Interaction between Ethics and Laws

Interaction between Ethics and Laws

Counseling is considerably most sensitive profession. It is confined in various ethical codes, which are obligatory upon a practitioner. However, in this societal arrangement, violation and abuse of ethic is becoming a regular practice. There are practitioners who are destroying the esteem of this profession.

Ethical Principles of Counseling

There are six primary ethical principles in counseling. These principles explain the ethical guidelines to counselors and psychotherapists. An ethical decision of a counselor that does not contradict with any ethical principle regarded as true code of conduct. Nevertheless, counselors do come across with such situations where they experience serious difficulties in maintaining equilibrium among different ethical principles. Being a counselor, it is his or her responsibility to regard and respect all circumstances and suitably drive a decision out of it. Those Six Ethical Principles of counseling are as follows (Psychotherapy and Counseling Federation of Australia, 2005).

Autonomy

Autonomy, the first principle, states about the significance of client's rights. A counselor should respect his (her) clients' privacy, confidentiality, contract, or consent etc. Counselors must notify their clients about any possible conflict of concerns as soon as possible. The principle of autonomy does not allow manipulating the will of a client, even for social remunerations (PACFA, 2001). However, this principle does not apply to clients who are unable to understand the implication of their actions. Such clients include children and mental health patients (Crowhurst & Dobson, 1993).

Beneficence

This principle emphasizes upon the well-being of a client. Counselors need to consider the interests of their clients and practice with in their limits of proficiency (Welfel, Danzinger, & Santoro, 2000). Counselors must not offer any such service to their clients for whom they are not proper trained or experience. However appropriate alternatives should be offered for the best of the client. This principle becomes mandatory when a counselor deals with a client who is immature, has an inadequate understanding of the service, is extremely distressed or suffering from serious disturbance etc (PACFA, 2001).

Fidelity

This principle states that a practitioner must honor his (her) trustworthiness. To resolve ethical issues, it is essential for a practitioner to regard him as trustworthy for its clients. The interest and benefit of the client are placed as priority (O'Neill, 1990). To resolve ethical issues, it is necessary for a counselor to regard him as reliable for his clients.

Justice

The word “Justice” is quite self-explanatory. This principle demands neutral and unbiased treatment of all clients with proper delivery of the service. Counselors are anticipated to act in a neutral manner to individuals or groups. It points out the conflict and relation between legal and ethical bounding. Justice must be provided equally to all individuals, and it got appreciated to differentiate among people, such as children and mental health patients, but regard them with equal value and justice (PACFA, 2001).

Non-maleficence

This principle states that a practitioner must not harm its client through any mean. Practitioner must avoid any sort of emotional, financial, sexual or any other variety of physical or psychological mistreatment ...