Potential ethical issues
Any person who works as a counsellor has the potential to encounter ethical issues. Marriage or family counsellors are likely to face specific challenges and ethical dilemmas in their work. However, by understanding the root cause of the problem, and how to handle the problem when it a rose, a client is better equipped to continue helping his/her clients thereby remaining professional. This paper will review three potential challenges that counsellors face and how they can be resolved.
Marriage and family counsellors advance the welfare of families and individuals; they have to respect the rights of the people seeking help or assistance. They also have to ensure that they offer professional guidance without favouring any of the party involved. In order to offer professional services, they have to ensure that they make informed consent; they should use a language that is reasonable to the clients; his/her decision should be made without undue influence. Corey and Callanan (2011).
According to Jenkins (2002), confidentiality is another potential ethical issue which marriage and family counsellors faces. Marriage and family therapists should keep the affairs of the clients secret and confidential. He/she should safeguard and dispose the client’s records in a way that maintain confidentiality and in accordance with the laws and professional standards. The communication between the client and the counsellor has to be kept confidential.
Marriage and family counsellors should maintain high standards of professional competence and integrity. They should be competent enough in order to provide professional services to their clients. They achieve their competency through education, training or supervised experience. The therapist should ensure that they avoid conflict of interest which may impair work performance and raise questions about their integrity. Clarke (2012).
Marriage and family therapist should provide professional services to their clients in order to prevent the challenges that they are likely to encounter. They should be guided by laws and the professional standards in pursuit of their work.
References
Corey, G. Callanan, P. (2011) Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. U.S.A: Cengage Learning.
Jenkins, P. (2002) Legal Issues in Counselling & Psychotherapy. London: SAGE.
Clarke, A. (2012) Genetic Counselling: Practice and Principles. Canada: Rutledge.
