“Ethics This” Amy Kesner, PhD, LPC, LADC

Thank you!!

• Amy Kesner, PhD, LPC, LADC• (918)691-2226• www.allthingspsychological.com

H Helping without Hurting

• Therapy and counseling hold the promise of help for those who are hurting and in need.

• Our personal ethics should acknowledge the awesome responsibility that is inherent in this promise, as well as the process of our profession.

• So…to what extent do you maintain an adequate awareness of the nature and implications of the professional relationship and of your profession interventions?

Things to consider when self assessing personal ethics

• Is it unethical as long as there’s no intent to do harm?• It’s not unethical as long as you weren’t feeling well that day and

couldn’t be expected to perform up to your usual level of quality.• It’s not unethical as long as none of your clients has ever

complained about it.• It’s not unethical as long as you can name at least five other

clinicians who do the same thing.• It’s not unethical as long as you don’t intend to do it more than

once.• It’s not unethical as long as your patients condition (probably a

borderline) made them so difficult to treat and so troublesome that they elicited whatever it was you did.

Mechanisms of Accountability

• Professional ethics committees• State licensing boards• Civil courts (i.e. malpractice)• Criminal courts

Some facts:

• A survey found that 21 percent of therapist refused to report child abuse;

• 21 percent illegally divulged confidential information;• 9 percent engaged in sex with a patient;• 6 percent engaged in nonsexual dual relationships;• 6 percent refused to make legally required warning

regarding a dangerous patient• (Pope & Bajt, 1988; http://kspope.com/ethics/research8.php )

Justice: Law or Ethics

• Henry David Thoreau (1849/1960), advised that if a law "requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law"

Licensing BoardsCodes of Ethics

• LADC• LPC• LCSW

Ethics This Rules of Play

Do not worry about giving “right” answer based on agency policy. Goal is to discuss the dilemma from various points of view.No criticizing others for their opinion.Cannot be penalized by supervisors for expressed opinions or thoughts regarding the fictional scenarios.

Fictional Scenarios

QUESTIONES OR

COMMENTS