What are the standard ethics to be considered in counseling
The effectiveness in counseling depends on counselors ability of maintaining an satisfactory standard of practice. These standards include ethics required in counseling. Different standard of ethics to be considered in counseling are:
Confidentiality: when it comes to confediality, everything that is shared by the client within the four walls of that room should be kept confidential. A client puts all his hope and trust into a counselor bearing in mind that his views will be respected and protected by keeping it confidential. When there is a leakage of information from the counselor about the clients case, first of all the client will feel cheated, lose his trust. This news may eventually spread and the people too will not want to come for counseling. Whereas there are certain exception to this confidentiality where in the counselor can open up if he sees and is confident about the serious harm or danger that the client may cause to him/herself or to the public. For eg. the client wants to commit suicide and the session has made no improvement as the client is mentally ill.
Charging fairly: the counselor should charge a fair price for the sessions conducted approved by APA irrespective of clients caste, race.
Client Safety or protection: Every counselor before practicing his counseling skills should be firm to ensure safety of their clients. Clients safety would be physical as well as psychological, physical safety is ensured by maintaining the surrounding environment comfortable and psychological safety is being genuine, understanding and gentle with the client thru words, actions and behavior.
Required qualification or training: The Counsellor should posses the required qualification and should be trained enough to handle the client. He should know to use the required skills and alter the type of therapies eg. CBT, Gestalt, PCT as per the needs of client.