Why Is Ethical And Safety Important In Counselling

Ethical and Safety Considerations As counsellors begin to embrace new methods of service provision, we must be prepared to handle ethical, safety, and professional issues that may arise. It is always incumbent on the counsellor to ensure that all practices maintain the rights and safety of the client and fall within the realm of ethical practice (CCPA, 2007). Further, embracing the use of technology in counselling introduces practical considerations that face to face counselling does not. Many jurisdictions across Canada have composed guidelines for the ethical use of technology in counselling and psychology (e.g., BCCPA, 2011; CCPA, 2007; CPA, 2007). It is important that counsellors refer to these guidelines before undertaking the provision of services
Online therapy pushes the boundaries of current regulation standards. Harris and Youngren (2011) point out that current regulatory standards are based on the assumption of a face to face service delivery model. In Canada, regulatory qualifications for practice vary from province to province. Until standardised regulations are adopted on a national level, counsellors must be cautious about providing service outside of their jurisdiction. The responsibility must lie with the counsellor to ensure that they are qualified to meet the regulatory qualifications for practice for the province in which the client resides. It may be wise for ocunsellorss to refrain from providing service outside of the province in which they are licensed to practice.
Further to this, evideance indicates that specialised services best meet the needs of sexual assault victims. Based on findings by Starzynski & Ullman (2014), counsellor competence in working specifically with survivors of sexual assault results in higher satisfaction and a better experience with post-assault counselling. Knowledge of the key factors that mitigate the impact of sexual assault is vital no matter what delivery model is being