ethical dilemmas in counselling essays

Counseling Ethics Code: 10 Common Ethical Issues & Studies

Despite their potentially serious consequences, ethical issues are common, and without preparation and reflection, many might be violated unwittingly and with good intentions.

In this article, you’ll learn how to identify and approach a variety of frequently encountered counseling ethical issues, and how a counseling ethics code can be your moral compass.

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This Article Contains:

Counseling & psychotherapy ethics code explained, 7 interesting case studies, 3 common ethical issues & how to resolve them, ethical considerations for group counseling, a take-home message.

Most of us live by a certain set of values that guide our behavior and mark the difference between right and wrong. These values almost certainly influence how you approach your work as a counselor .

Following these values might feel natural and even intuitive, and it might feel as though they don’t warrant closer examination. However, when practicing counseling or psychotherapy, working without a defined counseling code of ethics is a bit like sailing a ship without using a compass. You might trust your intuitive sense of direction, but more often than not, you’ll end up miles off course.

Fortunately, there are a variety of professional organizations that have published frameworks to help counselors navigate the challenging and disorienting landscape of ethics.

Members of these organizations are often recommended or required to adhere to a framework, so if you belong to one of them and you’re not familiar with their respective code of ethics, this should be your first port of call. However, these ethical frameworks are also often available online for anyone to read, and so you don’t need to join an organization to adhere to its principles.

Each organization takes a slightly different approach to their code of ethics, so you may find it useful to view several to find one that resonates best with your practice. As an example, the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (2018) has a framework that emphasizes aspiring to a variety of different values and personal moral qualities.

Those values include protecting clients, improving the wellbeing and relationships of others, appreciating the diversity of perspectives, and honoring personal integrity. Personal moral qualities include courage, empathy , humility, and respect.

These values and qualities are not meant to be strict criteria, and there is no wholly objective way to interpret them. For example, two counselors might display the same legitimate values and qualities while arriving at different conclusions to an ethical problem. Instead, they reflect a general approach to how a counselor should think about ethics.

Nevertheless, this approach to ethics may be overly prescriptive for you, in which case a looser and more general framework may be better suited to the nature of your practice. Most professional organizations recognize this, and there is a set of foundational principles that feature widely across different frameworks and refine the collection of different values and qualities described above into simpler terms.

These principles are autonomy , beneficence, non-maleficence, fidelity, justice, veracity, and self-respect (American Counseling Association, 2014; British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2018). They are largely consistent across frameworks aside from some minor variations.

• Autonomy is the respect for a client’s free will.
• Beneficence and non-maleficence are the commitment to improve a client’s wellbeing and avoid harming them, respectively.
• Fidelity is honoring professional commitments.
• Veracity is a commitment to the truth.
• Justice is a professional commitment to fair and egalitarian treatment of clients.
• Self-respect is fostering a sense that the counselor is also entitled to self-care and respect.

Putting these principles into practice doesn’t require a detailed framework. Instead, as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2018) recommends, you can simply ask yourself, “ Is this decision supported by these principles without contradiction? ” If so, the decision is ethically sound. If not, there may be a potential ethical issue that warrants closer examination.

Regardless of whether you navigate using values, qualities, or principles, it’s important to be prepared for how they might be challenged in practice. As explained above, these are not intended to be strict criteria, and it’s good to foster a healthy amount of flexibility and intuition when applying your ethical framework to real-life situations.

You might also interpret challenges to other principles. There is no correct or incorrect interpretation to any of these cases (Cottone & Tarvydas, 2016; Zur, 2008).

For each, consider where you think the problem lies and how you would respond.

A counselor has been seeing their client for several months to work through substance use issues. A good rapport has been formed, but the client has not complied with meeting goals set during therapy and has not reduced their substance use.

The counselor feels they may benefit from referring the client to a trusted colleague who specializes in helping individuals with substance use issues who are struggling to engage with therapy. The counselor contacts the colleague and arranges an appointment within their client’s schedule.

When the client is informed, the client is upset and does not wish to be seen by the colleague. The counselor replies that rescheduling is not possible, and they should consider the appointment a necessary part of therapy.

Beneficence

A counselor working as part of a university service is assigned a client expressing issues with their body image. The counselor lacks any knowledge in working with these issues, but feels as though they may help the client, given the extent of their experience with other issues.

On reflection, the counselor decides to contact a colleague outside the university service who specializes in body image issues and asks for supervision and advice.

Non-maleficence

A counselor developing a new exposure-based form of anxiety therapy is working with a client with severe post-traumatic stress. There is promising evidence suggesting the therapy is effective for reducing mild anxiety, but it is unknown whether the therapy is effective in more extreme cases.

As a result, the counselor recognizes that this client in particular would provide a particularly valuable case study for developing the therapy. The counselor recommends this therapy to the client.

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A client with a history of depression and suicidal ideation has been engaging successfully with therapy for the last year. However, recently they have experienced an unfortunate coincidence of extremely challenging life events because of their unstable living arrangement.

The counselor has noticed problematic behaviors and thought patterns emerging, and is seriously concerned about the client’s mental health given the history.

In order to have the client moved from their challenging living environment, they decide to recommend that the client be hospitalized for suicidal ideation, despite there being no actual sign of suicidal ideation and their client previously expressing the desire to avoid hospitalization.

A school counselor sees two students who are experiencing stress regarding their final exams. The first is a high-achieving and popular student who is likable, whereas the second is a student with a history of poor attendance and engagement with their education.

The counselor agrees that counseling is appropriate for the first student, but recommends the second student does not attend counseling, instead addressing the “transient” exam stress by directing their energy into “working harder.”

A counselor is assigned a teenage client after both the client and their family consent to therapy for issues with low mood. After the first session together, it is apparent that the client has been withholding information about their mental health from their family and is showing symptoms typical of clinical depression.

The counselor knows that their client is a high-performing student about to enter a prestigious school and that the client’s family has high hopes for the future. The counselor reassures the family that there is no cause for serious concern in order to protect them from facing the negative implications of the client’s condition.

Self-interest

A counselor is working with a client who is a professional massage therapist. The client offers a free massage therapy session to the counselor as a gesture of gratitude. The client explains that this is a completely platonic and professional gesture.

The counselor has issues with close contact and also feels as though the client’s gesture may not be entirely platonic. The counselor respectfully declines the offer and suggests they continue their relationship as usual. However, the client discontinues therapy abruptly in response.

Ethics in counseling

Ethical issues do not occur randomly in a vacuum, but in particular situations where various factors make them more likely. As a result, although ethical issues can be challenging to navigate, they are not necessarily difficult to anticipate.

Learning to recognize and foresee common ethical issues may help you remain vigilant and not be taken unaware when encountering them.

Informed consent

Issues of consent are common in therapeutic contexts. The right to informed consent – to know all the pertinent information about a decision before it is made – is a foundational element of the relationship between a counselor and their client  that allows the client to engage in their therapy with a sense of autonomy and trust.

In many ways, consent is not difficult at all. Ultimately, your client either does or does not consent. But informed consent can be deceptively difficult.

As a brief exercise, consider what “informed” means to you. What is the threshold for being informed? Is there a threshold? Is it more important to be informed about some aspects of a choice than others? These questions do not necessarily have a clearcut answer, but nevertheless it is important to consider them carefully. They may determine whether or not your client has given sufficient consent (West, 2002).

A related but distinct challenge to informed consent is that it is inherently subjective. For example, your client may have as much knowledge about a decision as you do and feel as though they fully understand what a decision entails. However, while you have both experience and knowledge of the decision, they only have knowledge.

That is to say, to some extent, it is not possible for your client to be informed about something they have not actually experienced, as their anticipated experience based on their knowledge may be wholly different from their actual experience.

The best resolution to these issues is to avoid treating informed consent like a checkbox that needs to be satisfied, where the client is required to ingest information and then give their consent.

Instead, encourage your client to appreciate the importance of their consent, reflect on their decision, and consider the limitations of their experience. In doing so, while they may not be able to become fully informed in an objective sense, they will achieve the nearest approximation.

Termination of therapy

Another time of friction when ethical issues can surface is at the conclusion of therapy , when the counselor and client go their separate ways. When this termination is premature or happens without a successful resolution of the client’s goals, it is understandable why this time is difficult.

This can be a challenging transition even when therapy is concluded after a successful result. Like any relationship, the one between a counselor and client can become strained when the time comes for it to end.

Your client may feel uncertain about their ability to continue independently or may feel rejected when reminded of the ultimately professional and transactional nature of the relationship (Etherington & Bridges, 2011).

A basic preemptive action that can be taken to reduce the friction between you and your client during this time is ‘pre-termination counseling,’ in which the topic of termination is explicitly addressed and discussed.

This can be anything from a brief conversation during one of the concluding appointments, to a more formal exploration of termination as a concept. Regardless, this can give your client the opportunity to acclimatize and highlight any challenges related to termination that may be important to explore before the conclusion of therapy.

These challenges may involve features of your client’s background such as their attachment history, which may predispose them toward feelings of abandonment, or their experience of anxiety, which may influence their perceived ability to cope independently after therapy.

If you already have knowledge of these features of your client’s background, it may be worth considering these potential challenges well in advance of the termination of therapy.

Online counseling

Remote forms of therapy are becoming increasingly common. This has many obvious benefits for clients and counselors alike; counseling is more accessible than ever, and counselors can offer their services to a broad and diverse audience. However, online counseling is also fraught with commonly encountered ethical issues (Finn & Barak, 2010).

As remote practice frequently takes place outside the structured contexts more typical of traditional counseling, ethical issues commonly encountered in online counseling are rooted in this relative informality.

Online counseling lacks the type of dedicated ethical frameworks described above, which means e-counselors may have no choice but to operate using their own ethical compass or apply ethical frameworks used in traditional counseling that may be less appropriate for remote practice.

Research suggests that some online counselors may not consider the unique challenges of working online (Finn & Barak, 2010). For example, online counselors may feel as though they do not have the same responsibility for mandatory reporting, as their relationship with their clients may not be as directly involved as in traditional counseling.

For online counselors who are aware of their duty to report safeguarding concerns, the inherent anonymity of online clients may present a barrier. Anonymity certainly has the benefit of improved discretion, but it also means a counselor may be unable to identify their client if they feel they are threatened or otherwise endangered.

Online counselors may also be unclear regarding the limits of their jurisdiction, as qualifications or professional memberships attained in one region may not be applicable in others. It can often seem like borders do not exist online, and while to some extent this is true, it is important to respect that jurisdictions exist for a reason, and it may be unethical to take on a client who you are not licensed to work with.

If you work as an e-counselor, the best way to resolve or preemptively prepare for these issues is to acknowledge they exist and engage with them. A good place to start may be to develop a personal framework for your practice that has a plan for issues of anonymity and confidentiality, and includes an indication of how you will report safeguarding concerns.

In a group setting, clients may no longer feel estranged from society or alone in their challenges, and instead view themselves as part of a community of people with shared experiences.

Clients may benefit from insights generated by other group members, and for some individuals, group counseling may literally amplify the benefits of a one-to-one approach.

However, group settings can also bring unique ethical issues. Just as some groups can bring out the best in us, and a therapeutic context can foster shared insights, other groups can become toxic and create a space in which counter-therapeutic behaviors are enabled by the implicit or explicit encouragement of other group members.

Similarly, just as some group leaders can inspire others and foster a productive community, it is also all too easy for group leaders to become victims of their status.

This is true for any relationship in which there is an inherent imbalance of power, such as traditional one-to-one practice, but in a group context, the counselor is naturally invested with a greater magnitude of influence and responsibility. This can lead to the judgment of the counselor becoming warped and increase the risk of overstepping ethical boundaries (Mashinter, 2020).

As a group counselor, first and foremost, you should foster a diligent practice of self-reflection to ensure you are mindful of the actions you take and remain alert to any blind spots in your judgment.

If possible, it may also be useful to examine ethical issues related to your authority by referring to another authority, in the form of supervision with one of your colleagues.

Finally, to prevent counter-therapeutic dynamics from developing within your group of clients, it may be useful to develop a clear code of conduct that emphasizes a commitment to group beneficence through mutual respect (Marson & McKinney, 2019).

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Take a structured approach to preparing for and dealing with ethical issues, whether this is referring to a framework published by a professional organization or simply navigating by a set of core values.

Prepare for the most common types of ethical issues, while also keeping an open mind to the often complex nature of ethics in practice, as well as the specific ethical issues that may be unique to your practice. Case studies can be a useful tool for doing this.

If in doubt, refer to these five steps from Dhai and McQuiod-Mason (2010):

• Formulate the problem.
• Gather information.
• Consult authoritative sources.
• Consider the alternatives.
• Make an ethical assessment.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

• American Counseling Association. (2014). Ethical & professional standards . Retrieved July 22, 2021, from https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/ethics
• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. (2018). BACP ethical framework for the counselling professions . Retrieved from https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/
• Cottone, R., & Tarvydas, V. (2016). Ethics and decision making in counseling and psychotherapy . Springer.
• Dhai, A., & McQuoid-Mason, D. J. (2010). Bioethics, human rights and health law: Principles and practice . Juta and Company.
• Etherington, K., & Bridges, N. (2011). Narrative case study research: On endings and six session reviews. Counseling and Psychotherapy Research , 11 (1), 11–22.
• Finn, J., & Barak, A. (2010). A descriptive study of e-counselor attitudes, ethics, and practice. Counseling and Psychotherapy Research , 10 (4), 268–277.
• Marson, S. M., & McKinney, R. E. (2019). The Routledge handbook of social work ethics and values . Routledge.
• Mashinter, P. (2020). Is group therapy effective? BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education , 12 (2), 33–36.
• West, W. (2002). Some ethical dilemmas in counseling and counseling research. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling , 30 (3), 261–268.
• Zur, O. (2008). Bartering in psychotherapy & counseling: Complexities, case studies and guidelines. New Therapist , 58 , 18–26.

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I enjoyed the lessons

I was recently at a social gathering where a former chemical dependency group counselor also attended. I tried to be polite, however I felt stalked. I was speaking with another person at the event, and he was within earshot of the conversation and hijacked my intent and the conversation. I had to literally seek an escape route. Before the event was over, he knocked my food from my plate and then ran to take the seat intended for me. This person knew that I am a retired professional and had access to my mental and physical health files. To say I was triggered is an understatement. What else could I have done in the moment to protect my psyche from the collateral damage that his inappropriate behaviors caused me? Is there any recourse? Do I now have to avoid the venue for fear he may show up there again and harass me further? Thank you in advance for your prompt attention.

I’m truly sorry to hear about your distressing experience. No one should ever feel cornered or unsafe, especially in social settings. In the moment, prioritizing your safety and well-being is paramount. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, consider:

– Seeking Support : Approach a trusted friend or event organizer to stay with you, making it less likely for the individual to approach. – Setting Boundaries : Politely yet firmly assert your boundaries if you feel safe to do so. Let the person know their behavior is unwelcome. – Seeking Professional Advice : Consider discussing the situation with a legal professional or counselor to understand potential recourse.

Remember, you have every right to attend venues without fear. If you’re concerned about future encounters, perhaps inform the venue’s management about your experience.

Warm regards, Julia | Community Manager

Thanks for the reminder that group counseling is also a whole different thing compared to a more typical counseling session. I’d like to look for professional counseling services soon because I might need help in processing my grief. After my dog died a month ago, it’s still difficult for me to get on with my life and get on with life normally.

https://www.barbarasabanlcsw.net/therapy-with-me

Thanks the topic is well explained have learnt alot from it

Very informative article. I particularly enjoyed the case studies on the ethical principles

Thanks a lot

Ngini Nairobi, Kenya

very useful article .thank u very much. from… Sri Lanka

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Ethical issues and considerations in counseling

Mental health counselors give patients a safe space to confide private and sensitive information. These disclosures allow patients to receive proper treatment and improve their mental health. 1 However, counselors face serious ethical dilemmas when clients share information that could harm themselves or others. The boundaries between counselors and patients can also become blurred, leading to potential conflicts of interest. 2

Mental health professionals can navigate these challenges by adhering to strict counseling ethics. This article explores ethical guidelines for counselors, common ethical issues, and strategies for resolving ethical issues.

What are counseling ethics?

The American Counseling Association (ACA) defines counseling ethics as professional values that serve as “the foundation for ethical behavior and decision making.” 2 These values enable counselors to maintain professional relationships with clients and provide compassionate care for patients from all backgrounds.

The ACA’s Code of Ethics lists six essential professional values for counselors: 2

• Autonomy: Empower clients to take control of their own lives
• Nonmaleficence: Avoid actions that could harm clients and others and take steps to minimize unavoidable harm
• Beneficence: Positively affect clients and society by helping individuals improve their mental health
• Justice: Treat all clients with fairness and equality
• Fidelity: Keep commitments and promises made to clients.
• Veracity: Be honest when interacting with clients, colleagues, and others in professional settings

Examples of ethical issues in therapy

Mental health professionals frequently confront gray areas in ethical guidelines when interacting with clients and colleagues. Let’s explore two common areas where counselors face ethical dilemmas.

Breaking confidentiality in counseling

According to the ACA, mental health professionals have an ethical duty to maintain client confidentiality. Counselors can be compelled to break confidentiality when the client threatens harm to themselves or others. This is a fairly clear cut example and a counselor would cover this while outlining counseling services. However, counselors may face less clear-cut ethical issues when requests are made by outside agencies for patient records. 2

For example, law-enforcement officials may demand access to confidential patient information. Counselors should release records only if the police have a court order. Similarly, a parent might request information about a minor child’s counseling sessions. Counselors should ensure that the parent has custodial rights before revealing any information. 3

Dual relationships in counseling

A dual relationship occurs when the counselor has two or more roles in a client’s life. For instance, a counselor might be asked to provide treatment for a family member or a former romantic partner. 4

The National Board for Certified Counselors recommends that counselors avoid having multiple relationships with clients to avoid conflicts of interest. 4 They can refer these clients to another counselor or terminate their professional relationship if a dual relationship develops.

Ethical guidelines for counselors

Counselors may need to navigate ethical dilemmas that don’t have obvious solutions. Mental health professionals can use a variety of approaches, practices, and techniques to address nuanced ethical issues. Let’s explore examples of these in greater depth.

Informed consent in therapy

A standard when it comes to ethical guidelines, counselors can empower their clients to give informed consent by providing comprehensive information about the counseling process. For example, the counselor should discuss the potential risks and limitations of the treatment with the patient. They should also disclose their credentials, their fees, their confidentiality policies, and other relevant information. The client can decide whether to proceed with the therapy based on this information. 2

Informed consent helps mental health counselors avoid ethical issues by clearly defining the counselor-client relationship. It also ensures that clients are willing participants in their therapy and understand their rights. 2

Setting boundaries in therapy

Counselors can prevent unethical relationships from developing by setting and maintaining clear boundaries. The ACA prohibits counseling professionals from providing services to previous romantic partners, for example. Also, a counselor can’t enter a romantic relationship with a client until five years after their last session. 2

Furthermore, the ACA recommends that counselors exercise caution when extending their relationships with clients outside their practices. These precautions help counselors maintain professional client relationships and avoid violating ethical boundaries. 2

Ethical decision-making models

Ethical decision-making models enable counselors to solve intricate ethical challenges. The ACA’s decision-making model includes these steps: 5

• Gather all relevant information about the ethical issue
• Consult the ACA Code of Ethics for guidance
• Get feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and professional organizations
• Brainstorm possible solutions
• Weigh the consequences of each option
• Ensure that the chosen option is fair and universal
• Take action

Following a straightforward decision-making model makes it easier for counselors to think about ethical issues and explain their decisions to others.

Counselor competence

Mental health counselors practice ethical behavior by acting only within their areas of competence. They should provide services only if they have appropriate education and training. Also, counselors should continually educate themselves on new developments in their specialty to ensure they can provide the best care. This practice ensures that counselors don’t harm clients by maintaining ethical standards and providing only appropriate treatment. 2

Counselor supervision

Counselors and counselors-in-training receive clinical supervision from more experienced practitioners as a part of the path to counseling licensure . Supervisors provide guidance for ethical issues and help counselors develop treatment plans if they’re unsure about the best course of action. 4

Like regular counselors, supervisors must follow strict ethical guidelines. For example, they should intervene if they believe their supervisee may harm a client, and they should avoid having any dual relationships with supervisees. 4

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Grounded in the Jesuit tradition, the online MS in CMHC program prioritizes intellectual inquiry and service to others. You’ll learn how to provide cutting-edge treatment by taking rigorous courses like Multicultural Counseling, Research Methods in Counseling, and Professional Ethics and Legal Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Prepare to become a licensed clinical mental health counselor with a firm grip on ethical principles and how to best support a client's mental health while maintaining professional boundaries.

Schedule a call with an admissions outreach advisor to learn more.

• Retrieved on August 21, 2023, from tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10503307.2017.1417652
• Retrieved on August 21, 2023, from counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
• Retrieved on August 21, 2023, from ct.counseling.org/2021/02/voice-of-experience-managing-requests-for-client-information
• Retrieved on August 21, 2023, from nbcc.org/assets/ethics/nbcccodeofethics.pdf
• Retrieved on August 21, 2023, from counseling.org/docs/default-source/ethics/practioner-39-s-guide-to-ethical-decision-making.pdf?sfvrsn=f9e5482c_12

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278 – How to Deal with Ethical Issues in Counselling

278 – How to Deal with Ethical Issues in Counselling

Registering with the ico – embracing emotions.

In Episode 278 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly are back with this week’s three topics:

• Firstly in ‘Student Services’, we look at how to deal with ethical issues in counselling.
• Then in ‘Ethical, Sustainable Practice’, should you register with the ICO?
• And lastly in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Deb Barnard on emotions.

How to Deal with Ethical Issues in Counselling [starts at 02:21 mins]

This segment of the counselling tutor podcast is sponsored by, webhealer.net.

• WebHealer are the go-to provider of websites for private practitioners in the UK.
• Established over 20 years, WebHealer offers a non-technical and fully supported service to help therapists grow their private practice.
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During your placement, it’s likely that you’ll face an ethical dilemma. Learning how to respond to these ethical issues under pressure will be an essential skill for improving your counselling practice and ensuring you’re doing what is right for your client and the safety of others:

• Ethical problem solving – set yourself up to be prepared to deal with these problems when they arise.
• Maybe you and the client have a mutual friend/acquaintance.
• They may disclose self-harm or plans to harm another.
• The client might show up to a session under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Look at your contract – if one of these scenarios is covered in your contract, then the rules of engagement have already been laid out.
• Ethical framework – To know how best to deal with ethical issues you might encounter in your counselling practice, understand your ethical framework and what it asks of you.
• Work out whose problem it is. Yours? The client’s? Both of yours?
• What are you going to do next?
• What does the law say?
• Having these conversations with a client can be tricky – but not having them could have greater consequences.
• Immediately write down any ethical issue or dilemma you encounter and what you did or didn’t do.
• Defensible decision-making.
• Respect the clients’ autonomy, but weigh that up against the stakes.
• You may need to break confidentiality, and this will most likely negatively impact the therapeutic relationship.
• Think of the greater good.

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Registering with the ICO [starts at 25:40 mins]

The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) applies to our UK listeners, but for our listeners elsewhere, you will also have laws regarding data protection that you will need to look at and adhere to.

The main points of this section include:

• The ICO upholds the General Data Protection Regulations.
• Should you register? In short, yes.
• If you have client information stored on an electronic device e.g. notes, phone numbers, doctors notes, a referral letter etc. This is all personal data.
• If you're handling or moving personal data around, then you need to register with the ICO.
• Special category data – any information including ethnic origin, politics, religion, trade unions, health, mental health.
• Put your ICO number in your privacy policy.
• If you request, the ICO won’t publically publish your name and address and will keep it anonymous.

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Embracing Emotions [starts at 38:35 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Deb Barnard about emotions.

The key points of this discussion include:

• Normalising emotional content – it is normal to feel all emotions.
• We are often sold things in the media that are said to make us happy, or content, but it’s important to realise that it’s normal to not always feel like that.
• Embrace your own emotions and understand what they mean to you.
• Learning to lean into emotions, even when they make us uncomfortable.
• What is this emotion asking of you?
• Don’t see your emotions as the enemy.
• Allow yourself to feel and experience your emotions.
• Listen to what your emotions are telling you.
• It isn’t only positive emotions that are valid.

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Ethical Dilemma: Counselors Engaging in Relations with Clients Essay

Introduction, casac ethical canon on sexual misconduct by councillors, ethical principles for counselors, critical elements for making ethical decision on sexual relationships, reasons why therapists may engage in sexual relations and possible solutions.

Professional counselors should establish good relationships with their clients to provide the therapeutic healing that these clients require. They should keep a boundary in the way they relate to the clients to ensure that their relationship with the client does no harm or pose potential harm to the clients. While relating to the clients, counselors should anticipate potential risks of misconduct and take action before it is too late.

This may include reporting the case to the authorities or in cases where the damage is already done, an informal approach should be used to address the issue at hand. On other occasions, informal approach may not be appropriate. Therefore, the ethics committee is involved in order to deliver a verdict. The case can be dismissed and a sanction issued, or charges can be pressed against the accused (Welfel, 2012).

One ethical dilemma that has been experienced in the past is the issue of counselors engaging in sexual relations with their clients. This is a serious form of misconduct clinically, ethically, and even legally. This form of conduct is harmful to the clients, destroys the work of therapy, and damages the profession itself. There is a challenge as to whether counselors exhibiting such misconducts should be criminalized (Gutheil & Gabbard, 1992).

This study will examine a scenario where a 36 year old woman experienced an intimate relation with one of my work-mate counselor. However, she later revealed it to me and forbade me to remain silent about the issue. The following is an analysis of the various approaches that should be used in addressing this issue.

Sexual contact between clients and their therapists is prohibited. This also includes their family members and romantic partners. The prohibition is based on the harm that is caused on the clients. It also contradicts the fundamental values found in counseling and psychotherapy. This is also not applicable to professionals who may want to initiate a professional relationship with clients with whom they were formerly relating sexually.

This has been prohibited in an effort to promote the client’s trust in the therapist. If such a case happens, the client may not be comfortable revealing the secret in the fear that the information may be passed to the work mates. Therefore, this may disrupt the therapeutic process and cause harm to the client. In this case, the client remained silent with the issue due to fear of victimization. This offense is punishable under the civil or criminal law (Welfel, 2012).

The counselor-client relationship should be kept at the professional level whether the client is still undergoing therapy or is already healed. Nonprofessional relationships, except for the sexual ones, can only be allowed if they are potentially beneficial.

However, before the agreement is made, the therapist is expected to make proper documentation indicating that the client has agreed to the terms. This is to cover a case in which an intended harm occurs. The counselor should show evidence that he or she tried to remedy the harm for it to be justified. Some beneficial associations include attending the clients functions like graduation.

It may be a form of support that the client needs in the healing process. Others may include purchase of a product from the client. This could be a form of financial rescue. Membership in the same professional association with a client may be beneficial to both parties provided that there is a mutual agreement that the relationship between the parties remains professional (Welfel, 2012).

Psychologists should avoid harm on their clients and other people working around them. There exist multiple relationships on occasion when the counselor is performing a different role with the same person, or relating to a similar person by a counselor and the client differently, or promise to enter into a different relationship with the client or the client’s close association. The psychologist should avoid a multiple relation if it may cause deviation from the psychologist’s objectives, competence, and efficiency in performing his/her duties.

The relationship should also be avoided if it may lead to exploitation or harm to the client. However, relationships that do not pose any risk to the professional relationship are allowed. When a multiple relationship proves harmful due to unforeseen factors, the psychologist should take action to resolve the issues with the affected party while strictly complying with the ethics code (Welfel, 2012).

Relationships that are exploitative are discouraged, and psychologists should not engage in these relationships if they are not potentially beneficial (Welfel, 2012). For instance, it is evident that most of the psychotherapeutic patients do not know their rights and may not know the legal steps to take. Some counselors may take advantage and exploit them sexually. The consequences of any relationship that is not professional should always be anticipated before the counselor can engage in them (Thorn, Shealy & Briggs, 1993).

Emotional attachment is common during therapy. The rules of this relationship should be laid down during the beginning of therapy to avoid pain or embarrassment. Professional relationships should not compromise therapy. This is especially if other relationships make it hard for the client to reveal some of his/her personal secrets. This could be avoided by explaining the topics that are relevant in the therapy session (Welfel, 2012).

The imbalance of power occurs when clients agree with the wishes of the therapist in cases when they are not comfortable with the arrangement (Welfel, 2012). An example of a relationship with unequal power is that of pastor and the church members. The issues of power make the clients vulnerable to sexual exploitation. In this case, they do not know how to object to the undesirable practices. If proper boundaries are not maintained by the clergy, incidences of sexual harassment occur (Robinson, 2004).

This destroys the therapeutic process because of no trust and confidentiality between the two parties. There is also the fear of abandonment by each of the parties in case of any secrets revealed. Counselors should maintain strict boundaries with their clients (Welfel, 2012). Sexual intimacies are prohibited, and in most countries, this behavior is criminalized (Thorn, Rubin & Holderby, 1996).

A sexual relationship between a therapist and a client is not compatible with the healing process. It is a cause for emotional attachment, and this interferes with the therapy. In such a case, the victim, who in most cases is the patient, is traumatized by the experience. There is the issue of blame with either the patient blaming the therapist and the therapist putting the blame on the patient (Gutheil & Gabbard, 1992).

Before initiating any other non-professional relationship with the client, there is the question of whether the motivation is driven by the interests of the client and whether the relationship is important for the therapeutic process. In this case, sex does not improve the therapeutic process, but only serves to make it worse. It is not in the interest of the client to engage in a sexual relationship since it adds no value to the healing process (Gutheil & Gabbard, 1992).

The issue of performance has to be considered before a therapist can engage in a sexual relationship with the client. It is impossible for the therapist to achieve his counseling objectives. In this case, the sexual relationship may make the client hold back from revealing important information that might aid in the therapeutic process.

The therapist may also be remorseful and may not want to continue attending to these clients. Thus, they opt to seek help in rehabilitation. This is an indication that they cannot operate normally after exposing themselves to sexual relationships with their clients (Schoener & Gonsiorek, 1988).

Misusing the power on the vulnerable clients is not allowed despite the justification provided. It has been argued that therapists fall in love with their clients and consequently establish a sexual relationship. This cannot be justified, and therapists should always consider this before risking their careers and the welfare of their patients with sexual relations. It is a low risk situation for both parties especially the therapists who risk their careers (Deaton, Illingworth & Bursztajn, 1992).

It is a requirement for therapists to anticipate the possible effects of any multiple relationship with a client and other people working closely with him/her. A sexual relationship involves emotions and reduces the capacity to achieve the therapeutic objectives. There should be boundaries created to ensure that the two parties know the areas of discussion in which they should engage.

In case the boundaries are crossed, the two parties will realize this and take a corrective action before it advances to an irreversible stage. This is especially expected from the therapists who takes the lead role in therapy and determines the subjects of professional discussions that the client is allowed to introduce. The issue of sexual relations is clearly avoidable, and it cannot be justified at all (Celenza, 1998).

A sexual relationship between a therapist and a client has repercussions. This should be a consideration before the parties encourage an intimate relationship to develop between them. Once there are legal issues that may lead to the criminalization of the therapist, the client’s therapeutic process may come to an end.

Apart from criminalization, clients may opt to change the therapist due to lack of trust that has developed from the act. This will break the previous ties between the therapist and the client thus hindering the therapeutic process. An immediate solution for such case is mostly geared towards the changing of therapists or clients. However, this may still affect the relationship with other therapists and clients.

Clients may feel reluctant to reveal important information particularly personal issues in fear of occurrence of such a situation in the future. With respect to this case, the client changes the therapist in a bid to forego what happened to her. There are also chances that the situation may get worse due to the trauma that comes from an unfruitful relationship with the therapist. The therapist also risks losing his/her practicing license, which may mean the end of the career. These repercussions are not worth risking.

They involve the emotional effects, as well as every aspect of life including financial abilities, emotional pain and suffering, and social issues. The therapist such as a church minister may also be ridiculed by the public. The changes that occur when a sexual relationship exists are not desirable and cannot be acknowledged socially. Therefore, the relationship should remain professional for it to achieve its objectives (Welfel, 2012).

Ethical awareness is an important element in therapy. Therapists should be guided by the moral vision and value that involves their work. It is also guided by the personal insight and the motivation that attracted the person to practice mental health.

These personal principles should be integrated into practice such that a therapist cannot be lured by external factors to engage in sexual relations (Welfel, 2012). Therapists often argue that the parties in which they were sexually involved consented into the act. This should not be used to justify this behavior. It is hard to determine whether the consent that a client gives is genuine.

There is a possibility that the client was coerced to agree to the arrangement. If it turns out that the client consented willingly, there is also the probability that it was an uninformed decision (Deaton, Illingworth & Bursztajn, 1992). This explains why the professional should integrate personal values with the professional values to establish the best course of action when in an ethical dilemma (Welfel, 2012).

The motivation for sexual relations between counselors and their clients is often unconscious. The therapist may have conflicting personal character that makes him or her vulnerable in helpless situations, or loss of self esteem or rage. In this case, the therapist discloses some personal information in an effort to enhance the therapeutic process.

With increased interaction, the relationship changes from a professional one to a personal one with the therapist also seeking an understanding of the client. The therapist also expects the client to view him/her positively and thus deviates the relationship from therapy into personal matters.

Such a relationship increases the chances of a sexual relationship (Celenza, 1998). Such vulnerable therapists should seek counseling from their supervisors to help them in enhancing their ethical values. They can be rehabilitated and offered a continuous in-practice training program. This should be followed by an evaluation program to ensure that the therapy helps them in improving their performance (Schoener & Gonsiorek, 1988).

Therapists who have a childhood history of sexual abuse or withdrawn emotional needs of parents are prone to engage in sexual relationships with their clients. For instance, a therapist reported that his mother kept a distance from him and his two brothers. When he tried to get close to the mother, she got frightened and kept her distance.

However, she encouraged the sons’ lustful behavior as they got older. This is an indication that the sons behaved this way because they lacked an emotional attachment with their mother. As a therapist, this is bound to extend to the clients whereby such therapists may seek recognition from the clients.

This satisfies their emotional needs. However, it is harmful to clients and the profession (Celenza, 1998). In such cases, one should go for further education and training on therapist-client relationships. The therapy style can also be changed to be convenient and reduce the degree of vulnerability for the client. For example, if the therapist hugs clients and holds their hands while comforting them, he can change to a conservative style (Schoener & Gonsiorek, 1988).

Sexual relations between counselors and their clients has been a major cause of ethical dilemma. It is prohibited by law because it interferes with the therapeutic process and causes harm to the clients. Therapists who have engaged in such activities have compromised their careers and their own social well-being. The therapists should observe the professional culture and values in order to prevent such occurrences from happening.

They determine the relationship that exists between the clients and therapists, and define boundaries to be observed. On-the-job training can act as a reminder of these values and a guide to the new entrants into the practice. Therapists who may be inadequate can be counseled by their supervisors in rehabilitation programs to strengthen their values into practice. This profession should be practiced with the interest of the clients at heart.

Celenza, A. (1998). Precursors to Therapist Sexual Misconduct Preliminary Findings. Psychometric Psychology, 15 (3),378-395.

Deaton, R. J. S., Illingworth, P. M. L. & Bursztajn, H. J (1992). Unanswered Questions about the Criminalization of Therapist-Patient Sex. American Journal of Psychotherap, 46 (4), 526-531.

Gutheil, T. G. & Gabbard, G. O. (1992). Obstacles to the Dynamic Understanding of Therapist-Patient Sexual Relations. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 46 (4), 515-525.

Robinson, L. H. (2004). The Abuse of Power: A view of Sexual Misconduct in a Systematic Approach to Pastoral Care. Pastoral Psychology, 52 (5), 395-404.

Schoener, G. R. & Gonsiorek, J. (1988). Assessment Development of Rehabilitation Plans for Counselors Who Have Sexually Exploited Their Clients. Journal of Counselling and Development , 67, 227-232.

Thorn, B. E., Rubin, N. J. & Holderby, A. J. (1996).Ethics and Behavior. Client-Therapist: Responses of Psychotherapy Clients to a consumer-Oriented Brochure, 6 (1), 17-18.

Thorn, B. E., Shealy, R. C. & Briggs, S. D. (1993). Sexual Misconduct in Psychotherapy: Reactions to a Consumer-Oriented Brochure. Professional Psychology: Research and Psychology, 24 (1), 75-82.

Welfel, E. R. (2012). Ethics in counseling and psychotherapy . Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth.

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Ethical Issues in Counselling Work

Introduction.

Ethics can be defined as a philosophical treatment of a moral order (Bonhoeffer, 2009). There are various codes of ethics established to govern different practices for example nursing, teaching, and counselling codes of ethics. Counselling is an act of helping a person in need where a counsellor meets a client usually in a private and confidential area to look into a problem faced by the client after the client request for the service. The problem may be in a form of anguish suffered by the client, frustrations in life matters or even disappointments where the clients may lose taste in life as nothing seems fulfilling (Anonymous, 2009).

The counsellor listens to the clients and uses his or her psychology skills to get the problem from the client’s point of view and thereafter suggests points of change of the client’s attitude towards the specific situation thereby reducing confusion and introducing a sense of direction. There are various ethics in line with counselling, for instance; confidentiality in handling of clients’ information, safety of the client and those surrounding him/ her, lack of discrimination under all circumstances, and not being involved in sexual or other social affiliation with the clients. In this paper, I will look into confidentiality and dual or multiple relations as the main ethical issues of concern in my counselling work (Waichler, 2010).

The American Counsel Association

The American counsel association is the body that governs the operation of counsellors. It intends at promoting the society’s quality of life through nurturing young counsellors and upholding integrity (Anonymous, 2005). The American counsel association stipulates the American counsel association (ACA) codes of ethics that should be followed by the counsellors in their day to day practices.

The purposes of the ACA codes of ethics include; enabling the association to make it clear to present and future members and also the people served by the members the ethical responsibilities of all its members, supporting the mission of the association stated above, establishing principles that outline ethical behaviour and best practices to be followed by members of the association, acting as a basis for dealing with ethical complaints and other issues raised against members of the association and acting as an ethical guide that aid members in establishing a professional course of action that best serves the people in need of counselling services and also enhances the values of counselling as a profession (Kocet, 2005).

The ACA codes of ethics are subdivided into eight main parts where each deal with an aspect(s) in regard to ethical issues governing the counselling profession. The first section deals with the counselling relationship, the second one covers aspects of confidentiality, privacy and privileged communication, the third one deals with professional responsibility, the fourth deals with a counsellor’s relationship with other professionals, the fifth with evaluation, assessment and interpretation, the sixth with supervision, teaching and training, the seventh one with research and publication and the last one covering ways of resolving ethical issues.

General Standards of Counselling Associations

Many associations have been set in regard to the practice of counselling process. There are usually set standards by which the members of the associations should abide to throughout their term of service as counsellors. For example, the counselor should offer professional services to clients with respect to individuality of each client, establish helpful relationship with the client so as to uphold dignity and integrity and at the same time empower the client without using advise, ensure confidentiality and inform the client the extent of the duty of care, inform the clients of the process of counseling, its boundaries and purpose, make suitable referral services where the needs of the clients cannot be met sufficiently, carry out some supervision so as to develop counseling skills, keep track of performance and maintain professional accountability, and have no personal or sexual relationships with clients (Collins, 1991).

A good counselor should also cooperate with other counselors and enhance his or her skills by being at per with what is happening in the field of counseling. Ethical standards aim at ensuring competent professional behaviour where the counselors instil trust on the public and keep track of their behaviour and that of peer counselors. It also avoids the controversies brought about by development of the ethical codes. The ethical principles advocates for independence and self determination, avoidance of harm, promotion of welfare, fairness, and fidelity (Reynolds and Welfel, 2009).

A counselor

According to Lambie , Hagedorn, & Ieva (2010), a counselor is a very important person in the society due to the services he or she provides. Counseling being an intimate kind of exercise needs a person to do away with personal attributes and be authentic in carrying out the counseling process. A Counselor should do anything necessary to help the client by being friendly and showing the will to assist.

A good counselor should posses most if not all of this characteristics; he or she should have an identity where he or she understands his/her strengths and weaknesses and how to deal with them, should be honest sincere and authentic, should be able to put life aspects into perspective, maintain healthy boundaries, be passionate, and have the courage to pursue his or her work passionately so as to deliver effectively, should be deeply involved in his or her work so as to gain meaning from it and be of help to people, have effective interpersonal skills so that he or she can easily intermingle with different clients, fit into their conditions and try help them overcome their problems, be sensitive on matters concerning people’s welfare by exercising aspects like care, trust, respect and value for others, be responsive on matters regarding culture by having the understanding that there is diversity in culture and different clients will portray different cultures and hence have respect to all and consider differences in social classes, race etc and treat them equally, he or she should always be at per with what is happening in the world so as to solve client’s problems adequately and sufficiently, should embrace change by making adjustment to his or her lifestyle to have job satisfaction by doing what is right and resourceful and make good choices that can yield good results when implemented (Norcross, 2002).

Making Ethical Decisions

Anonymous (2010) asserts that it is usually a hard task for counselors to make ethical and informed decisions. Forester- Miller and Davis (1996) states that one should first identify the problem and gather adequate and relevant information about it to know its nature, assess the issues associated with the problem including all the parties involved, consider relevant ethic codes that may guide in making the decision to avoid the violation of the codes of ethics, look into the responsible laws and regulations and determine their influence on the problem, seek views from various sources to come up with the best way to deal with the problem, making record of the received suggestions, integrate the client in searching for possible solutions to the problem, consider consequences of each decision made and evaluate the impact they would make in solving the problem and finally deciding on the best course of actions after considering the many options, implementing the course of action and undertaking a follow up to gauge the performance and making necessary adjustments is then done. The whole process of decision making should be documented for future reference (Corey, Corey, & Callan, 2003).

Counseling Ethics

The counseling code of ethics ensures that counselors do not in any way harm the clients. It also assists counselors to enhance their counseling practices and therefore improve the image of the counseling profession. It as well gives information on what should be done to the counselors in case of any form of violation of the ethics hence offering guidelines to be followed and protecting client’s right. In general, the counseling codes of ethics aims at producing excellent performance by giving standards of practice to be followed in the counseling exercise (Cathrein, 1909).

According to Sanders (1997), there are various aspects that a counselor should adhere to, for example, its is unethical to use strict persuasion as a means of probing information from a client or making the clients adopt your measures in regard to the problem, a counselor should not use his relationship with the client to promote any form of interest for example personal, religious or even business interests. There should be no extra fee charged on a client apart from the agreed charge, a counselor should not go beyond the boundaries stated by the client unless the client introduces new aspects within the counseling process and should always protect citizens against unethical practices by challenging the practices.

The counseling should be undertaken professionally and the counselors should uphold integrity and respect when dealing with others especially the clients so as to protect their welfare. There should be no discrimination in offering counseling services regardless of gender, political and religious grounds, race or any other factor and in case a counsel cannot be able to maintain this due to some connections with the client, he or she is expected to pass the case to someone else (Foster and Black, 2007).

A counselor should be careful while giving his or her point of view to avoid direct influence on the behaviour of the client but rather to provide options from which the client should choose and make a decision. Confidentiality is also another aspect that is highly regarded in the counseling field and should be maintained to the highest level. Supervision of the counselled clients should be done to ensure they improve positively (Bostock, 2000).

Confidentiality

Corey (2004) states that a counselor should keep the trust the client have on him or her by maintaining privacy and confidentiality in handling the client’s details given during the counseling sessions. The information should not be leaked without written permission given by the client. Confidentiality is essential in promoting a productive and trusting relationship between the client and the counselor. The counselor should define the degree of confidentiality to be maintained so as to set the client at ease to enhance disclosure of any necessary information that aid in solving the problem.

The counselor should discuss with the client the nature and purpose of the aspect of confidentiality at the initial stages of the counseling process (Barclar, 1996). However, a counselor should take rational action if the client is likely to harm him or herself or/and inform people who may fall victims of harm from the clients and accountable authorities whenever there is a possibility of danger as stipulated by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).

Information that can jeopardize the counselor if withheld may also be revealed, when the client needs hospitalization, or in case the court orders that the information be revealed for example in case of child abuse like in cases of rape, incest etc. In determining whether to reveal the clients information or not, a counselor should consider the legal requirements, the requirements of the institution in which they work and the most important aspect, the client in question (Pope and Vasquez, 2010).

Confidentiality and HIV/AIDS Related Issues

In my work as a counselor I consider confidentiality a very essential aspect especially in dealing with HIV/AIDS related issues since it’s a personal problem and sensitivity is crucial. HIV/AIDS is treated as a deadly disease and many people prefer their HIV/AIDS status especially when positive to be known to them only. It is usually a traumatizing disease most especially because of the negative perceptions that people associate it with and the means through which it is contracted.

It is mainly associated with immorality and lack of carefulness on sexual matters and it’s hard to convince someone that you never got the disease through immorality even if you got it through other means like blood transfusion or contact with an infected person through open areas or cuts. It is just recently that people have come to accept the disease like any other and learnt to deal with its effects positively. During the voluntary counseling and testing process, I would first make it known to my client that the discussion concerning the sexual practices, the number of partners and also the results of the test will be treated with high confidentiality level and that the information will not be revealed to anyone else whatsoever.

I will also not need the specific personal information of the client like name and identification number so as to instil trust, create a relaxed mode and an atmosphere that will allow the client to discuss the issue comfortably and at ease. HIV/AIDS is a personal aspect and should be treated with privacy and confidentiality. There should be an agreement between me, as a counselor, and the client on the condition that may lead to breach of confidentiality, for example, when the patient is advised for referral services like collection of Antiretroviral medication which is for her or his own good. I would undertake the counseling process prior to the testing with care showing the client the possibility of the test being either negative or positive and the various ways of responding to it.

I would clearly inform the client of the whole process of HIV/AIDS counseling and testing, how the test is conducted, the interpretation of the result and where one should access follow-up and other support facilities, the benefits of being tested and the importance of disclosure of the information to people concerned for example sexual partners or family members. Post test counseling is essential as it helps the client to accept the results, either positive or negative, and deal with the condition appropriately. Risk minimization information and emotional support should be offered to all and referral services advocated to those found infected.

In my practice I would always adhere to the three principles of HIV/AIDS testing and counseling which are consent, counseling, and confidentiality. The HIV and AIDS prevention and control Act (2006) asserts that people should not be tested without their consent unless the test is required to be done under a written law or when the clients is unconscious and the test is needed for immediate diagnosis. They should give accurate and sufficient information voluntarily without use of force and the counselor should also give adequate information that aid the client in making decision in regard to the test (Corey, 2009).

As a counselor, I may be faced with the challenge of warning and protecting the third party from the risk involved especially when I try my best to convince the client to share the HIV/AIDS status information with those at risk without success. I would therefore use the chance to disclose the information to the sex partners or other people exposed to the risk as a means of avoiding instances of more infection to many people. This is however done as the last resort after the client completely fails to disclose the information even after persistent request by the counselor. Failure to disclose the information is a denial of the right to the health and well being of the persons in risk (National AIDS and STI Control Programme, 2008).

Dual or Multiple Relationships (Non professional interactions)

There are usually high chances of occurrence of dual or multiple relationships which may be either sexual or nonsexual (Bruhn and Levine, 1993). Dual or multiple relationships occur especially when the counselor takes up more roles with a client or combination of professional and unprofessional roles leading to loss of direction and breach of the code of ethics of the counselors. The relationships take various forms for instance; having sexual relationships with the client or ex-client, borrowing money from a client, giving and acceptance of gifts, touching or physical comforting of the client, or going into business deals with the client (Gutherl and Gabbard, 1998).

Since the counselor is vulnerable to situations that may result in dual or multiple relationships due to possibility of combination of roles, it is advisable to be careful when dealing with clients and think of the complexities involved in the unethical practices. One should reflect on the code of ethics to enhance ethical judgment and decision making in any particular situation and always carry out multiple roles and responsibilities in an ethical manner. Dual or multiple relationships are considered difficult to identify, unavoidable, harmful but not always since they are sometimes beneficial and generally controversial.

They usually tamper with the objectivity of the counseling process; enhance misuse of power and exploitation of clients. Boundaries are rules that govern our physical and emotional limits of our relationship with others. There should be a distinct boundary between me and my clients to protect privacy and reflect individualism. This ensures objectivity and professionalism in the counseling process (Cook-Greuter and Soulen, 2007). In my work as a counselor, I would consider contact time a very crucial aspect. In this, the time spent together should be considerable to avoid going past the agenda set and should also ensure that the meeting juncture is official to facilitate objectivity and does not draw the minds out of the problem to be discussed. The topics of discussion should also be limited and the extent of discussion defined to avoid going into matters that were not planned for and which could form a basis of social relationships between the counselor and the clients.

I would also check into the physical closeness when together with my clients, for example, touching each other should not be allowed and the non verbal communication mechanism should be controlled. I would also ensure that there is an emotional space between me and my clients such that there is a limit of expressing my feelings towards my clients especially in regard to sensitive topics (Skovholt and Ronnestad, 1992).

A clear boundary defines the counselor roles giving clarity regarding the range and limits of the roles, acts as a basis from which a counselor makes decisions on how and when to cross physical and psychological boundaries, acts as a reference point that reminds a counselors of the legal consequences of violating boundaries and also acts as a source of security as it helps counselors to abide by the stipulated boundary rules. To the client, a clear boundary gives him or her a strong sense of individuality due to the control accorded to him or her, acts as a basis to determine when or whether the counselor is crossing certain boundaries and if it is acceptable, creates a safe and conducive environment for the client such that he or she can give information comfortably and with ease and finally it establishes a good relationship between the counselor and the client where the client feels appreciated, empowered, and respected (Walsh, 2000).

There has been a change in perspective of dual relationships due to the complexity of the issues concerned with it. Different ethical scholars and professionals have made it clear that not all dual or multiple relationships should be avoided or perceived to be harmful. It is argued that sometimes when a dual or multiple relationships occurs in the counseling context, it is very fruitful and promotes growth and development (Kocet, 2005).

Social network sites have become very popular in modern days and everybody feels obligated to be in one or more social network groups for socialization and fun purposes. A counselor could find him or herself in the dilemma of whether he or she should be involved in socialization through the social networks with his or her client. A good example is when a counselor receives a friend request from a client on face book social network. Here, the counselor has the option of accepting, rejecting or ignoring the friend request based on his judgment of the ethical issues associated with the act of either accepting or ignoring the request.

As a counselor, I would first weight the consequences of any act bearing in mind the codes of ethics governing the counseling profession. First, accepting the friend’s request would bring our social relationship closer which is not recommended. This is because I will be giving my client the power to know much information about me through the wall post and comments and personal information in my profile in the social network and I will also know much about the client through the same. It would interfere with the boundary set and may lead to lack of respect and objectivity in the subsequent counseling sessions.

Ignoring the friend request can also create hostility between the counselor and the client and this will affect the counseling process negatively as the client may consider this as an undermining attitude or lack of importance of the counselor towards the client. This argument shows the complexity that may be posed by dual relationships. As a counselor, I would either ignore the friend request and if the client insist of the acceptance, give logical reasons like am no longer an active member on face book or may be am planning to quit or even tell her or him that my face book account is experiencing some problems and that accepting a friends request is not possible. The other option is that of accepting the friend’s request, this is tough though.

Before accepting the request I would make sure that my wall page is clear and very minimal information about me can be accessed through use of security measures and in all ways try to limit my interaction with the client through face book bearing in mind that our relationship should not be social in nature and should have boundaries. Another form of reacting to this problem is by accepting the request and still maintaining a formal relationship where I can use the social network site as a means of serious communication for example passing information on the next dates of counseling, and constantly monitoring the performance of the client hence mutual benefits (Corey, Corey, & Callan, 2007).

Reducing Risks of Dual or Multiple Relationships

Multiple relationships affect counselors and mental practitioners irrespective of the setting and clients they are associated with. This has been acknowledged in various professional codes of ethics and they warn against the effects involved in dual relationships since they affect counselors in making rational decisions in their practices. Since the dual or multiple relationships seem inevitable and there are no stipulated ways of dealing with them, it is good to check onto the ways in which the incidences of dual or multiple relationships can be minimized (Curtis and Hodge, 1994).

One should also weigh between the positive effects and the negative effects that are associated with dual or mutual relationships. Some of the ways include; defining and maintaining a healthy boundary between the counselor and the client at the beginning of the counseling session, discussing with the client the potential risks and benefits associated with dual relationships and interrelatedness of roles, be open to talk about the possibilities of arising problems and conflicts to help solve them early enough to avoid major unethical consequences.

A counselor should also seek help from other peer counselors whenever the tendency of harm due to dual relationships becomes high or when the multiple relationships go out of control since a problem shared is usually a problem half solved. Details concerning the multiple relationships should also be documented for reference in case a case arises about them, and where it is completely impossible to undertake the counseling process objectively due to the relationship with a client, it is logical to refer the client to another counselor for support and also perform a self monitoring process so as to gauge whether the motivation of the counseling process is in line with the objectives of counseling and referring to the codes of ethics where necessary (Herlihy and Corey, 2006).

Counseling involves a private interaction between the counselor and the client creating an understanding of the problem in question in a conducive environment that enhances interaction and is a very essential feature in our day to day life as human are vulnerable to things that may cause disturbance in their functioning thereby needing counseling. It is however a very sensitive aspect as the client is usually on trying moments and shares a lot of information with a stranger (Spinoza, 2010).The counselor should therefore take caution when handling the clients by exercising their skills gained through training and adhering to the counseling code of ethics, which gives a standard way of performance in counseling, to ensure that they satisfy their client’s quench and avoid worsening their condition.

Any form of counseling should always make sense at any given time and help the client overcome the problem easily without use of force. Confidentiality should be maintained at the highest level possible and multiple relationships avoided or handled carefully whenever they occur since some are considered to be helpful but only to a certain degree when integrity and rational measures are considered. It is always important for a counselor to establish a way of dealing with ethical dilemmas since they are inevitable and complex. A good idea is consulting with colleagues as this helps in combination of different ideas to come up with the best way to solve a problem that could otherwise be very difficult to solve when handled by one person.

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Ethical Dilemmas in Counseling

Contemplate these 16 conundrums..

Posted February 15, 2019 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

Ethical dilemmas are important puzzles with no easy answers but are fun to contemplate.

Of course, they exist in all forms of counseling, from short-term advising to long-term therapy , from eating disorders counseling to career counseling. Because most of my counseling experience has been as a career counselor, the ethical dilemmas I present here are career-related but most have broader applicability.

In the service of presenting as many dilemmas as possible within this space's confines, I’ll present each dilemma as pertaining to the same client. That way, I needn’t provide a separate client background for each dilemma. I’ll make our ethically challenged client a man but, of course, it could have been a woman.

1. A client was terminated as a fundraiser for an environmental nonprofit. At first, he said it was because “I didn’t make my number” but on probing, he admitted that he lied to prospects, overstating what the nonprofit had previously accomplished. Now, he says he’d like to take a shot at making a living at a long-shot career: hosting a TV, radio, or podcast show on “social change.” “I want to be a liberal Jordan Peterson.” Given his track record, reasoning, and communication skills, it’s clear to you that he’s facing lottery odds. What do you say or ask?

2. You tell them that before he selects a career, it would be wise to spend a session or two plus some homework to explore. He says, "I don't need to pay you for that. I can just use MyNextMove.org. You sense he's not self-efficacious enough to do that well enough on his own but you don't want to unduly pressure him into paying you to work with him on the exploration. What do you say or do?

3. You ask the client questions about his career history, in part to facilitate his making a clear-eyed decision on whether it’s worth the risk of trying to make a sustainable living as “a liberal Jordan Peterson.” The client ascribes his poor job history to a “racist society.” What would you say or ask?

4. The client claims to be 1/4 Hispanic and asks if it’s ethical to claim minority status on his job or graduate school applications. He argues in favor of it because he has applied for many jobs without having stated that and hasn’t landed anything, has three children, a wife who is a stay-at-home mom, and savings have run out and they face eviction for non-payment of rent. You sense he doesn’t really want your opinion. He wants your blessing. What would you say or ask?

5. The client says “I’ve been begging my wife to get a job but she says her skills aren’t great so she’d only get a low-paying job and, when you subtract the child-care and commuting expenses, it’s not financially worth getting a job. Besides, she feels the kids benefit from her staying home. In addition, she argues that before we got married, I agreed to be the sole breadwinner. But I didn’t realize how hard it would be to make it on one income let alone when I keep getting let go from jobs.” What would you say or ask?

6. The client asks you to write his resume and cover letter. You’re aware that employers use resumes and cover letters not just as a recitation of work history but as an index of the person’s ability to reason, communicate, and produce an error-free document. You consider your writing a client’s resume and cover letter to be no more ethical than a parent writing their child’s college application essay. What would you say or ask?

7. That client finally lands a job, at another nonprofit, but after the first week complains that the organization is unethical because he learned that it retains 40% of donations as "administrative expenses," so only 60% is spent on the cause. Plus, the website’s donor page makes no mention of this. What would you say or ask?

8. The client quits that job and decides to start a marijuana delivery service. You’ve read the two most authoritative reviews of the literature, one by the National Institutes of Health and one by the National Academies of Sciences and conclude that marijuana is at least as deleterious as a second alcohol and that millions of people would be greatly harmed by that. So you feel you can’t support the client’s effort to start that business. What would you say or ask?

9. When you ask how the client’s wife feels about his going into that business, he says, “She’s fine with weed but is mad that I’d want to be self-employed. She says we need financial security, that we can't afford the risk of going into business." What would you say or ask?

10. The client reveals that he vapes weed most nights, in front of his kids, who are 15, 17, and 18. It’s clear he’s not open to stopping or moderating his vaping, so you focus on the kids: “Do you think it’s wise to vape in front of your kids?” He responds, “It’s no worse than drinking in front of your kids. Millions of people do that and their kids don’t become addicted. And that way, the kids don’t feel they need to hide weed from you or to vape as a way to rebel. And, in France, wine with dinner is normal; they give it to their kids.” What would you say or ask?

11. The client says, “Paula (his 18-year-old) isn’t a school person and when finishing high school, I’m trying to get her to be in the business with me. All her friends—and she has a lot of older friends in their 20s, so they’re legal. A lot of them are in her spiritual community. She’d be a great salesman.” What would you say or ask?

12. The client returns a few months later saying he wasn’t able to compete with other marijuana delivery services and wants you to help him find a job as a fundraiser for an environmental nonprofit. What would you say or ask?

13. The client decides to discontinue working with you and a month later, phones you: “I saw another career counselor, who recognizes there’s nothing wrong with writing your resume and cover letter, and saying you’re Hispanic even it’s just 1/4 because there’s racism even against 1/4-Hispanic people. He helped me get a fundraising job.” What would you say or ask?

14. Ten years later, the client calls and says he became very successful as a fundraiser and has risen to vice president of fundraising but is sick of it: the people management , the ever-increasing fundraising quotas, and he’s thinking about returning to a simpler job. “Sometimes, I even think I’d be happier working as a $15 budtender. My wife is furious. We bought a house and have a big mortgage and we’re still paying off our kids’ college loans. Again she’s calling me irresponsible even though I’ve worked my butt off to become a VP and afford the house, a nice car, furniture, vacations, everything.” What would you say or ask?

15. As you're reflecting on clients like this person, you're wondering if it's ethical to try to help them get jobs. After all, it's a zero-sum game and if you're successful, you've taught the person tips and tricks that get him the job over more qualified candidates. That's unfair to them, the coworkers, boss, the consumer, and ultimately the larger society. On the other hand, compassion says we should treat everyone equally, especially those with deficits. Your thoughts?

16. He calls to say, "I can't get over all your implying I'm unethical and an overall jerk. You've driven me to think about committing suicide ." What would you say or ask?

The takeaway

As you review your responses to these dilemmas, is there anything you want to keep in mind?

Marty Nemko, Ph.D ., is a career and personal coach based in Oakland, California, and the author of 10 books.

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