What would you do if you were providing a psychological test to a counseling client and an issue
arose in which your ethics conflicted with the established state and federal laws and codes of ethics?
Provide an example to support your response.
While working with a counseling client and administering a psychological test, my personal values and beliefs
may never interfere with my professional ethics. I must always follow the ACA Code of Ethics, ACA Code of
Ethics A.4.b. states that counselors are aware of and avoid imposing their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and
behaviors (ACA, 2014). While counselors are their own individual person with beliefs, morals, and values…it
is important to remain professional and keep our own views from influencing our professional advice. Code of
Ethics A.11.b. states that the counselor must not even transfer the client based on their own personal views. If
the counselor is having a hard time with the clients’ views and ethics, they may want to seek out advice from
their superior in how to adjust to the situation. If a counselor is working with a client and is unable to abide by
the ACA Code of Ethics and provide their best to the client, this is when it may be time to refer the client out
for their own safety. If this is the case, the counselor should then take proper steps to work on their mental
health to prevent this from being an issue in the future. Counselors are required to practice self-care, seeking
their own counseling would be beneficial. Counselors acknowledge that resolving ethical issues is a process;
ethical reasoning includes consideration of professional values; professional ethical principles, and ethical
standards (ACA, 2014).
Reference
American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014
ACA code of ethics
.
https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
