Code Of Ethics : The American Counseling Association ( ACA )

Professional associations establish codes of ethics to ensure that clinicians uphold the standards of their association in order to protect the clients they serve and the profession they are affiliated with. This paper will compare the codes of ethics of the American Counseling Association (ACA), American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

The ACA Code of Ethics (ACA, 2014) is a critical resource for counselors involving assessment. Section E in the ACA Code of Ethics (ACA, 2014) is devoted to explaining evaluations, assessments, and interpretation. E.1. states, “The primary purpose of educational, mental health, psychological, and career assessment is to gather information regarding the client for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to, client decision making, treatment planning, and forensic proceedings” (ACA, 2014, pp.11). Counselors should only use assessment tools in which the clinician has been trained.

The first ethical issue that counselors have to worry about in counseling children is to be a competent counselor. It includes that the counselor must be familiar with child and adolescent development. Also, in order to be competent in counseling children, a counselor must frequently participate in trainings, specialized education, and supervised practice (Henderson & Thompson, 2011). Another ethical issue in counseling minors is privacy and confidentiality. According to the American Counseling Association (ACA) (2014) Code of Ethics, when counseling minors a counselors protect the confidentiality of information received (ACA, 2014, B.5.a). Counselors also have responsibilities with the child’s parents such as inform parents about the role of counselors and the confidential nature of the counseling relationship (ACA, 2014, B.5.b). When a counselors needs to release confidential information, he needs to seek permission from the child’s parents, legal guardians, or the appropriate third party in order to disclose the information (ACA, 2014, B.5.c). According to Henderson and Thompson (2011), children have to have their parents’ consent to see a

Upon the first session with a new client, it is detrimental to go through certain expectations regarding confidentiality and privacy. According to the American Counseling Association, “at initiation and throughout the counseling process, counselors must inform clients of the limitations of confidentiality and seek to identify situations in which confidentiality must be breached” (ACA Code of Ethics, 2014). By disclosing expectations and policies held within the institution, allows the client to

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

Clients have the right to confidentiality. Counselors cannot share information about clients without shared consent. Counselors throughout treatment process must inform clients when confidentiality can be breached (Mears, G., 2010). If a counselors foresee that a client is a danger to himself or others confidentiality must be broken.

The code of ethics for both the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) create a framework by which Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT), respectively, determine their ethical boundaries in which to practice in the field of counseling. Though it is clear the code of ethics within this profession are not definitive nor concrete instructions to handle all ethical concerns and scenarios, they do serve a major purpose in helping professionals navigate ethical concerns that may arise (Corey, 2015). In addition to the professional ethics, “Christian mental health professionals are called to a higher ethic (Sanders, 2013, p. 27).” This goes without saying for the one whose life has been radically transformed because of what Christ accomplished on the Cross. However, in the context of a profession that restricts one’s personal values there remains a consistent thoughtfulness of the impact it has on one’s faith.

Almost all professionals, at some point in their career, suspect or become aware of a colleague's unethical behavior. The ethical codes “place the responsibility for addressing problems of competence or unethical behavior of colleagues on the members of their profession” (Corey et al, 2015, p. 188). Counselors are obligated to address any conduct by a colleague that could cause harm to clients. College counselors, in the process of helping students, make decisions each day that require an understanding of professional ethics and state laws. Applying ethical standards and state laws to the numerous situations that arise is challenging because it involves values, knowledge, harm, unprofessional action, and professional judgment. This is particularly

Breaking confidentiality is a serious ethical component in counseling and must be considered very carefully before doing so. Each state has laws regarding the disclosure of confidentiality whether it to the courts, the clients, relatives, lawyers, schools, or other unbiased parties (Corey et al., 2015). It is very important that the therapist is aware of the laws in regards to disclosure of confidentiality in the state in which they practice to ensure that they are practicing in an ethical manner and to avoid any legal

The differences between the ethical standards for clients being treated by psychologists in counseling sessions and the standards for conducting psychological research with human participants are based on the rules and regulations within the given setting. Counseling and research sessions are two different structured methods within psychology. From my understanding, I acknowledge research as a way to discover and identify a certain situation or issue with a person or a group of participants. Therapy, on the other hand, is used to treat a person with their emotional, social, and mental issues in life. After a research study, a person could be directed to seek help in a therapy session.

The moral principles upon which the Ethical Standards of the American Counseling Association are based is a critical part of knowledge as counselors we must possess. Counselors are often faced with situations where their ethical morale is tested and they must know how to assure they will make an ethical decision. There will be situations where it is difficult to identify the problem and being aware of these principles will guide professional counselors towards an ethical practice.

Naureen, thank you for your discussion. The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) A.4.b. Personal Values explains that clinicians are to not impose their own beliefs and values onto the client and respect the diversity of the clients. I am confident because of what I witnessed in residency that you will be able to be objective and can overcome your own personal beliefs that differ from your clients. I believe coming from different cultural backgrounds can be a positive experience. Both the clinician and client can learn from each other different perspectives. You are completely right that the clinician should gain the trust of the clients to have a healthy therapeutic relationship.

1.Confidentiality is the ability to remember and hold in high regards that the client information is strictly confidential and should be protected. According to ACA Code of Ethics, “Counselors disclose information only with appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical justification.” (ACA, 2014, p.7) Counselors must display proper authorization to disclose client information to protect the clients’ rights to privacy.

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.