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Personal, Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling

Personal, Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling. Material related to textbook chapters two, three, and four. Upstate. Personal Qualities of Effective Counselors. Psychological health - What does this mean? - What would be some warning signs?

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Personal, Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling

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  1. Personal, Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling Material related to textbook chapters two, three, and four.

  2. Upstate Personal Qualities of Effective Counselors • Psychological health - What does this mean? - What would be some warning signs? - Should the counselor undergo treatment? • Self-awareness - What does one need to know about self? - Can you give some examples where knowledge of self would be important?.

  3. Upstate Other characteristics of helpers • Empathic ability - What does this mean? - Carkhuff’s levels of empathy – Text, p.29. - Level 1: The counselor communicates no awareness of client’s feelings - Level 5: The counselor is “tuned in” to clients and responds accurately to their deeper as well as surface feelings.

  4. Upstate • Personal warmth - What does this mean? • Genuine interest in others. Authenticity; Desire to help - Is this enough? • Tolerance of ambiguity - What is ambiguity? - Doubtful, uncertain, multiple interpretations - Why is tolerance of this important? - Give some examples.

  5. Upstate One other counselor characteristic • Awareness of values - “Values are the beliefs that determine our goals and how we meet them.” - “A particular combination of values constitutes a world view, which will influence counseling activities.” - “Effective counselors have thought though their values and live by them.”.

  6. Upstate • Should therapist’s values be conveyed to clients? - Beware of extreme positions: yes- always : no - never - Corey’s position: “Counselors should be willing to express their values openly when they are relevant to the questions that come up in their sessions with clients.” - He cautions against the extreme positions of 1) holding definite and absolute beliefs and exerting influence on clients to adopt these beliefs and 2) attempting to be value-free.

  7. Upstate Value Issues in Counseling • Five value-laden areas:  Marriage, divorce, extramarital affairs  Alternate lifestyles. AIDS issues  Right to die  Religion  Multicultural and gender differences.

  8. Upstate Case of Joyce • Married, late 30s, 3 children • Very unhappy with marriage • Husband will not join her in counseling • She says she would divorce him if it were not for the children • For now she is ambivalent • How do your beliefs about divorce, marriage, and children influence you?.

  9. Upstate • Joyce is talking about having an affair. Do you believe that having an affair would be helpful or destructive for her? • Would you be able to allow her to make this decision? Could you objectively counsel her if her values differed from yours? • Joyce is weighing the value of security against the value of possible growth • Do you value security or growth in these types of situations? What might influence your thinking?.

  10. Upstate • One day Joyce tells you she has been having an affair and is pregnant by her partner. She is considering an abortion • Would you attempt to persuade her in any way? What is your role here? What are your values? • Would you have difficulty in working with Joyce if you disagreed with her on any of these issues? • What would your choices be?.

  11. Upstate Other scenarios . . . • Joyce is single and engaging in unprotected premarital sex. Would you attempt to change her behavior? • If she were using birth control measures and limiting her behavior to one man, would this make a difference to you? • Assume that Joyce is a lesbian. She is not coming to change her sexual orientation, but for help in telling her family. How comfortable would you be working with Joyce?.

  12. Upstate Codes of Ethics • Ethical codes usually have 5 basic principles: 1. Benefit others - do what enhances client well-being 2. Do no harm - avoid high-risk activities 3. Respect others’ autonomy - clients have freedom of thought and freedom to chose their direction. Help clients think clearly and weigh consequences 4. Be just or fair - provide equal or fair treatment to all clients 5. Be faithful - make honest promises and honor these promises • Yet codes are only general guidelines.

  13. Upstate Basic Rights of Clients • Informed consent - clients are told what can be expected concerning therapy • Confidentiality - this is central to developing a trusting relationship, however, it is not absolute. When information may need to be divulged: - child abuse, - abuse of elderly, - there is danger to others or themselves, - patient needs hospitalization - parents may have a right to know. When? - employer may have specific guideline requirements.

  14. Upstate • Duty to warn and protect - the Tarasoff Case • Dealing with suicidal clients • The right to a referral • The rights of minors • Avoiding dual relationships • The right to have a competent therapist.

  15. Upstate Conclusion • Counselors/therapists must always strive for the highest standards in ethical and professional conduct even though things are not always clear-cut • When in doubt, consult with other professionals.

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