Trauma, Disasters & MH Counselors: Ethical Issues of Power and Control: Part II Paul David Fornell, MS, MCC, NCCC, LPCC

What does Power and Control mean to you?

BIG PICTURE Generations? Experiences? Values? Needs? Wants? Predispositions? What worries you? What do you desire?

Ethics Lightening Round!

You are supervising a beginning counselor who works with a very diverse clientele – they use the same informed consent statement with every client.

A colleague who works in a small rural town has several clients who attend the same church as this counselor.

You’ve taught many students and supervised many as well. Over the years you’ve developed friendships with a number of them.

A client of yours, who has been having severe financial difficulties, comes to their next session and suggests that they barter with you for your services – they have exceptional construction skills and your kitchen really needs help!

Several colleagues of yours at a community agency frequently discuss clients outside of sessions and outside of case management meetings.

A senior colleague of yours, and someone with a very high profile in your community, is still using DSM III.

A student of yours, who is getting ready to start their internship with a hospice program, has just lost their best friend to suicide.

Decision Making Process ID Problem Nature /dimensions of problem? Code of Ethics Consultation Course of action? Consequences of action or inaction Evaluate selected decision Implement/act Review, revise Note about other codes of ethics? AMHCA?

Life long supervision & consultation Pre, peri, & post education Required counseling for all students

What you want to do you do, the rest is just talk. -Paul Fornell

Consult, Consult, Consult Feelings What am I feeling about this? Thoughts What are my thoughts about this? Actions What will I do (want to do) about this?

Neither to condemn nor condone Dr. George Keppers

Values Clarification Raths, Harmin, Simon, et. al. Choosing From alternatives Consider consequences Choosing freely Prizing& Cherish Publicly affirm ActingAct Act with consistency Note: Can change with new information

Ethics Scenario: Client Counselor Board Member Supervisor

You are a counselor You have terminated with your client, but when they were still in counseling you had a personal relationship with them. This was an intimate relationship and it was mutual, consensual and ended on a very positive note. They are now pursuing action against you with the state licensure board. What are you thinking…feeling…about this relationship…& about the actions being taken against you?

Counselor part 2... You really feel terrible about this. You know that it was wrong ethically, but the two of you were so happy together that the ethical questions just didn’t seem to matter. You want to do the right thing but are scared to death about losing your license. You are also very confused about your former client’s actions, as they seem so out of character for them, and are wondering if someone or something else is behind all of this.

You are a client You have terminated with your counselor, but when you were still in counseling you had a personal relationship with them. This was an intimate relationship and it was mutual, consensual and ended on a very positive note. You are now pursuing action against the counselor with the state licensure board. What are you thinking…feeling…about this relationship…& about the actions you are taking against the counselor?

Client part 2… You really didn’t want to pursue any action with the board at all. But, your current significant other has pushed you to do this because they think you should. They are adamant that what the counselor did was wrong and they should be punished. You have a lot of mixed feelings because you still care for the counselor and also want to please your current partner.

You are the counselor’s clinical supervisor/consultant. You have known about this relationship that the counselor has had with their former client. The counselor has discussed it many times in your consultations with them and you have warned them repeatedly that their behavior while very human was also unethical. Now you have learned that the former client has filed charges against the counselor and you are concerned about what will happen next. What are you feeling…thinking…and, what further actions do you think you should take at this point?

Clinical Supervisor/Consultant part 2… Years ago you had come up before the licensure board because a former client accused you of malpractice. They had claimed that you didn’t know what you were doing and had harmed them by your incompetence. While all of the charges and allegations were eventually thrown out by the board, you are worried that this situation may drag you back before them and you are very worried about how this might reflect on you as a professional.

You are a member of the state licensure board. You have received a complaint from a consumer who says that they had an intimate relationship with their counselor. The counseling relationship has been terminated, but not because of this. It actually ended on a positive note. This consumer – former client – says that they engaged in the relationship with their counselor as a willing participant, but now they feel that what happened was wrong. What you are…feeling…thinking…about this and what actions do you believe that you should take?

Licensure Board Member part 2… When you were appointed to the board by the governor you were told that you were selected because of your tough stand on unethical behavior by any professional. You believe that no matter what happens between a client and their counselor that the laws of your state and the ethical code of the profession must be upheld at all costs! There is no room for any leniency.

Further thoughts, reflections, considerations of the scenario?

What would your mother say? What would your lawyer say?

It is the smart person who seeks your expertise, and the strong person who knows they can’t do it without your help.

What do you suppose would happen if we stopped lying about diagnosis? (see DSM V)

Do not try…Do!

A new classic! Resources found at counseling.org

Competencies

Mental health and the law

Document, document, document

6 th edition…need to say more?

Beneficial? Inappropriate?

On everyone’s desktop

"I Wake Up and Walk, First Reading the Obituaries": Maira Kalman on finding inspiration in ordinary things

And, remember to read the comics last!

Will I make a difference today? Have I made a difference today?

When you have a question x 314 ACA Ethics x 284 ACA Insurance Trust Risk Management Help Line

Neither to condemn nor condone

Consult, Consult, Consult Feelings What am I feeling about this? Thoughts What are my thoughts about this? Actions What will I do (want to do) about this?