Lecture on Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice

Overview

• Focus on the Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice for the National Counselor Exam (NCE).
• Consists of approximately 29 questions, equating to 18% of the exam.
• Covers history, ethical codes, and membership organizations related to counseling.

History of Counseling Organizations

• 1952: American Personnel and Guidance Association, later American Association for Counseling and Development.
• 1953: APA's first ethical guidelines.
• 1960: National Association of Social Workers formed.
• 1961: First draft of the ACA Code of Ethics.
  • Most recent version: 2014 ACA Code of Ethics.
• 1992: American Association of Counselor Development becomes ACA.

Types of Counselors

• Mental health counselors
• Career counselors
• School counselors
• Crisis counselors

Professional Membership Associations

• Standardize practices and ethics in counseling.
• Represent the profession and govern indirectly via standardized ethics and research.
• Licensure is at the state level, but states refer to ACA ethical principles.

ACA's Eight Core Values

1. Enhancing human development through lifespan.
2. Honoring diversity and embracing multicultural approaches.
3. Promoting social justice.
4. Safeguarding counselor-client relationships.
5. Practicing competently and ethically.

ACA Code of Ethics

• A codebook for ethical situations and contexts.
• Includes Six Ethical Foundational Principles:
  1. Autonomy - Respect for client's self-choice.
  2. Non-maleficence - Avoiding harm to clients.
  3. Beneficence - Maximizing benefits for clients.
  4. Justice - Fair treatment.
  5. Fidelity - Trustworthiness.
  6. Veracity - Truthfulness.

Applying Ethical Principles

• Use foundational principles when specific ethical codes don't exist for a situation.
• Important for addressing scenario-based questions on the NCE.

Forms of Governance

• Licensure: State-level control.
• Legislative Actions: HIPAA, ADA, FERPA impacts.

Notable Court Cases

• Tarasov: Duty to warn rule.
• Hedlund: Extension of duty to warn.
• Jablinski: Duty to consult prior patient records.

Emerging Topics

• Telehealth: Ethical best practices and strategies are increasingly relevant.

Ethical Considerations

• Countertransference: Avoid imposing counselor values onto clients.
• Self-care: An ethical requirement and foundational value for counselors.

Conclusion

• Standards ensure legitimacy and accountability within the counseling profession.
• Important preparation for the NCE involves understanding these standards and ethics.