Self_Reflection

Self Reflection paper #2 – Professional & Ethical Issues Ethics grows out of an understanding of the counselor-client relationship. The welfare of the client is the primary responsibility of the counselor. Therefore, all decisions made regarding the care and treatment of the client must be made with respect and with the goal of fostering well-being. Any actions taken that do not address this goal are inappropriate. Ethics is concerned with how a moral person should behave. Ethical values are beliefs concerning what is morally right and proper as opposed to what is simply correct or effective. Ethical values go beyond cultural, religious, or ethnic differences. Ethical values embrace a more universal worldview. Countertransference occurs when the therapist responds in an irrational way; this is when they allow their personal values and beliefs to be put upon their client. It is critical that the therapist is aware of the countertransference so they are able to seek guidance into treating their own issue. If this is not recognized within a timely manner, it can potentially do harm to the client. The client therapist relationship is a vital importance in the therapeutic process and part of our therapeutic responsibility is to become so aware of our own countertransference issues that we make the cleanest possible therapeutic space for our clients to enable them to react as they need to. When I sit back now and think about professional and ethics it definitely goes hand in hand with the therapeutic process. The therapist can not treat anyone with out thinking about how they should proceed ethically and morally with a patient without reviewing how best they can treat them. For instance they are making sure that countertransference and transference doesn’t come into play. I can foresee my countertransference issue accruing when the topic of abortion is brought up. Countertransference is when the therapist puts his or her values or beliefs on the client. And if this should accrue this could be doing harm to the client in the therapeutic process. I am pro choice when it comes to abortion, being pregnant and wishing you weren’t is probably the worst feeling a woman can have. Knowing that if you brought a child into the world and you didn’t want it or you would have to give it up for an adoption is such a dis-hearting way to start off ones life. So if a client were coming to me regarding this issue as she is unable to provide for the child and has no place to go and is confused on how she ended up in this position. The red warning sign in my head would go up and I would say, “Why would you keep a child you didn’t want or could not support and there are option that could get you out of this situation”. This could prompt me into putting my values or beliefs upon her and that would be wrong and unethical. As a therapist we are not here to give our personal issue and what we feel our client should do. It is up to the therapists to engage in e therapeutic process that will allow the client to make their own choice according to their values and their beliefs. Countertransference is considered an ethical issue as this process can hinder the client therapy process.  One of the 6 principles of ethical decision making is nonmaleficence, which means due no harm.  The client therapist relationship is so important in the therapeutic process as the client is relying on therapist as the confidant to get them through the healing process of their issue.  If the therapist is unaware of their own issue and countertransference the values and beliefs upon their client then the therapy process has been contaminated. To be an effective therapist one must be able to understand their values, beliefs and the condition of their clients.  Acquiring this understanding beings with the therapist awareness of the cultural origins of any values, biases, and attitudes they may hold. Clearly an effective therapist must take into account the impact of culture/ multicultural issue. To be an effective therapist one must be able to understand their own cultural conditioning, the condition of their clients, and the social political system of which they are apart of. Acquiring this understanding beings with the therapist awareness of the cultural origins of any values, biases, and attitudes they may hold. A major part of becoming a diverse therapists/counselor involves challenging the idea that the values we hold are not automatically true to others. We also need to understand how our values are likely to influence our practice with diverse clients who embrace different values. Furthermore, becoming a diverse counselor/therapist is not something that one acquires overnight or all at once; rather through an on going process that will never stop. It is unrealistic to expect a counselor to know everything about cultural background of a client, but some understanding of the clients cultural and ethnicity background is essential. There are a few things that are important within the counseling environment which is informed consent. Despite the consequences of your theoretical structure, informed consent is an ethical and legal requirement that is a primary part of the therapeutic process. By educating your clients about their rights and responsibilities, you are both empowering them and building a trusting relationship with them. This will form benenifience and fidelity with the client as this is important to have. This also goes hand in hand with confidentiality. When one becomes a therapist we must remember to keep our client information very private unless we must apply the duty to warn. A therapist has a responsibility to protect other people from dangerous clients and to protect clients from harming themselves. If this should transpire, it is the therapist responsibility to contact the appropriate authority. This is called the duty to warn. I have also learned that it is important when treating your client that you provide adequate care. This will aid you in a malpractice lawsuit if one should arise. So as a therapist documenting is very important. Therapist should always document every session as this will help you to remember your client issue My highest life’s goal is to be one of the fortunate individuals to try to unlock the secrets and mechanics of our wonderful brain, and thus offering real help to all in need. I believe that everyone is capable of success in all aspects of life and I am dedicated to offering my time, energy heart and spirit to assisting people realizing their full potential. Due to my outlook on life and potential in everyone, I incorporate my positive attitude in everything I do. Life is a never ending learning experience. One of the most important lessons we can ever learn from comes from within. As we go through life, it is essential that we learn who we are and have the ability to recognize and grow from our own personal strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what we are good at and what we are weak in is the only way we can truly grow as individuals. Reference Corey,G., Corey M.S., Callanan P,. (2010). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. 8th Ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole, Cengage Learning. Grosso, F. (2010). Complete Applications of Law and Ethics for California Marriage and Family Therapists. 9th Edition. Palm Coast, FL: FGrosso.com. Corey,Gerald (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. 8th Ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole.