ethical counselling practice
TRANSCRIPT
Ethics Topic OneEthics Topic One
April 2011April 2011
Year Two Practicum ClassYear Two Practicum Class
By AA MacKenzieBy AA MacKenzie
Introduction to Agency WorkIntroduction to Agency Work
NZAC 7.1 Responsibility to Colleagues:NZAC 7.1 Responsibility to Colleagues: (a) Counsellors should treat colleagues (a) Counsellors should treat colleagues
with respect, fairness and honestywith respect, fairness and honesty (b) Counsellors shall not solicit clients (b) Counsellors shall not solicit clients
away from other counsellorsaway from other counsellors (c) Counsellor shall avoid establishing a (c) Counsellor shall avoid establishing a
professional relationship with clients of professional relationship with clients of other counsellors without appropriate other counsellors without appropriate communication with the counsellor or communication with the counsellor or agency involvedagency involved
NZCCANZCCA
3.2 Counsellors recognise the boundaries 3.2 Counsellors recognise the boundaries of their own competence and provide only of their own competence and provide only services for which they are qualified by services for which they are qualified by training and/or experience. They refer training and/or experience. They refer matters outside their areas of experience matters outside their areas of experience and training to appropriately qualified and training to appropriately qualified persons. persons.
3.5 Counsellors do not exploit their 3.5 Counsellors do not exploit their professional relationships with employers, professional relationships with employers, supervisors or other colleaguessupervisors or other colleagues
Responsibility to NZACResponsibility to NZAC 7.2: Counsellors should take action when 7.2: Counsellors should take action when
they consider another counsellor's they consider another counsellor's behaviour could be judged as professional behaviour could be judged as professional misconduct, conduct unbecoming a misconduct, conduct unbecoming a member, or conduct prejudicial to the member, or conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Association.interests of the Association.
Such action may include:Such action may include: Bringing concerns to the attention of the Bringing concerns to the attention of the
counsellorcounsellor Notifying the counsellor's supervisor, Notifying the counsellor's supervisor,
teacher or employerteacher or employer Using a formal complaints processUsing a formal complaints process
Other responsibilitiesOther responsibilities
7.3 responsibility to the profession7.3 responsibility to the profession 7.4 Collaboration with Counselling 7.4 Collaboration with Counselling
Colleagues and Other ProfessionsColleagues and Other Professions 8.1 Counsellors and the Law8.1 Counsellors and the Law (a) Counsellors shall work within the (a) Counsellors shall work within the
law.law. 8.2 Relationship with Employers and 8.2 Relationship with Employers and
Third Party FundersThird Party Funders What does this mean for you?What does this mean for you?
Ethical PracticeEthical Practice
Applies to every part of what we do Applies to every part of what we do and who we areand who we are
Not limited to what happens in the Not limited to what happens in the counselling roomcounselling room
Applies to all other professional Applies to all other professional relationshipsrelationships
Bersoff’s perspective (1996)Bersoff’s perspective (1996)
From sound characterFrom sound character
GrowsGrows
Ethical Conduct = knowledge + clear Ethical Conduct = knowledge + clear understandingsunderstandings
Where the counsellor can RESPOND withWhere the counsellor can RESPOND with
Maturity, judgement, discretion, wisdom, Maturity, judgement, discretion, wisdom, prudenceprudence
GOAL: to develop Virtue EthicsGOAL: to develop Virtue Ethics
Principle EthicsPrinciple Ethics
Principle Ethics “Is this situation Principle Ethics “Is this situation unethical?”unethical?”
Based on obligation and methods Based on obligation and methods which focuses on solving a problemwhich focuses on solving a problem
Focuses on acts and choices “What Focuses on acts and choices “What shall I do?”shall I do?”
Influenced by laws & ethical codes Influenced by laws & ethical codes Need to begin here & develop into Need to begin here & develop into
virtue ethicsvirtue ethics
Virtue ethics:" Am I doing the Virtue ethics:" Am I doing the best for my client?”best for my client?”
Focussed on character traits of the Focussed on character traits of the counsellor and non obligatory ideals counsellor and non obligatory ideals to which professional aspireto which professional aspire
Even without an ethical dilemma are Even without an ethical dilemma are compelled to work ethicallycompelled to work ethically
Five characteristicsFive characteristics
1.1. Motivated to do what is right and for Motivated to do what is right and for the right reasons (judge it to be right the right reasons (judge it to be right vs. rules and law).vs. rules and law).
2.2. Possess vision & discernment – Possess vision & discernment – sensitivity- know what principles to sensitivity- know what principles to apply to a situation and how to apply apply to a situation and how to apply themthem
3.3. Possess compassion, a regard for Possess compassion, a regard for welfare of others and sensitivity to welfare of others and sensitivity to suffering. Able to take action to reduce suffering. Able to take action to reduce suffering.suffering.
4.4. Possess self-awareness – capacity for Possess self-awareness – capacity for self-observation – know how assumptions self-observation – know how assumptions convictions & biases are likely to affect convictions & biases are likely to affect their interactions with otherstheir interactions with others
5.5. Connected with and understand the Connected with and understand the mores of their community and the mores of their community and the importance of community on moral importance of community on moral decision making. They understand the decision making. They understand the ideals and expectations of their ideals and expectations of their community.community.
So what would virtue ethics look So what would virtue ethics look like?like?
Talk in your group about Talk in your group about responsibilities to your colleagues, responsibilities to your colleagues, profession, funding agencies & the profession, funding agencies & the wider communitywider community
So what would virtue ethics look like?So what would virtue ethics look like?