Professional Counseling Cases

This is a review of the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners meeting that occurred on August 18, 2015. A psychologist was brought to the Board on complaints from a client. The complaints will be listed, the psychologist’s response will be noted, and then the board’s decision will be provided. The meeting was a preliminary hearing to determine if a violation might have occurred. Several potential statute violations were considered but only Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) 32-02061.15.O, providing services that are unnecessary or unsafe or otherwise engaging in activities as a psychologist that are unprofessional by current standards of practice, was passed as a potential violation that will require an informal interview to investigate further.

Robbie J. is a 19 year old African American male and at this time he is currently a freshman at Henderson County University. The client has been referred to this office by his school residential advisor and family doctor. The reason behind this is that the client has not been attending his college classes and has been caught drinking on campus by campus security three times in the past two months. His parents have been advised by the school that if the client doesn’t attend counseling sessions he will be asked to leave and not return back for the following academic school year. The client must attend five sessions and also join an A.A. group.

It is troubling that other clinicians allowed her to continue to practice when her competency was questionable. The clinician is putting the clients at risk and not taking time to care for herself. My concern is that she is using client sessions to vent about her own personal problems. Currently, she has poor judgment and may refuse to refer clients out, which would be reported before things worsen. This situation can intensity her mental state if the board rules against her and considers her incompetent.

The article “Duty to Warn and Protect: Not in Texas” cites the 1999 Texas Supreme court decision in the case Thapar v. Zezulka; which stated that counselors do not have a duty to warn and protect because it breaks client/counselor confidentiality (Barbee, Combs, Ekleberry, & Villalobos, 2007). As a result of the 1999 ruling the

For the importance of this assignment, I had the opportunity of interviewing one of the social services workers. The social service worker in which I interviewed, was once a client but now holds a professional position within the agency. Understanding the demographics of Peoria, IL is one of the reasons, I was certain that I would receive valuable information about the numerous ethical dilemmas she had encountered. She began the interview explaining that due to being born and raised in Peoria, she knows everyone especially the clients. She continued by saying, she is familiar with numerous of clients due her affiliation with substances use. She stated that when she is faced with an ethical dilemma, she typically would meet with the Case Manger, which is a Licensed Clinical Professioal Counselor (LCPC) and would ask her how she should proceed with the client. The Case Manger typically refers her to the NASW Code of Ethics book that she keeps in her office. If the LCPC, could not help the worker find clarity, then they will consult with the Vice President of Mental Health Services to guide their decision making.

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 LPC seemed hostile while discussing his relationship with his client’s sister and stated that this was his first time being addressed with the information by the client. I feel as though the counselor does not have his clients best interest at heart due to starting this relationship with a client’s family member. Some other actions that lead me to believe that the counselor does not have his client’s best interests at heart is how the termination of both therapeutic relationships discussed in this case was handled. To be an ethical counselor in termination or referral, I would communicate these in multiple ways because that is for my clients and my best interest. The LPC did not seem to see any issue with how he was advertising his counseling

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA) website the organization’s mission is to help society by offering well trained professional counselors. In the process, assisting counselors develop into the contingent professional’s in which society can depend upon, at the same time stimulating human self-worth and diversity. When counselors are trained in graduate school the aspects that goes into becoming a professional counselor, is they equipped with a vast amount of knowledge. Some of the basics include how to work with diverse populations, acknowledging their own biases, how to advocate for the client who is among an oppressed population, congruency with their clients, empathic listening and communication skills, knowing when to refer a client to the appropriately trained counselor and many more. All of these elements and more are just some of the tools, professional counselors are required in order maintain the standards the American Counseling Association’s mission statement entails.

Professional counselors and their staff are exposed to sensitive client information and records. The helpful receptionist and whose privilege videos, show how to apply both the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics (ACA Code of Ethics) and state board counseling laws to common ethical scenarios. The content explores aspects designed to call attention to favorable and unfavorable skills and techniques in handling such matters. These two videos demonstrate the limitations of confidentiality and privileged information. As a professional counselor one is expected to uphold the principles of confidentiality and privilege according to the ACA Code of Ethics and state laws. One may conclude that the helpful receptionist video shows clear violations of confidentiality. While the whose privilege video indicates the significance of insuring that counselors comprehend state laws and ethics codes pertaining to confidentiality and privilege. Furthermore, counseling professionals are held accountable for violating ethics codes and state laws as well as training staff on informed consent.

D-The patient arrived on time for his counseling session. Reported stable thus far and he recently accepted a dose increase. According to the patient, he tends to feel the withdrawals-difficulties sleeping and yawning. Denies any recent relapse, at which this writer provided a positive feedback. The patient is confident that his UDS result will be negative for this month and moving forward, if not, the patient will be referred to the clinic's self-help group, mainly the cocaine group.

According to Porter, Gildon, & Zgliczynski (2000), people claiming to be counselors is a serious problem in the state of California because no formal standards are set for appropriate licensure except for that of a marriage counselor. This lack of standards and credentials causes many problems for those seeking advice and assistance with a particular problem. More importantly, the public is not protected even if they take a case to court and the “counselor” is found guilty. What is to be taken away? He can continue to practice because he does not have a certificate to begin with. Lreh

In addition to duty to reporting, I was quiet surprised at how mandated Laws requiring reporting and the limitations to Confidentiality differ in various states, because coupled to what Joseph and Nellie were discussing in Feldman’s video , New York lawyer are not obligated to carry out reporting (Stein, 2004). In some cases, Professional Counselors/therapists are covered under attorney-Client privilege, if the Counselor/therapist is employed under the attorney, thus making reporting of an abuse void. (Stein, p. 11). Furthermore on the issue of Confidentiality, I found the video’s information and the information I gathered from the State of Maryland, Board of Professional Counselors/therapists and the ACA code of ethics websites, contradictory. According to the discussion, on the Video, a third party can be granted access into a victim’s records, but according to both Maryland and ACA code of ethics websites, Clients recorded are not supposed to be made known to a third party, unless the Client issues an informed consent. So I just think revealing a Client’s information is in violation of the code of conduct and HIPPA act, just like Nurse Brown and the incompetent social worker, they were in violation of the Statue and I could say, COMAR 10.58.04; Professional Competence. Finally, on the ethical issue on the duty to warn, in the case of Tatiana

With the diversifying population in America’s schools, a profession school counselor should be culturally competent to meet the needs of all students. “The transformed professional school counselor is culturally competent, respectful of human diversity, and a school leader in ensuring that oppressive systemic barriers to academic, career, college readiness, and personal/social development are removed (Erford, 2015, p. 173).” A school counselor needs to have a deep understanding of a variety of cultures to meet the personal, emotional, developmental needs of a student using individual and group interventions while being aware of their cultural and spiritual needs.

Throughout my 13-year career in the Human Services field, spending the majority of that time working with adolescent girls in residential treatment facilities, I am very much aware of the risks that exist with regard to sexual relationships between professionals and clients. In that time, it came to my attention that at least three employees at programs where I was employed had sexual relationships with clients. In addition to the ethical issues that arose from these situations, all of the clients were under 18 years of age so the actions of these employees had legal ramifications. Many of our clients had been victims of sexual abuse prior to admission into our program. I always viewed our programs as safe places where clients would be treated with respect and could develop strong therapeutic relationships with both their counselors and program staff members. Unfortunately, the actions of a few had a detrimental effect on our programs and also the lives of our clients. Having dealt with these issues and focusing on ethical decision-making throughout my education and professional career, the ethical dilemma of

Thanks for the compliment; I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ bless you also. Ruth second Peter 1:3 says "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness" (The English Standard Version Bible, 2009). The Lord Jesus Christ will lead you Ruth in your Christian Professional Counseling path for you to assist individuals in utilizing biblical scriptures as an alternative for treatment of their mistakes when he or she are going about his or her everyday existence. As a Christian the individual or client should recognize this biblical truthfulness, grasping it and start to have faith in the WORD setting them free. Your faith will enable you to