Family Therapy Ethics

Examine Morality in Marriage and Family Therapy

Morality Addressed In The Context of Marriage & Family Therapy

It is my belief that morality should be addressed in the context of Marriage and family Therapy as long as it pertains to the context of a therapist’s role in the therapeutic process relational to the client, client’s family, and associations of their subsystems. Contractual agreements for instance can offer a method of clarity for the client, so they understand through the entire therapeutic relationship, what boundaries are defined as and the consequences of breaching them. The issues of disclosure, association, the person considered to be the client, expectations of therapy, methods used, referrals, billing, number of estimated

Describing potential scenarios of morality and a therapist’s obligation to uphold the strictest moral code directly relating to their interactions with the client, such as avoiding any sexual contact with the client, their family, friends, or associates, in avoiding dual relationship issues and the leverage of power and or manipulation on either side for example. A client’s understanding of their moral responsibility to the therapeutic relationship should be included as well as in the specific therapist expectations. I indicate the specific context it should be addressed in because morality can be defined differently for each individual and a therapist’s definition needs to be perfectly clear from the beginning of therapeutic sessions and process and agreed upon by all parties before moving

The Code of Ethics begins with a promotion to service and advocacy for all of our community members. Exhibiting good citizenship is a key factor in representing a solid moral code.

Standard 1 (2015) elaborates on how Marriage and Family Therapists are to treat individuals in an equal and respectful manner negating our own beliefs, preconceptions, or memberships negating discrimination of any kind. Individuals must be informed of their therapeutic process and treatment. Clients also have a right to or deny consent prior to services through contractual agreements, promoting a client’s opportunity to make well informed, autonomous decisions throughout the sessions regarding both the risks and benefits of treatment, including disclosure. Marriage and Family therapists are bound to a commitment of confidentiality to their specific client and not to nontherapy members of the client’s system unless guided by