6) Ethical and Legal Aspects in Counseling
6) Ethical and Legal Aspects in Counseling
6) Ethical and Legal Aspects in Counseling
COUNSELING
PRESENTED BY SIDRA AZIM
Introduction
◦ Ethical codes and standards of practice for counselors have been
formulated by the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the
American Psychological Association (APA).
◦ Ethical codes are guidelines for what counselors can and cannot do
as each counseling situation is unique and sometimes the counselor
must interpret the code accordingly.
ETHICS , MORALITY AND LAW
◦ Ethics refers to a philosophical discipline that is concerned with
human conduct and moral decision making
1. Counseling Relationship
2. Confidentiality, Privileged Communication, and privacy in counseling
3. Professional Responsibility
4. Relationship with other Professional
5. Evaluation, assessment and interpretation
6. Teaching, training and Supervision
7. Research and Publication
8. Ways to resolve ethical issues
Ethical Issues That Influence Clinical
Practice
Client Welfare: Client needs come before counselor needs and the counselor
needs to act in the client’s best interest.
Informed Consent: Counselors need to inform clients as to the nature of
counseling and answer questions so that the client can make an informed
decision.
Confidentiality: Clients must be able to feel safe within the therapeutic
relationship for counseling to be most effective. What the client says stays in
the session unless the client is threatening harm to self or others.
Dual Relationships: When a counselor has more than one relationship with a
client
UNETHICAL BEHAVIORS IN
COUNSELING
1. Violation of Confidentiality
3. Negligent Practice