Organisations develop ethical codes to ensure their employees comprehend the difference between right and wrong and transfer that knowledge to their actions. Despite the presence of strictly prescribed norms and rules of professional social behaviour, each person has an individual system of value orientations that has to be involved. In terms of working with clients, it is essential to recognize the value orientations and ensure the presence of both professional ethics and personal values.
Referring to ethical obligation in informing clients about personal value orientation, specialists can explain their beliefs if the situation requires. Clinical counsellors demonstrate awareness and responsiveness to interpersonal characteristics that affect the supervisory collaboration in a reciprocal way, such as personal and professional values (Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, 1999). Counsellors accept to form a documented stand-alone agreement with a trained practitioner to operate as executor, with the exclusive duty of maintaining any ethical obligations (Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, 1999). Consequently, counsellors should not enforce values that are incompatible with the aims and principles of counselling, including ethical obligations. Therapists need to study how to continue putting values into practice through learning, training, and interactions. In real cases, if a therapist is unable to progress with phases of applying his expertise to resolve the dispute, he should notify the client of his value.
What concerns putting professional ethics above all other values, it is obligatory to emphasize both factors and utilize them equally. Instructors of therapists exhibit and encourage appropriate, ethical behaviour, competent attitudes and personal values, and assure appropriate understanding of the practice’s regulatory characteristics (Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, 1999). Therefore, completing the educational program, counsellors are taught to implement their competencies, ethics, and personal values in a collaborative manner, if they do not contradict with the professionally established guidelines. A fully-qualified specialist will combine professional ethics and appropriate personal values in practice.
To summarize, counsellors and therapists should not enforce values that are incompatible with the aims and principles of counselling, including ethical obligations. Specialists need to study how to continue putting values into practice through learning, training, and interactions. Completing the educational program, counsellors are taught to implement their competencies, ethics, and personal values in a collaborative manner, if they do not contradict with the professionally established guidelines.
Reference
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. (1999). Code of Ethics. Web.