Analysis Of The Ethical Decision-Making Model

Shaundrea Bowen
Ethical Decision Making Model
Liberty University

Abstract
In the field of professional counseling, there will be times where clients will come into your office and have more than one problem that they need help with. It is the job of the counselor to help them in any way that they can even if that means to refer those with serious illnesses. Unfortunately, there may also be issues of ethics that will arise from clients with multiple needs and those in the care of other physicians. Sometimes the counselor is put into a position where they must make an ethical decision on what to do when placed in a tough situation. When faced in an impossible situation the ACA Code of Ethics states rules to follow or one can reach out to
It is my job to protect my client if I feel that she is a harm to herself. As professional counselors, the ACA Code of Ethics states that we should “seek training in areas in which they are at risk of imposing their values onto clients, especially when the counselor’s values are inconsistent with the client’s goal” (ACA, 2014, A.4.b). I would not want to judge Marcie for her decision of dating a married man just because it is something that I do not agree with. Yes, I would bring it up in our sessions and therefore setting it as a goal for her to find a significant other of her own but my main focus would be to help her through her suicidal thoughts and behaviors and to focus her time on mending her own problems. Also, another ethical dilemma would be the fact that Marcie has been having suicidal thoughts in the past and is now in possession of a gun that she could potentially use to harm herself. The code of ethics speaks in regards to foreseeable harm of any client as the counselors are “required to protect clients or identified others from serious and foreseeable harm or when legal requirements demand that confidential information must be revealed” (ACA, 2014, B.2.a). Another appropriate code of ethic that should be discussed would be the fact that Marcie is being transferred to another physicians care and both the counselor and the psychiatrist should “ensure that appropriate clinical and
Firstly, autonomy has to do with protecting the client and respecting any clear decisions that they may make (Neukrug, 2014, p. 132). Marcie has asked me as her counselor to not let her mother know about what is going on with her. Because Marcie is 22-years-old and can think for herself then I have to respect her wishes of not telling her mother. However, because Marcie is a potential threat to herself then if her condition gets worse then morally I feel as if I should at least let her mother know. Which I believe goes hand in hand with the moral principle of fidelity. Fidelity is related to maintaining trust (Neukrug, 2014, p. 132) in which Marcie expects to be able to trust me and that I will keep all of our conversations confidential as her counselor. As stated before, this can be hard when Marcie has now been referred for psychiatric evaluation and I feel that she should have a close family member to watch over her which would be her mother. However, Marcie does not want her mother to be involved with her process. In Marcie’s case, my number one priority for her would be keeping her trust as my client. Since she is of legal age to make her own decisions and legally I have a right to keep her information confidential then it is my place to protect her wishes and to not tell her mother about her situation. I would not want to violate any legal issues with Marcie as my