The discussion of the event which transpired over the course of the counseling with any party without the prior consent of the client would be an unethical act. It is possible to refer to the American Counseling Association’s (2014) Code of Ethics which asserts that trust is the backbone of the professional relationship. Counselor is obliged to maintain appropriate boundaries and keep the privacy and confidentiality of their clients safe. Therefore, the disclosure of such information to the father will result in a breach of the client’s privacy and will be considered a violation of trust. Trust is one of the core ethical values for decision-making in resolution of counselling issues. Since the action of revelation may dissolve the established trust, the resolution should consider the path which will prevent this development.
In my opinion, the most appropriate action plan for this situation would entail the discussion of informed consent. It would be best to clarify for the client the implications of informed consent. According to ACA, it is “an ongoing part of the counseling process, and counselors appropriately document discussions of informed consent throughout the counseling relationship” (2014, p. 4). The client is not a minor, and since she recently graduated from college, her ability to provide voluntary consent is confirmed. Consequently, I will try to explain to the concerned parent that I have an ethical obligation not to discuss and reveal any information from the counseling without the client’s written consent.
Following that discussion, I would let my client know that her father had phoned to ask about what had been discussed thus far and whether I could persuade her to accept the position at the law firm. I would be sure to tell my client that I stayed within the bounds of our confidentiality agreement. Furthermore, I believe it would be helpful for me to learn if my client’s or her father’s cultural beliefs have an impact on how they approach counseling and confidentiality. Family values play an important role in the career choice (Hicks et al., 2021). The decision to undertake parental career choice might be a cultural normal or the client could be okay with the father attending the following therapy session. The course of action should account for these details with prior examination.
References
American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. Web.
Hicks, J. F., Flamez, B., & Mayorga, M. (2021). Career counseling: Theory, practice, and application. Cognella.