struggling individuals may get the real help they need by means of healthy, loving caring relationships. In principal two, we learn how to help people that can be difficult to penetrate
The AACC code of ethics is composed of seven different sections: 1- do no harm, 2- competence in Christian counseling, 3- informed consent in Christian counseling, 4- confidentiality, privacy, and privileged communication, 5- ethical practice in Christian counseling and evaluation, 6- ethical relations in the professional workplace, 7- ethics in advertising and public relations (AACC, 2004). Although ACA has a greater number of ethical sections, each code of ethics seeks to outline the rights of the client and provide guidance for how the counselor should carry out his or her duties for their client.
This paper is a comparison between the codes of ethics of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). This paper aims to present the similarities and differences between the two codes of ethics. There are two main sections on this paper. The first section presents the general similarities and differences of the two codes of ethics. The second section presents the similarities and differences of the two codes of ethics on three specific areas: Confidentiality, Sexual Intimacies and Informed Consent. The author used the codes of ethics of both organizations in the process of comparing and contrasting. The general comparison reveals that the
In Chapter 10 of Rudolph K. Sanders’ book, Christian Counseling Ethics: A Handbook for Psychologists, Therapists and Pastors, Mark Yarhouse, Jill Kays and Stanton Jones discuss the “sexual minority” as it pertains to the field of professional counseling. This group is defined as “individuals with same sex attractions or behavior, regardless of self-identification” (Sanders, et. al., 2013, p. 252). By looking at counseling the homosexual community through its etiology, standards by which a counselor should proceed with treatment, and the options a client has on deciding treatment options, we can be better prepared as Christian counselors to be better prepared in serving the needs of others.
In today’s society many disorders may arise. Some of these issues include eating disorders, anxiety, gender-identity disorders, depression, addictions, and many others. However, there is another issue that brings individuals in the counseling setting, and that is the issue of sex and sexuality. Issues stemming from sex and sexuality can arise from same-sex attraction, pornography, infidelity, hormonal issues, and/or negative, inadequate beliefs and perceptions concerning sexuality. Licensed professionals, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, etc…, are trained and usually prepared for these types of disorders, however, certain types of counselors, licensed or not, are not trained in this area. There are various distorted views on sexuality, and these distorted views are across the board. So it begs the question are Christian counselors equipped to handle these types of disorders and many others. If so, what models do they follow in order to help an individual struggling with these issues? This critique will interview a Christian counselor/Addition specialist concerning her viewpoint on human sexuality and her personal model for decision-making in dealing with individuals who struggle in the area of sexuality and/or in any of the other aforementioned areas.
There are many ethical issues that can arise during counseling. One issue that is fairly common is sexual attraction from patient to counselor, counselor to patient, or even in both directions. Even though an attraction may exist, this does not necessarily mean that these instincts will be followed in any inappropriate way. In fact attraction is a natural part of life and is impossible to avoid. However, any fulfillment of these desires is an unethical act that could not only be in violation of the code of ethics that a counselor is bound by, but it could also subject the counselor and their organization to litigation and legal action.