ANALYSIS PAPER OF DILEMMA

Analysis Paper of Dilemma



Analysis Paper of Dilemma

Introduction

Counselors make hundreds of decisions as they work with clients. They use professional skills and knowledge to gather information in order to assess, clarify, categorize, and respond to client concerns. Most often, counselors, after some consideration and reflection, know how, or if, to respond to situations. Yet, on occasion, counselors may find themselves facing uncertainty, confusion, or doubt in relation to their or their clients' concerns, behaviors, or needs. Supervision and peer consultation are two recognized and typically effective methods that counselors use in order to clarify concerns related to clinical or treatment questions. Occasionally, counselors will encounter questions or circumstances that seem to originate from ethical and/or legal concerns. These questions, by their very nature, can create a heightened sense of concern or urgency for counselors.

Analysis Paper of Dilemma

Strike & Soltis (2004) mention ethics or ethical codes are standards of behaviors and practices agreed upon by the members of professional organizations such as the American Counseling Association (ACA) or the American Psychological Association (APA). Ethical codes include a general rather than a specific description of mandatory and aspirational behaviors and beliefs. Counselors are expected to be familiar with and to adhere to these codes as a privilege of membership in the organization. Compliance with the ethical codes ensures client welfare, standardizes the practices of the professional, and is a means of professional self-regulation (Strike & Soltis, 2004). Counselors use these codes to guide their practice and determine the appropriateness and degree of obligations they may have in relation to their clients. Yet, being familiar with and adhering to ethical codes will not prevent the counselor from encountering circumstances that are confounding and/or confusing (Duska & Whelan, 2005). The ethical codes are necessary but not sufficient to prevent counselors from encountering these circumstances or ethical dilemmas.

Ethical Dilemmas in Context

A dilemma is generally defined as a circumstance or situation that is perplexing because a decision is required between equally unacceptable or unfavorable choices. An ethical dilemma incorporates the concepts in the preceding definition and is a situation in which there is an apparent conflict of moral standards or imperatives (Strike & Soltis, 2004). In essence, to uphold one standard would mean violating another. For example, many of the ethical codes in counseling and psychology are based on what some define as universal moral principles. The most commonly identified moral principles are autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity. Counselors who uphold these principles will support clients' freedom to be self-determining in word and deed (autonomy), will do no harm to clients (nonmaleficence), will do good or promote clients' health and Wellness (beneficence), will be fair and equitable in their treatment of all clients (justice), will be trustworthy and uphold their word and promises (fidelity), and will be truthful in their interactions with clients (Strike & Soltis, 2004).

These moral principles are typically presented to counselors as a holistic set of discrete and equally occurring ideals, yet in reality these principles are in ...