Chapter 1 Textbook Notes

Chapter 1: Introduction  Introduction o Ethics is about understanding what actions we should take, which rules govern our conduct, what “right thing” we should do, and what we ought not to do  Also about how we justify our actions o Ethics involved cognition and affect, and a “moral sensitivity” that includes the recognition that our actions affect the welfare of others o Clients’ values and morals also need to be clearly understood so that empowering, collaborative decisions can be made o When facing situations that may have ethical quandaries, couple and family therapists can make decisions using the following 4 criteria  What are the ethical components?  What are the clinical components?  Are there any potential legal issues?  Are there any professional issues to reflect upon? o Ethical dilemmas arise most often when the welfare of people may be at the stake o Ethical issues typically arise out of the clinical context and can affect the therapist-client relationship because this violates the confidentiality and trust the parents put in the therapist  About 27% of people leave therapy when they are reported to CPS  Philosophical Roots to Ethical Decision-Making o Therapists have borrowed philosophy and use the moral principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, justice, beneficence, veracity, and fidelity  Autonomy—respecting individuals and their right to make decisions for themselves with regard to their own health and well-being  Nonmaleficence— “above all, do no harm”  We educate clients in our informed consent about the risks and benefits of treatment. An assumption of nonmaleficence is that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks  Justice—all humans should be treated fairly. When ethical codes dictate that therapists provide services without discrimination the principle of justice is employed  Beneficence—actions intended to do good for others; the value of caring in couple and family therapist is derived from this principle  Veracity—the importance of truth telling  We want to be honest and transparent with our clients. There has long been questioning of the use of paradoxical interventions and emotional manipulation, and whether or not these types of interventions are ethical, because of deceit/lack of transparency  Fidelity—honoring commitments and prompting trust  Case Examples o Martin was a family therapy intern at a university Couple and Family therapy center working with a young man, Jared, who was referred for anger management counseling.