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Essay about Ethical Decision Making

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Abstract
In synopsis, the case involves Ruby, a therapist that is counseling Henry, who expresses extremely hostile feelings toward homosexuals and toward people who have contracted AIDS. Henry is not coming to counseling to work on his feelings about gay people; his primary goal is to work out his feelings of resentment over his wife, who left him. He thinks homosexual people are deviant and that it serves them right if they do get AIDS. Ruby’s son is gay and Henry’s prejudice affects her emotionally. She is taken aback by her client’s comments and she finds that his vies are getting in the way as she attempts to work with him. The development of a dynamic set of ethical standards for psychologists’ work related conduct requires a …show more content…

In identifying the problem or dilemma, it must be examined in a neutral light. To project or countertransfer feelings onto the situation would alter the ability of handling the situation within this therapeutic relationship in an ethical manner. It is recognized that countertransference can be either a constructive or destructive element and manifest itself in many ways. According to Watkins (1985), there are eight possible contertransference ethical obstructions: 1) being overprotective with a client, 2) treating a client in benign ways, 3) rejecting the client, 4) needing constant reinforcement and approval, 5) seeing yourself in your client, 6) developing sexual or romantic feelings toward a client, 7) giving advice and 8) developing a social relationship with a client (Watkins, 1985).
Ruby could be risking rejecting her client or at the least treating her client in benign ways in order to distance her from the hurt she feels about his prejudice behavior toward gays. By remaining neutral while identifying the problem, Ruby can assist her client, place his needs first and take care to do no harm which upholds the APA Code of Ethics, Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence. Ruby should focus on the primary goal that

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