Coping With Ethical Dilemmas In Psychotherapy

New and experienced psychotherapists alike can find themselves overwhelmed by an ethical quandary where there doesn't seem to be an easy solution. This book presents positive ethics as a means to overcome such ethical challenges. The positive approach focuses on not just avoiding negative consequences, but reaching the best possible outcomes for both the psychotherapist and the client. The authors outline a clear decision-making process that is based on three practical strategies: the ethics acculturation model to help therapists incorporate personal ethics into their professional roles, the quality enhancement model for dealing with high-risk patients who are potentially harmful, and ethical choice-making strategies to make the most ethical decision in a situation where two ethical principles conflict. Throughout the decision-making process, psychotherapists are encouraged to follow four basic guidelines: Focus on overarching ethical principles Consider intuitive, emotional, and other nonrational factors Accept that some problems have elusive solutions Solicit input from colleagues and consultation groups Numerous vignettes illustrate how to apply positive ethics to many different ethical challenges that psychotherapists will likely encounter in practice.

This edited volume comprehensively examines the critical ethical challenges that arise in the practice of counselling and psychotherapy. It translates philosophical positions and professional ethical guidelines in a way that can be applied to practice. The various chapters focus on specific ethical issues that emerge in working with a range of different client groups; for example, children, couples and families. While some ethical imperatives are common across the board, others could be more closely associated with certain client groups. Practitioners might experience uncertainty in working with vulnerable client groups; for example, lesbian/gay/transgender/intersex (LGBT) clients, or persons who report intimate partner violence. Several chapters raise questions, provide information and additional resources to enhance ethically informed practice. Chapter contributions also highlight the ethical dilemmas that might be unique to certain contexts; for example, private practice, schools and consultation-liaison settings. This volume also addresses contemporary and relatively less understood playing fields like ‘digital ethics’ related to therapist-client interface in the internet space and the navigation of ethical dilemmas in the newly emerging field of employee assistance programmes which address mental health needs in the corporate sector. Written by experienced practitioners of psychotherapy, and culturally contextualized, this is a valuable resource for academics and practitioners interested in psychotherapy and counselling.

"New and experienced psychotherapists alike can find themselves overwhelmed by an ethical quandary where there doesn't seem to be an easy solution. This book presents positive ethics as a means to overcome such ethical challenges. The positive approach focuses on not just avoiding negative consequences, but reaching the best possible outcomes for both the psychotherapist and the client. The authors outline a clear decision-making process that is based on three practical strategies: the ethics acculturation model to help therapists incorporate personal ethics into their professional roles; the quality enhancement model for dealing with high-risk patients who are potentially harmful, and; ethical choice-making strategies to make the most ethical decision in a situation where two ethical principles conflict. Throughout the decision-making process, psychotherapists are encouraged to follow four basic guidelines: Focus on overarching ethical principles; Consider intuitive, emotional, and other nonrational factors; Accept that some problems have elusive solutions, and; Solicit input from colleagues and consultation groups. Numerous vignettes illustrate how to apply positive ethics to many different ethical challenges that psychotherapists will likely encounter in practice"--Publicity materials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Helps future counsellors to see professional ethical identity development as an ongoing process that can be continuously improved. Ethics in Counseling and Therapy develops students' ethical competence through an understanding of theory.

The Ethics of Group Psychotherapy provides group psychotherapists with the ethical and legal foundation needed to engage in effective decision-making in their everyday group practices. This text provides readers with a framework for understanding ethical dilemmas through a review of major models of ethical thinking, including principlism, feminism and the ethics of care, and virtue ethics. The authors use this foundation to explore those problems emerging most routinely in group practice, among which are safeguarding members’ personal information, protecting members’ autonomy, and helping members to process differences—particularly those related to privilege and oppression—in a way that furthers interpersonal relations and social justice. Throughout the text, practical tools such as using assessments to aid in member selection and tracking progress and outcome through measurement-based care are offered that bolster the group psychotherapist’s effectiveness in ethical decision-making. Featuring questions for discussion and items to assess the reader’s master of the material, this text will be a valuable tool in classroom and small-group learning.