Ethical Decision-Making in Counseling: Key Dilemmas Explained
School
Walden University**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
COUN 6100D
Subject
Management
Date
Dec 11, 2024
Pages
2
Uploaded by MagistrateElephant4800
Discussion: Take a Stand! EthicalDilemmasInitial ResponseMany situations exist that require ethical decision-making. The ACA and other counseling organizations have provided ethical codes to assist counselors in navigating these complicated situations. Ethical situations are unique, much like the counselors who must work through them, and many are not simple to resolve. Evaluations of various ethical situations are described below:1.In Situation 4, a client suffers from alcohol addiction and becomes violent when intoxicated. She calls the counselor while intoxicated and threatens to kill her mother with a gun. The counselor attempts to notify the client’s mother before calling the police. This situation is handled ethically because the client is known to have violent behavior and is actively threatening another individual, even detailing the method. The counselor attempted to notify the individual whose life was at risk. When he did not hear from her, he notified the proper authorities. This situation falls under section B.2.a of the ACA, stating that disclosure does not apply when protecting identified individuals from serious foreseeable harm (2014).2.In Situation 6, a client suffers from significant depression, despite undergoing current treatment with Prozac. The counselor refers the woman to the staff psychiatrist in the center to adjust her medication. This situation is handled unethically. Though the counselor is aware the issue lies outsideof his scope of practice and appropriately refers the client to the in-house psychiatrist, it is unethical to make self-referrals. This situation falls under section A.10.a of the ACA, stating that counselors working in private practice cannot use self-referrals unless explicitly described by the organization’s policies (2014). In this instance, the client mustbe informed of additional options outside the facility. This was not accomplished in this scenario. 3.In Situation 12, a counselor decides to administer a personality inventory with race-sensitive items to a Mexican-American client.This situation is handled unethically. The counselor is not being culturally sensitive in implementing an inventory with known racial insensitivities. He is violating A.2.c of the ACA Code of Ethics, which states that counselors must conduct themselves in a culturally appropriate way, including using culturally appropriate tools and adjusting their practices to be culturally considerate (2014).
ReferencesAmerican Counseling Association. (2014).ACA Code of Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/Resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf