Ethics
The ethical standards to be found in any human service field are complex and nuanced regarding specific conditions and specific kinds of relationships established between a human service provider and their client/patient. However, there are several themes and concerns that always seem to surface in any book about or discussion concerning ethical practices. For instance, in one of the most often referenced books about Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, Kenneth Pope and Melba Vasquez (2016) focused on such standard ethical issues as the appropriate relationship between provider and client/patient (especially regarding sexual relationships), confidentiality, supervision (ongoing and emergency, administrator and use of psychological tests, availability between sessions, and record keeping.
Pope and Vasquez also addressed legal issues such as informed consent, required disclosure, liability, and malpractice. Important emerging and controversial ethical issues concerning the use of teletherapy, Internet therapy, and other emerging technologies were also considered. Of greatest importance is the consideration given to matters of ethical reasoning by Pope and Vasquez. In a world of VUCA-Plus, there is little of value in just trying to “play by the rules” and a simple referencing of ethical codes and regulations will be inadequate when dealing with the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, of provider/client relationships, or with the turbulence of human services needs (e.g. impact of viruses) and frequent inconsistencies of mid-21st Century regulations (e.g. transgender counseling).
The state of ethical compliance in the human services is not made easier by the absence of a Hippocratic oath in psychology (or virtually any of the other human services). There is no ceremony to solemnly swear to abide by some code of conduct and some set of values (which would bring psychotherapy and clinical psychology into the spiritual realm).
Disclosure
A specific ethical issue challenges the practices of all mental health workers. This is the so-called Tarasoff provision that requires a breaking of confidentiality when there is a risk of harm to one’s client/patient or other people. A therapist may need to take appropriate action, which could include breaking confidentiality if their client/patient expresses a threat to harm themself (e.g., suicidal thoughts) or another specific person (e.g., assault or violence). Furthermore, if a family member informs the therapist that the client/patient seriously intends to harm someone, the therapist may need to disclose information to protect that person. Therapists must also report child abuse, child sexual assault, and elder abuse to relevant public offices, such as Child Protective Services.
