Introduction
Client awareness is a crucial aspect of an ethically driven practice. Awareness refers to the client’s ability to exercise self-determination and derive personal benefit from the intervention (Parsons & Dickinson, 2016). Informed clients can make more informed decisions about whether to participate in therapeutic activities (Parsons & Dickinson, 2016). Informed consent may be provided when the counselor provides a complete account of their current and planned steps.
Employer-Requested Substance Abuse Assessment
Scenario
An employee is sent to counseling after his employer suspects alcohol misuse. At the first session, the counselor explains that the purpose is to assess possible alcohol abuse and its impact on job performance. The counselor clarifies that while detailed interview content will remain confidential, a written summary of clinical findings will be shared with the employer as a condition of returning to work. The counselor outlines this process in writing and asks the employee to provide informed consent.
Analysis
In this scenario, the counselor informs the client. Firstly, the client is aware of the meeting’s actual purpose. Moreover, the counselor warned the client that some of the information received would be disclosed in the final report to the employer. Suggested steps to solve the problem will be presented in writing, which adds to the effective communication of the information to the client (Parsons & Dickinson, 2016). The client is also asked to sign an informed consent form before the consultation begins. The counselor has taken all necessary steps to keep the client informed.
Minor Student Disclosure of Sexual Identity
Scenario
Enrique, a 14-year-old student, meets with his school counselor and shares feelings of sadness, loneliness, and confusion about his sexual orientation, though he denies self-harm thoughts. He agrees to continue counseling. After the session, the counselor consults a supervisor, who advises informing Enrique’s parents about his sexual orientation concerns. The counselor then contacts the parents to arrange a meeting.
Analysis
The scenario presents an example of an uninformed client. In the case of adolescents, it is necessary to involve parents in the therapeutic process, but confidentiality must be strictly maintained. The counselor violates the concept of giving all the information by failing to warn the adolescent about the following planned steps (Parsons & Dickinson, 2016). The teenager did not agree to the call to his parents; he did not give his consent to this action, and may oppose the disclosure of his private information. Such actions not only violate ethics but can also erode a teenager’s trust.
Conclusion
The two examples discussed are opposites in the concept of the informed client. In the first case, the client received all the necessary information from the counselor and was proposed to sign an informed consent form for the intervention. In the second example, the client was not informed about the counselor’s potential actions or the risk of disclosing confidential information. Informing clients should always be the counselor’s responsibility and the basis for ethical practice.
Reference
Parsons, R. D., & Dickinson, K. L. (2016). Ethical practice in the human services: From knowing to being. SAGE Publications.