​

Key Terms In Ethical Decision-Making

​

Values:

Beliefs and attitude that provide direction to everyday living

 

Laws:

Defines the minimum standard society will tolerate and is enforced by law

 

Ethics:

Represent the ideal standards set and is enforced by professional associations

 

Morality:

Perspectives of right and proper conduct and involves an evaluation of action of the basis of some broader cultural context or religious standard

 

Ethical Conduct:

Professionals behaviour based on a combination of knowledge and a clear conception of the philosophical principles that underlie an ethics code

 

Community Standard:

The care that is ordinarily exercised by others practicing within the professional community

 

Professionalism:

As it relates to ethical behaviour, the demonstration of courtesy, respect and legal, moral behaviour when interacting with others

 

Mandatory Ethics:

Describes a level of ethical functioning wherein counsellors act in compliance with minimal standards

 

Aspirational Ethics:

Refer to the highest professional standard of conduct to which counselor can aspire

 

Standard of Practice:

Defines minimal standards to which all counsellors may be held accountable

 

Principle Ethics:

Focuses on moral issues with the goal of solving a particular dilemma or set of dilemmas, establishing a framework to guide future ethical thinking and behaviour

 

Virtue ethics:

Focuses on character traits

 

Values vs Morals

Values:​ 

Pertains to beliefs and attitudes that provide direction to everyday living and thoughts, have major influence on a person behaviour and attitudes and serve as broad guideline in all situations

​

Morals: 

Refers to what is right or wrong, good or bad, desirable and undesirable. A persons standards behaviours or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable to do

 

Principle Ethics: 

Focuses on the action and choices related to what should be done to solve a particular dilemma, establish a guideline for future ethical thinking and break behaviours​

 

Virtue Ethics: 

Focuses on the traits of the counsellor and non-obligatory ideals to which professionals aspire rather then on solving specific ethical dilemmas. Ideal and the client are central rather then the action itself. Am I doing what is best for my clients?

 

Ethical absolutism: 

Certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, regardless of the circumstance. Morals, values, goodness or evil are absolute and are not changeable or dependent on other factors

​

Ethical relativism:

There is no single, moral standard which is equally applicable to all people at all times. People have different opinions and there is no single truth. It is related to local customs, beliefs or necessities

 

Code of ethics: 

Upon entering field, each person inherits both the responsibility and the truth that has been given to the profession as well as the corresponding obligation to adhere to the professions code of conduct for ethical practice

​

Professional ethics: 

Refer to the set of obligations that we accept as part of assuming the role and status of a professional. They are intended to serve as a guideline for conduct to assist in resolving ethical questions. They tell us what we should or shouldn’t do. They protect counsellors and clients

​

Ethical Behaviours:

Professional development/competence, informed consent, self determination, dual relationships, confidentiality, dignity and worth

 

Keep educating yourself: 

Continued education, seminars, workshops, must recognize own limits, supervision, and consulting

 

Informed consent: 

Clients have the right to be informed about the treatment, assessment and other services they will receive before they agree to participate in or receive services

​

Self determination: 

The right to freedom and choice. Assist clients to identify choices and make well informed, educated decision. Empower. Access resources

 

Dual relationships: 

One that involves both a counselling relationship and another type of relationship. Cannot compromise the therapeutic relationship

 

Dignity and worth: 

Appreciate diversity. Treat clients fairly regardless of your own feelings towards them. Cant refuse service. The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect

 

Confidentiality: 

Workplace expectations – policies and procedures. Clients have the right to determine who will have access to information about them and their treatment. Openness and honesty. Obtaining consent – release of information (ROI). Breaking confidentiality and the limits

​

Potential problems:

We might feel ill at ease if our clients fail to make immediate progress. Consequently pushing our clients to make premature decisions or make their decisions for them. Giving options to go through the process. What does change mean to them or chief reason for coming. Clients have a right to self determination, right to choose, empowerment (part of code). Find one positive thing to focus on, vs the negative, ie. Focus on fact clients make it to appointment vs doing substance/addiction

​​

Self-Reflection: 

Personal, involves processing out thoughts, debriefing, assessing information with the reference to our existing beliefs and values, we change what no longer seems to work and make necessary changes in our behaviour to move forward

​

Debriefing: 

Used to talk about discussing what works or didn’t work in the field. Having someone to speak with – supervisor, co-worker (can be more authentic without feeling judged by supervisor). Helps to make sense of a situation. Learn from others and growth. Helps foster a course of action for next time

​

Self-awareness: 

Awareness of your own life issues. must be aware of your own needs - unfinished business - personal conflicts - defenses and vulnerabilities and how these can influence your therapeutic work. Be in tune with what’s going on. Combination of self reflection and debriefing

​

Therapeutic Alliance: 

The relationship between the therapist and the client has a profound impact on outcomes and move towards their goals. Important to consider the dynamics at play in the therapeutic relationship. Be in tun to self, don’t impose your values etc; be open for discussion. Extremely important.

​

Values

​

Value Neutrality: 

Principle that directs us to keep our emotions and biases in check when dealing with certain situations, this is why we self reflect, have self awareness, and debrief is to remain value neutral, this is also why we have clinical supervision, have workplace standards in terms of clinical feedback supervision, goal is to remain neutral

​

Value Imposition: 

Imposing your values on clients means that you attempt to exert direct influence over their beliefs, feelings, judgements, attitudes and behaviours, can occur if you’re completely unaware of your own attitudes, beliefs and feeling or if you hold strong prejudices against a specific group of peoples (can be direct or subtle), you can impose your values on clients in an active manner such as by making direct statements to influence your clients course of action or passively through nonverbal communication such as crossing your arms or looking away when clients make statements with which you disagree, client may shut down, not respond, can affect trust/progress; client may lose faith in counselling, become defensive

​

How to avoid imposing your values on clients: 

Develop self awareness (involves taking a comprehensive inventory or your feelings, values, attitudes and behaviours and noticing your reactions to your clients statements or actions, especially those that provoke a strong or negative feeling),  seek supervision (useful tool that can help you develop awareness of the problem and your own feelings, especially when you’re unable to put your finger on what’s really going on)

 

Values and the helping relationship:

Research has provided the evidence that workers values influence every phase of SSW including: theories of personality and therapeutic change, assessment strategies, goals of treatments, the design and selection of interventions, evaluation of therapy outcomes. Because your values will significantly impact your work with clients, it is crucial for you to clarify your assumptions, core beliefs, values and the way in which they influence the therapeutic process. Do not teach “proper behaviour” (to your own standards, this equals value imposition)

​

Referring

​​

To Refer or Not to Refer?

Some professionals believe they can work with any client or any problem. Ethical professional recognize their own limitations and when their values clash to the point where they are unable to be effective, they refer. Merely disagreeing with a client is not grounds for referral. Attempt to work with the client, find one thing you like about the client. Referrals should not be made over value conflicts, has to be serious grounds to refer

​

When Referring:

Make sure it is clearly communicated to your client the reasons why you are. Imperative that the client understands the issue is yours and not theirs. Facilitate the linkage to the next professional/organization