Code Of Ethics : The American Counseling Association ( ACA )

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 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.

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

My First impression of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Code of Ethics is that this is a very standing ethical code. The NBCC Code of Ethics covers all aspects of how a counselor should advocate, represent, and protect. The NBCC Code of Ethics prevents a counselor from counseling in a field that they do not have training, and it prevents a counselor from unlawful discrimination The NBCC Code of Ethics even regulates how a counselor should behavior on social media in regards to their practice, research, and voicing of opinions.

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.

A paper discussing the ethical issues from a video that discuss cases that are regarding barter, boundaries crossing and violation, touching, receiving and giving gifts, and termination of care. The ACA code of Ethics and Michigan States Rules and Regulation for Professional Counselors on the ethical issues of barter, boundaries crossing and violation, touching, receiving and give gifts, and termination of care are summarized. My feelings toward the cases that were discussed in the video regarding the ethical issues and topics of barter, boundaries crossing and violation, touching, receiving and give gifts, and

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.

“Confidentiality is a professional’s promise or contract to respect clients’ privacy by not disclosing anything revealed during counseling, except under agreed upon conditions.”

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).

In accordance to the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics, section B addresses the confidentiality and privacy exchange between a counselor and a client. The code B.1.c. focuses on counselors protecting the confidential information of current clients and indicates that counselors should only disclose information if they are given the appropriate consent (ACA Code of Ethics, 2014). Hence, the counselor has to be given the consent to share the information reported by the client. Furthermore, because confidentiality encompasses multiple ethical factors, according to code B.1.d, it is the counselor’s obligation is to explain the limitations through both initiation and throughout the counseling process. By doing so, the counselor will be able to identify situation in which the confidentiality must be contravened (ACA Code of Ethics, 2014). Confidentiality is pivotal to psychiatric treatment because the patient discloses private information about their lives. For that reason, the welfare of the client must be a continuous

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.

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA, 2014) Code of Ethics, ethical principles are based on a set of values that include autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity. These ethics apply to all types of counseling including both group and individual therapy; however, different aspects of these ethical guidelines must be considered based on the therapeutic approach. This paper will identify several of these ethical issues as they relate specifically to group counseling, while also evaluating how these differences compare to ethical guidelines within an individual approach. Based on this information, a final analysis will be provided on when therapists should choose group versus individual for a client.

Confidentiality is a legal, moral, and an ethical obligation that every professional has to keep all information that has been shared with him or her in confidence. In regard to psychology every psychological professional needs to know and understand that trust is the basis for every successful relationship. In fact if the client believes that he or she cannot trust his or her psychologist to keep all of the intimate information that has been revealed in a confidential setting confidential there is no relationship. According to Shultz (2009), most therapists, whatever his or her area of discipline, agrees that breaking confidentiality creates significant problems for the therapist and the client. It can destroy the therapeutic relationship and he or she stands the risk a malpractice suit. Schultz (2009) also states that confidentiality is so critical according to some theorist, that psychotherapy would be worthless without it. Just as the client believes that he or she must be able to trust his or her psychologist, the psychologist must also believe that he or she can trust his or her client to maintain a level of commitment to the therapeutic process. In other words the client must show that he or she trust that the psychologist has his or her best interest at heart, and that he or

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