Legal And Ethical Practices In Counseling

677 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Key concepts of counseling

Legal and Ethical Practices Assessment are an essential part of life and in the counseling profession. Through assessments, counselors are able to identify issues, evaluate, and plan interventions in addition to a wide array of other benefits. The purpose of this essay is to analyze legal and ethical issues in assessment practices in counseling. Furthermore, it is imperative to understand the role of assessments in counseling and identify best practices.
Assessment Laws as they Relate to My State
In the article, Counseling and testing: What counselors need to know about state laws on assessment and testing. Measurement And Evaluation In Counseling and Development, there is a vast amount of information about efforts to limit testing and how …show more content…

Moreover, it is imperative to follow the code of ethics in order to be in compliance. All of them are important however the ones that stood out the most were efficacy, privacy, and Americans with disabilities.
Efficacy
Counselors must ensure that proper measures are taken when administering an assessment. This includes but is not limited to providing proper tests, feedback, and following up with the clients’ needs and follow the code of ethics (Drummond, Sheperis, & Jones, 2015)
Privacy
Ethical counselors abide by privacy guidelines. The role of the school counselor is to support students’ right to privacy and protect confidential information received from students, the family, guardians, and staff members (ASCA, 2010)
Americans with Disabilities As with any population, counselors must strive to recognize the diverse experiences Americans with disabilities experience. Moreover, proper modifications must be made to accommodate to their needs (Drummond, Sheperis & Jones, 2015).
Reflection
As a future counselor learning and recognizing what makes a counselor efficient is imperative.

Show More
Related

  • REVIEW OF THE PROFILE OF CREATIVE ABILITIES

    1233 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ethics and counseling. Counseling & Human Development, 13(1), 1-12. ASGW (2007) Best Practice Guidelines.

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemmas In Substance Abuse Counselor

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    For Example if confidentiality is the dilemma The NAADAC Code of Ethics states that” Every effort is made to protect the confidentiality of client information, and in very specific cases or situations to disclose information appropriately and according to federal law”(NAADAC, 2011, para. 5). In as much According to ACA Code of Ethics counselors are required to violate confidentiality only “to protect clients or identified others from serious and foreseeable harm or when legal requirements demand that confidential information must be revealed” (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2005). Therefore, since trust is one of the most important aspects of a counselor client relationship a counselor must be certain if confidentiality is the ethical dilemma being presented, there should be clear-cut reasons for the information to be disclosed. If a counselor is educated with the proper laws and the relevant Code of ethics pertinent to there field of study they can validate their decision to supervisor, clients, and even legal entity’s if

    Read More

  • What Is The Intercultural Model Of Ethical Decision Making

    1660 Words  | 4 Pages

    Whether in school settings or other contexts, dealing with ethical and legal issues can be challenging for counselors. In many instances, the practitioner meets individuals from different backgrounds in terms of age, culture, religion, economy, and education among other factors. Each of these people have problems or needs that may be unique to their origins or not. In order to come up with effective solutions, a counselor needs to interpret the problem using the different world views including those of the clients. The counselor also needs to incorporate the underlying principles, policies or procedures in these interpretations as well as in the generation of the possible courses of actions. In fact, the proposed solutions need to be evaluated

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemmas Of A School Counselor

    1386 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Oxford dictionary defines an ethical dilemma as “a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action, either of which entails transgressing a moral principle.” It is not uncommon to face such predicaments in the workplace but few occupations present more ethical dilemmas than that of a school counselor. Although jobs in counseling and social work often present ethical dilemmas, having to maintain confidentiality, share information with parents and bypass consent all while maintaining an honest relationship with the student seems almost impossible to accomplish. Deciding whether or not to breach confidentiality in order to help a minor student can seem like an unnerving task. Essentially, the final decision

    Read More

  • Counselor Ethical Dilemma

    1003 Words  | 3 Pages

    Counselors are faced with many ethical dilemmas that require the counselor to make decisions that are in the best interest of the student. It is important for counselors to use an ethical decision-making model so that consistency is brought to the process of making ethical decisions (Remley & Herlihy, 2014).

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Professional School Counseling

    270 Words  | 1 Pages

    Professional school counselors have a unique role within their schools. They are advocates for student, parents, colleagues, and communities. Professional school counselors are also seen as leaders, collaborators, and consultants within their school and their community. It is the school counselor’s ethical responsibility to know, understand, and implement the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) ethical standards no matter what capacity they are active in.

    Read More

  • The Transcultural Integrative Model: The Kitchener's Critical Evaluation Model

    734 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Kitchener Critical Evaluation Model came about in the 1980’s and is considered the building block for other models. This model believed there was a need to deeper the understanding of ethics beyond a counselor’s moral judgment (Cottone & Claus, 2000). Kitchener created five principles for counselors to follow that create a guide for what is ethically expected. The first principle is autonomy, which is given to the client for them to find their freedom. The second principle is beneficence, which is the counselor’s duty to seek out the good. The third principle is nonmaleficence, which is the counselor’s responsibility to do no harm to the client. The fourth principle is justice, which is counselors dedicating fairness to clients. The final principle is fidelity, where counselors are loyal to their clients (Herlihy & Corey, 2015). Kitchener viewed right and wrong on a critical evaluation level. Depending upon each situation there is

    Read More

  • Ethics and Law in the Field of Counseling

    1411 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ethics is the judgement and the moral actions used in interactions with cultures and society and its focus is on the client well-being. Ethics is defined by Remley and Herlihy (2010) in the counseling field as “professional behavioral and interactions” (p.4). Counselors do rely and are guide by Codes of Ethics. The role and relevance of the ethical principals, the ACA and AMHCA Code of Ethics are the base of the counseling profession. Without them this career would not have a guide on how the professionals should act and react professionally in all the different situations that are faced in this field.

    Read More

  • The Ethical Decision Making Model: The Kitchener Critical Evaluation Model

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    Strengths of the Ethical Decisions Making Model are Kitchener 's Critical Evaluation Model (1984), which involves understanding how ethical decision-making approaches play an important role in the ethical landscape of counseling. It involved the notions of loyalty, faithfulness, and honoring commitments (Kitchener, 1984). It’s best to form trust within the client/counselor relationship and implement faith in the growth of their therapeutic relationship. Kitchener (1984) proposes four goals to strength the model of increasing ethical sensitivity, improving ethical reasoning, developing ethical responsibility and tolerating ambiguity (Kitchener,

    Read More

  • Ethical Issues In Counseling

    1132 Words  | 3 Pages

    A counselor should always keep their thoughts to themselves and remain open-minded about the situation. The only time a counselor should share their thoughts is if it helps the client with their situation that they are dealing with. “Counselors must practice only within the boundaries of their competence (Standard C.2.a.), and, if they “determine an inability to be of professional assistance to clients” (Standard A.11.b.), they should facilitate a referral to another provider. (Kocet, M. M., & Herlihy, B. J. (2014). Addressing Value-Based Conflicts Within the Counseling Relationship: A Decision-Making Model. Journal Of Counseling & Development, 92(2), 180-186 7p. doi: 10.1002/j.1556-6676.2014.00146.x).” Keeping your thoughts to yourself is

    Read More

  • Counseling: Ethical Issues

    1774 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ethical issues in a counseling practice lay the foundation of a therapist in practice. Ethics are at the center of how the counseling process functions and operates in a successful manner for the clients who seek help in such a setting. In order for the counseling profession to be ethical and hold professional recognition, there are many facets that need to be examined and outlined to make sure all counselors and practitioners are functioning at the highest level and withholding their duties required by the counseling profession. The first introduction so to speak of the area of ethics also happens to be one of the first steps in counseling, which is the informed consent. The informed consent provides the basis of what happens or will be happening in a counseling setting and serves to inform the client to their rights, responsibilities, and what to expect. Most importantly, the informed consent is in place for the client’s benefit. It also is important to understand that culture and environment play a role in the treatment of a client and how theories can positively or negatively impact this treatment. Therapists need to understand how to work within the context of a theory while being able to understand the individual in their own environment. Although theories are put into place to serve as a framework, there are also alternative ways to approach counseling, one example being evidence-based practice. Such an approach is very specific, which presents a series of solutions for counseling as a whole, but also brings forth many problems. Every approach or theory introduces ethical concerns that need to be taken into consideration by the entire counseling community and how each can positively and negatively affect clients and the pr...

    Read More

  • Legal and Ethical Issues in School Counseling

    1387 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stone, C. B., & Zirkel, P. A. (2010). School Counselor Advocacy: When Law And Ethics May Collide. Professional School Counseling, 13(4), 244-247. Retrieved March 12, 2014, from http://dx.doi.org/10.5330/PSC.n.2010-13.244

    Read More

  • Counseling Ethics Case Study

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the case study of Gwen, there is one major problem presented. That problem is whether it is ethical for a supervisor to counsel his supervisee. I think that Gwen is going through the grieving process after learning about her mother’s condition and is in a vulnerable spot. She feels like she cannot continue her work with hospice patients because of personal feelings. Ken thinks that Gwen is a great therapist and does not want to see her give up. He also feels like he would be the most effective person to give Gwen counseling, because of their trusting relationship. I think that this would be a bad idea and could cross professional boundaries. The Ethical Guidelines for Counseling Supervisors strongly suggest against a supervisor entering in a psychotherapeutic relationship with supervisees. It is important to limit the possibilities of a dual relationship. Dual relationships can easily become unethical and present problems or possible harm to the client, which in this case is the supervisee. They can also create dependency or have unfavorable symbolic meanings. I also do not think it was a good idea that the counseling happened in the supervision sessions. This time should be spent on improving knowledge and helping clients. Spending most of the supervisor sessions working on personal problems could potentially harm the progress and well-being of the supervisee’s clients. My reaction to Ken blending the roles of supervisor and counselor is that it was not a good, professional, decision. He has entered a dual relationship with Gwen that could potentially cause harm to her or create a conflict of interest. Since Ken is Gwen’s supervisor, he has more power over the relationship than Gwen does. This power can easily be abused by Ken...

    Read More

  • Assessment: The Importance Of Assessment In Counseling

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    Assessment is used as a basis of identifying problems, planning interventions, evaluating and diagnosing clients. Assessment involves identifying statements; actions and procedures to help individuals, groups, couples and families make progress in the counseling environment. Although counselors have the opportunity to limit their scope of practice with respect to modalities, theories, and types of clients, a counselor cannot function without an understanding of the processes and procedures of assessment in counseling. Formal and informal help counselors more accurately assess client issues, create case conceptualizations and select effective empirically proven therapies. The focus of assessments is on gathering information. Thus testing is a way in which counselors construct a measure of psychology through instruments or specified procedures to obtain valid and reliable methods in assessing a client. Counselor uses established scientific procedures, relevant standards and current professional knowledge

    Read More

  • The Mini-IPIP Personality Scale : A Test Critique

    2164 Words  | 5 Pages

    Whiston, S. C. (2009). Principles and applications of assessment in counseling. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

    Read More

More about Legal And Ethical Practices In Counseling

Open Document