Ethical Issues In Mental Health Therapy

Mental health therapists providing counseling services face a number of challenges when presented with couples and families requiring their assistance. One of the key tenants of this type of therapy is to always remain cognizant of the needs of the patient (Corey, Corey, Corey and Callanan, 2014, pp. 413). There are a myriad of personal, professional and ethical challenges clinicians will encounter. During case study development for psychology classes, it is imperative to provide the students with enough background knowledge about the hypothetical situation in order to make an informed decision about treatment and ethical dilemmas. In order to yield a desirable outcome, the scenario should be conveyed in a manner that is understandable

Depending on the individual providing the counseling, they could potentially hold the belief that since Ronald is successful; the best course of action would be for her to stay at home with the baby. Additionally, if a therapist does not hold the belief that divorce is an option in his or her own personal marriage this could present a conflict of interest. Especially if either one of the clients believe that divorce is a better option than fighting in front of their child. These thought processes are a good example of the values and opinion of the therapist potentially interfering with the counseling process. Therapists have a duty to not influence the client by asserting their opinion on the situation, but aiding the client to work towards a solution of their own (Corey et al., 2014, pp 413). A therapist who imposes his or her own opinion on the client has the potential to cause irreparable damage on the client’s relationship or even their lives. If Ronald and Paula have accumulated a significant amount of debt during college, advising Paula to quit her job could cause another issue. Furthermore, this assumption is sexist in nature due to suggesting Paula quit her job in order to become a stay at home mother. Her own personal goals and desires may be to become branch manager at a particular bank do not have to change, Paula has options and choices. In order to prevent this scenario from occurring, the therapist must remain aware of their own thoughts and beliefs about polarizing topics (American Psychological Association, 2016). By assessing their own psyche before the start of treatment, this will enable the clinician to identify and resolve any shortcomings they hold about their