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Counseling Ethics Case Study Essay

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In the case study of Gwen, there is one major problem presented. That problem is whether it is ethical for a supervisor to counsel his supervisee. I think that Gwen is going through the grieving process after learning about her mother’s condition and is in a vulnerable spot. She feels like she cannot continue her work with hospice patients because of personal feelings. Ken thinks that Gwen is a great therapist and does not want to see her give up. He also feels like he would be the most effective person to give Gwen counseling, because of their trusting relationship. I think that this would be a bad idea and could cross professional boundaries. The Ethical Guidelines for Counseling Supervisors strongly suggest against a supervisor entering …show more content…

He might also present a biased decision because he thinks Gwen is a great counselor and does not want to see her quit, which could be the best thing for Gwen’s well-being. There was another way of dealing with this situation. Ken should have referred Gwen to another therapist to work on her problems and let her decide what the best path to choose is. He should have respected the professional boundaries of his career and known that the situation he was entering was potentially unethical. Extending the boundary beyond supervision can complicate the supervisory relationship. The same types of ethical issues still apply, if Ken had recommended to Gwen that she temporarily discontinue her field placement, and enter therapy in his private practice. He still has the establishment of the supervisor-supervisee relationship with Gwen; it is just temporarily on hold. It still creates a dual relationship that can potentially be harmful and the conflict of interest can still apply. The situation can also effect Ken’s reputation and the reputation of this profession. Frederic G. Reamer (2007) quoted, “The current National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, unlike its predecessors, includes numerous standards pertaining to dual relationships involving social work supervisors, consultants, educators, and field instructors (standards 3.01[b,c] and 3.02[d]). As in relationships with clients, social workers who serve as

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