Questions and Answers on Ethics in Action
Ethics in Action Segment Responses
Liberty University
SEGMENT ONE: MANAGING BOUNDARIES
1.If this was your client, what would you say and do? Be specific. Why would you respond this way? If this were my client, I would further explore the reasons she desires the out of office interaction, and the possible risks and benefits of this interaction. For instance, I could say, “You say that meeting in the office makes you feel uncomfortable, can you elaborate more on that?” By asking such a question, we may be able to discern the underlying reasons for wanting to meet outside the office. It is possible that the nature of the client helper relationship makes her uncomfortable and she is looking for more of a social interaction, which would not be beneficial to the therapeutic process. We also have to look into personal and/or cultural values that could affect the nature of the relationship. Instead of focusing on whether or not to take the interaction outside of the office, it would be important to really dig into the underlying reasons for this suggestion. As a counselor I would try to avoid crossing certain boundaries, and/or violating ethical standards. As client and counselor we could work together to find a way that would help make the interactions a bit more comfortable, but still maintaining the professional aspect of the relationship
2. What do the ACA and AACC Code of ethics say regarding managing boundaries? What is your response to this?
The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) and the AACC Code of Ethics (2004) do not explicitly ban the interaction of client and counselor in a professional relationship outside of the office. These particular interactions would be defined as boundary crossings. According to Corey, Corey, Callanan (2011), “a boundary crossing is a departure from commonly accepted practices that could potentially benefit clients.” (p275) As such, these interactions do not fall under the category of non
Liberty University
SEGMENT ONE: MANAGING BOUNDARIES
1.If this was your client, what would you say and do? Be specific. Why would you respond this way? If this were my client, I would further explore the reasons she desires the out of office interaction, and the possible risks and benefits of this interaction. For instance, I could say, “You say that meeting in the office makes you feel uncomfortable, can you elaborate more on that?” By asking such a question, we may be able to discern the underlying reasons for wanting to meet outside the office. It is possible that the nature of the client helper relationship makes her uncomfortable and she is looking for more of a social interaction, which would not be beneficial to the therapeutic process. We also have to look into personal and/or cultural values that could affect the nature of the relationship. Instead of focusing on whether or not to take the interaction outside of the office, it would be important to really dig into the underlying reasons for this suggestion. As a counselor I would try to avoid crossing certain boundaries, and/or violating ethical standards. As client and counselor we could work together to find a way that would help make the interactions a bit more comfortable, but still maintaining the professional aspect of the relationship
2. What do the ACA and AACC Code of ethics say regarding managing boundaries? What is your response to this?
The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) and the AACC Code of Ethics (2004) do not explicitly ban the interaction of client and counselor in a professional relationship outside of the office. These particular interactions would be defined as boundary crossings. According to Corey, Corey, Callanan (2011), “a boundary crossing is a departure from commonly accepted practices that could potentially benefit clients.” (p275) As such, these interactions do not fall under the category of non
References: American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). (2004). AACC Code of Ethics: The Y2004 final code. Retrieved from http://www.aacc.net/about-us/code-of-ethics/ American Counseling Association (2005). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author. Corey, G., Corey, M., & Callanan, P. (2011). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions, (8th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks