Questions of Ethics in Counselling and Therapy

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ISBN: 9780335206100 | 0335206107
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 12/1/2000

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This book offers numerous questions and answers about ethics in counselling and therapy, training, counselling supervision, research and other important issues. The authors bring psychodynamic, person-centred, integrative or eclectic approaches to their selection of questions and answers. They also bring a variety of experience from independent practice, institutional and voluntary agency settings. Between them they have experience as counsellors, psychotherapists, trainers, counselling supervisors and authors. The questions cover a range of issues that practitioners need to consider including: confidentiality, constraints and the management of confidentiality; boundaries, dual and multiple relationships, relationships with former clients; non-discriminatory practice, issues for individuals and agencies; competence and the proper conduct of counsellors and therapists and the profession's responsibilities to deliver non-exploitative and non-abusive help to clients.Questions of Ethics in Counselling and Therapy also contains three appendices offering useful information. It is written in a clear, accessible style and is aimed at a wide readership in counselling and therapy, ranging from trainees to more experienced practitioners.

Acknowledgements

xiii

Abbreviations

xiv

List of contributors

Introduction

(2)

Caroline Jones

Section 1 An overview of ethics relating to counselling and therapy

(14)

Caroline Jones

Section 2 Ethics in counselling

(78)

Ethical counselling is properly described as highly confidential. What are some of the limits to complete confidentiality within a counselling relationship?

(4)

Caroline Jones

What should counsellors consider when contacted by persons such as solicitors or the police and other authorities in connection with client work or when clients request such assistance on their behalf?

(6)

Caroline Jones

What are the ethical issues to consider when a client offers a gift?

(2)

Caroline Jones

What are my responsibilities when a client's actions or behavior puts others at risk or when a client is at risk from the behaviour of others?

(4)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

How can I ensure I am aware of my prejudices and minimize their effect on my counselling relationships?

(4)

Roger Casemore

Are there any occasions when it is acceptable for a counsellor to have a friendship and/or a sexual relationship with a former client?

(5)

Caroline Jones

How do I know that I am working within the limit of my competence?

(5)

Gabrielle Syme

A counsellor wants to bring a counselling relationship to an end in the considered belief that the work is complete but the client disagrees - what issues should be considered in deciding a way forward?

(3)

Gabrielle Syme

How should I proceed when working with someone who expresses serious suicidal thoughts and feelings? What issues need considering?

(4)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

Does a counsellor have a responsibility to challenge a client's prejudices?

(5)

Roger Casemore

The client fails to come to the next session - do you contact the client? How might the setting of the counselling also influence the decision?

(3)

Gabrielle Syme

A couple enter counselling and it quickly becomes apparent that the female partner is very largely dependent on the man. Evidence quickly accumulates indicating that the dependence is being used by the man to coerce the woman to adopt patterns of eating and of physical and sexual behaviour that have reduced her to a very debilitated state. Yet she adores him and has no complaint. It is he who complains that she is untrustworthy. He shows no awareness of the harm being done to his partner, nor of his coercive behaviour. What ethical issues require consideration?

(7)

Derek Hill

Neil is confined to a wheelchair and has an untreatable degenerative condition. He and partner Doug seek couple counselling and make it apparent that they want to set up a contract between them which would lead Doug to give Neil a lethal dose of drugs when Neil appears no longer to be able to tolerate his own deterioration. The counsellor is asked to monitor negotiation between the partners to ensure that no hidden agendas distort the contract both say they want. What ethical issues require consideration?

(3)

Derek Hill

What are a counsellor's responsibilities when an adult client discloses childhood sexual abuse and where the perperator(s) may still be abusing?

(3)

Caroline Jones

At assessment, a potential client tells me she has been seeing another counsellor for some time but wants to make a change - the other counsellor is unaware of this so how should I proceed?

(2)

Gabrielle Syme

Are there ethical as well as practical issues about keeping case-notes?

(5)

Roger Casemore

What are the ethical considerations when a former client persists with unwanted contact?

(3)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

How might the ethical issues when counselling children and young people be different from when working with adults?

(4)

Roger Casemore

What are my responsibilities when I suspect another counsellor is behaving unethically?

(6)

Caroline Jones

Section 3 Ethics in training and continuing professional development

(18)

A trainer has a reputation for covert discriminatory practice but this is apparently unchallenged. Whose responsibility is this and how should it be addressed?

(4)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

The theoretical underpinnings of much couple therapy are based on Western thought and the central importance given to the individual, to autonomy and to an expectation that what we call intimate relationships can be conducted in private. The UK now contains many ethnic minorities for whom these ideas are in conflict with their cultural norms. Is it ethical to train couple counsellors on the basis of Western thought alone?

(5)

Derek Hill

Is it ethical to give clients to new trainees, and should trainees have their clients chosen for them?

104

(4)

Lesley Murdin

Should courses teach classical psychoanalytic viewpoints on, for example, homosexuality and perversion?

108

(5)

Lesley Murdin

Section 4 Ethics in counselling supervision

113

(16)

Is it ethically acceptable for a supervisor with no personal experience of the counselling of couples to supervise those doing that work?

113

(3)

Derek Hill

What is the ethical rationale for having ongoing counselling supervision? BAC obliges members to undertake regular ongoing counselling supervision while my UKCP registration only requires me to be supervised when I need it - which should I follow?

116

(3)

Gabrielle Syme

I have supervised a trained counsellor for the last year and I am not happy with the situation. His work is still poor by my standards but he disputes this. Am I responsible for his mistakes or his future development or work with clients?

119

(4)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

My supervisee has had to cease counselling very suddenly because of a serious condition. Am I responsible for the welfare of her clients? Should I take on any of her clients myself if I have space?

123

(6)

Gabrielle Syme

Section 5 Ethics in research

129

(8)

How do counsellors and clients measure an effective counselling relationship? What precautions are necessary in follow-up evaluation of counselling? What are the implications for the counsellor and the profession?

129

(3)

Caroline Jones

How does the profession of counselling manage the demand for evidence-based research that counselling is effective when this poses risks to clients particularly in the context of services delivered in an agency or institutional setting?

132

(5)

Derek Hill

Section 6 Other important questions

137

(29)

What are the arguments for and against avoidable dual or multiple relationships such as being a counsellor and a trainer, a trainer and a supervisor or a supervisor to a work colleague who is also a friend?

137

(4)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

How should an employing agency or institution support counsellors and manage the occasions when a client refuses to work with a counsellor at first sight due to race, culture or disability or for other reasons?

141

(5)

Roger Casemore

Sex or sexual activity with a client, trainee or supervisee is unethical in our profession but what constitutes sexual activity in a counselling, training or supervisory relationship?

146

(4)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

You get a student from a counselling course who, it becomes evident, is at present unsuitable to be practising as a counsellor and in your view should not be allowed to qualify because of unmanageable emotions or personal experience. The student is not inclined to report any of this to their tutor, who is not aware of the problem. How might this ethical dilemma be resolved?

150

(4)

Roger Casemore

What are the issues to consider when, having clarified the immediate boundaries between counsellor and client, trainer and trainee or supervisor and supervisee, and a contract has started, it is then discovered that the pair have overlapping worlds?

154

(4)

Derek Hill

What ethical considerations need to be taken into account when writing up client work for training, CPD, research and publication?

158

(3)

Carol Shillito-Clarke

What are the ethical arguments for making therapy a required part of counsellors' personal development?

161

(5)

Derek Hill

Afterword

166

(3)

Caroline Jones

Appendix 1: Definitions

169

(2)

Appendix 2: List of professional associations and how to contact them

171

(2)

Appendix 3: Warning signs

173

(1)

References

174

(6)

Index

180

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Questions of Ethics in Counselling and Therapy

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials