Ethical decision making free essay sample

Abstract Countertransference is how therapists distort the way they perceive and react to a client (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). Therapists are expected to identify and deal with their own reactions with consultation, personal therapy, and supervision that their clients will not be negatively affected by the therapist’s problem. Personal therapy is an effective way for therapists to raise their awareness of probable areas of countertransference. A therapist’s countertransference can brighten dynamics of a client. Countertransference can show itself in many different ways. Therapists also need to know how to make ethical decisions (Corey, Corey, Callanan). Responsibility implies that recognizing any conflicts between professional and personal values and also dealing with them effectively. No one ethical decision- making model is most effective, but professionals need to familiarize with one that best fits them. If you do not adequately deal with discomfort you expe rience with your client, it will influence your behavior in the future with that client. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical decision making or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Introduction This week’s assignment will be discussing a conflict that occurred between a therapist and her client. Her son turns out to be, and her client is insulting all gay people to her, and this is a situation that she is trying to solve without having a problem with her client. Steps will be taking to making an ethical decision and also to a resolution later on in the assignment. The client will be included in making my decisions as well. The APA Ethics Code is important for decision- making in accounting for resolving ethical issues. Autonomy is the freedom of clients to be self- governing within their cultural and social framework (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). Nonmaleficence means to avoid doing harm. Beneficence is doing well for others while promoting the well -being of clients. Justice means to treat others justly and equally. Fidelity means professionals make real commitments and keep their promises. Veracity means to be truthful or truthfulness. All of these terms are the six basic moral principles for ethical decision making. Ethical Dilemma Case This case was between a counselor named Ruby, and a client named Henry (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). Henry is extremely hostile to people who are homosexuals and who have contracted AIDS. Henry is not in counseling for his feelings about gay people, but is there to work out his resentment over his wife who had left him. Henry stated that gay people are deviant, and that they deserve to contract AIDS if they do get them. Ruby has a son who happens to be gay, and she is taken aback by Henry’s comments about gay people. Henry’s insults towards gay people affect Ruby emotionally. Ruby has found that Henry’s views are interrupting her attempts to work with Henry (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). Ruby is starting to wonder if she should tell Henry that her son is gay or not (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). She is worried that is she does not address this issue to him that she will no longer be able to work with him. Then she wonders if she should talk to a colleague instead and not tell Henry how his insults affect her. She also wonders if she should tell Henry that it is bothering deeply by him being prejudice against gay people, but not tell him about her son. She wonders that because of her own countertransference that it may be best to just refer to him the reason she is having trouble working with him. Finally, Ruby thinks that she should just put her own feelings aside and attempt to work with Henry by reducing his negative reactions and prejudice against gay people (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). Steps to Resolution and Making Ethical- Decision-Making The steps I would take to towards a resolution would be to analyze the consequences, analyze the actions, and make a decision. Analyzing the consequences will help to consider the positive and negative consequences of the situation. â€Å"Who will be helped by what you do?†, â€Å"Who will be hurt?†, â€Å"What kinds of benefits and harm are we talking about?†, and â€Å"How does all of this look over the long and short run?† are questions to consider whenever in an ethical dilemma situation. Next, I would analyze the actions. I would consider all of my options from a different perspective. I would see if my options measured up against moral principles like equality, respecting peoples rights, honesty, recognizing the vulnerability of individuals weaker or less fortunate than others, fairness, and respecting the dignity of others. Then I would see if any of the actions that I was considering crossed the line, in terms of ethical principle. Finally, I would make a decision. I would take both parts of my analysis into account, and then I would make a decision. The steps I would take to ethical decision- making would be identifying the dilemma, identifying the potential issues, reviewing the relevant ethics code, knowing the applicable laws and regulations, and obtaining consultation, considering probable courses of action, enumerating the consequences of various decisions, and choosing what appears to be the best course of action. It is vital to determine whether a situatio n truly involves ethics or not (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). The first step to resolving an ethical dilemma is recognizing that a problem exists and identifying what that might be. After I have collected all the info I need to determine that there is an ethical issue, I would then describe the critical issues and forget about the ones that are not relevant to the issue. The next thing I would do is review the relevant ethics code (Corey, Corey, Callahan, 2011). This would mean I would consider whether my own ethics and values are consistent with the relevant codes. Then I would make sure that I was up to date on federal and state laws. Next I would consult with one or more colleagues that I trusted to obtain different perspectives on my concern and to come to the best possible decision. I would then take time to think about the range of courses of action. Then I would consider the implications of each course of action for the client, for me as the client, and for others who are related to the client. Finally I would make the best decision for the conflict, while considering the information received from various sources. The client would be involved in making decisions by me consulting with him fully and appropriately. I would make sure that the decision made was not insulting cultural values or experiences of the client (Corey, Corey, and Callahan, 2011). I would also make sure that the decision made was the best decision possible. APA Ethics Code The American Psychological Association (APA) revises and constructs ethic codes that strive to reflect the practical aspects and aspirations of ethical decisions created by the members of the organization (Fisher, 2009). The APA Ethics Code helps practioner’s be able to identify legal problems as they arise in work. Many of the situations practioner’s encounter professional and ethical judgment that will also have legal implications. The APA guidelines for psychotherapy with