Counseling Ethics Essay Example for Free

Counseling Ethics Essay Ethics are based on philosophical principles and these guidelines assist a practitioner in making the best possible decisions for the welfare of the clients and the practitioner himself. Ethics are normative or critical in nature and concern human conduct and moral decision. Morality describes decision making and judgement by an individual concerning an incident or human behaviour. This is greatly influenced by the values he or she has acquired or formed as a result of external influence or indoctrination. Value is an enduring belief that a specific that a specific end-state of conduct is desirable (McLeod, 1998). Terminal and instrumental values are two types of values where the former refer to the desired end-state of existence, for example wisdom and the later refer to the mode of conduct that leads to it, for example broad-mindedness .Values then influence and determine the decisions we choose to make in our daily lives. In providing an effective, therapeutic therapy, a practitioner helping a client encountering dilemma in decision- making may adopt the eight – step model approach to think through the ethical problems (Corey, Corey Callanan, 2007). The steps of the model are described as follows: Step 1- Identify the problem or dilemma. In the first step the existence of the problem must be recognised. The nature of the problem has to be ascertained. Identify if it is an ethical, legal, moral, professional or clinical problem. The practitioner’s and the client’s insights regarding the problem must be examined. Consultation with the client can begin at this stage as problems are being identified. Looking at the problem from different perspectives is useful as most ethical dilemmas are complex. Step 2 – Identify the potential issues involved. From the collected information, irrelevant ones must be discarded. The critical issues must be noted and described. The welfare of those involved; their rights and responsibilities must be evaluated. Ethical principles relevant to the problem must be identified and examined with the client. In doing so the moral principles namely, autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, justice and fidelity must be considered and applied to the  situation. The safety and welfare of the client and practitioner cannot be compromised while potential issues are being sorted out. Step 3- Review the relevant ethics codes. The practitioner must seek guidance that can be found from the professional codes of ethics. They provide a basis for accountability, and through their enforcement, provide protection for clients from unethical practices (Corey, 1997). Practitioner must also examine the agreeability of his values with the relevant codes. Should they be in conflict, he must have a rationale to support his stance. It is essential to consider congruency of these values and ethics with those of the client’s. The practitioner must ensure clarity of the ethical codes and if they are applicable with the state laws of the region. Step 4- Know the applicable laws and regulations. The practitioner should be up to date with the specific and relevant laws that apply to the ethical issue. This is particularly critical in situations which deal with keeping or breaching of confidentiality, reporting of child or elder abuse, record keeping, assessment, diagnosis, issues pertaining to dangers to self or others and the grounds of malpractice. Step 5- Obtain consultation. Consulting with colleagues to obtain different perspectives on the problems is generally considered to be helpful. Seeking legal counsel for legal questions is prudent along with consulting a person with an expertise in an unfamiliar culture to serve a client from that culture. In addition the practitioner must understand current rules and regulations of the agency or organization that he or she is working for. It is wise for the nature of the consultation and suggestions provided to be documented. These records would illustrate the practitioner’s attempt to adhere to the community’s standard practice. Step 6- Consider possible and probable courses of action. At this point a list of a variety of courses of action may be identified  through brainstorming. The practitioner could discuss with the client as well as other professionals the available options. The possibilities could be identified for probable courses of actions and these should be documented. Step 7- Enumerate the consequences of various decisions. From the various possible courses of actions, implications of each course must be examined. The questions of who will be affected and to what extent will the client’s decision to pursue the actions affect them must be carefully examined. Again using the fundamental moral principles as a framework, the client must collaborate with the practitioner to ascertain the probable outcomes and consequences. If new ethical issues arise from the selected course of action, a re-evaluation of the action must be pursued. Step 8- Decide on what appears to be the best course of action. Careful consideration of all information received from different sources deliberately and with sensitivity to cross cultural issues is critical before making the best decision. Once making the decision, informing the supervisor, implementing and documenting the decision follows. Reflecting on the experience considering any follow up action could result in finding a solution for the client. While the procedural steps may help in resolving ethical matters, some implications may be noted. Firstly, the client enters a collaborative relationship with the practitioner. The implication is that the client with the practitioner’s help must draw out the details of the problem. This implicates that the client should refrain from coveting relevant information to enable an accurate analysis of the issue. This is to ascertain the true nature of the problem whether it is an ethical, legal, moral, professional, or clinical one. The different perspectives of the problem must be explored. What are the insights the client and practitioner have regarding the problem? (Corey et al., 2007). Failing which the consequence is an unnecessary delay in resolving the problem as there will be an inaccurate analysis of the situation. Secondly, in identifying the potential issues, all the persons involved in the problem must be identified. The implication of failing to identify any one individual who may be affected by the decision of the client would be unethical. The welfare, rights and responsibilities of those affected by the decision might create a different set of problems. The decision would then have to be reversed and a new course of action would have to be pursued. It is to therefore necessary to explore to what extent the course of the action will affect the client and the others (Corey et al., 2007). Next the values and ethics of the client and the practitioner must be evaluated and the degree of congruency noted. This implicates that the relevant ethical principles that are identified to the problem should not be in conflict with those of the client and the practitioner. If there are disagreements, then they must be supported with a rationale. If necessary, guidance must be sought from the relevant organization to clarify the professional codes to the particular problem. Otherwise consequently, the client’s decision may violate the ethical codes relevant to the issue. The client must be informed of the relevant and most recent laws or regulations that apply to the situation. He must look out for any law or regulations that have a bearing on the situation. The implication of his ignorance is that he may run into problems with the law. The practitioner too must abide by the rules, regulations and policies of the workplace. When in doubt practitioner must seek professional advice. The client must be informed of legal issues related to confidentiality, abuse of the vulnerable, record keeping and grounds for malpractice. If the practitioner discovers a criminal act by a client for example, sex with an under-aged girl he has the moral responsibility to report him. The practitioner has the ethical responsibility to discuss with the client on the implications of his actions before reporting the incident. The client must understand the implications of his actions that violate the law. The fundamental moral principles may be considered as framework for evaluating the consequences of the given course of action. The client must  decide the principles that apply to the situation specifically and prioritise them. By thinking through these ethical principles, professional can better evaluate their options in such complex situations. Prioritising the principles can help the client and practitioner to work through the steps of the decision-making model (Elizabeth, 2010). There are implications however when prioritizing one over another. The practitioner encourages the client to exercise autonomy i.e. making a free choice. In doing so, the client must have the concept of doing no harm or non-maleficence and acting in justice (Elizabeth, 2010). Conflict can arise when subscribing to justice which may result in the necessity of treating an individual differently. Though not easy to apply equal weightage to all the principles, it will help to explore an ethical dilemma and resolve it with the least damage to the welfare of those affected. The model may be useful when clients seek help in making decisions in their life regarding relationship issues. A client may be caught in a loveless marriage and be involved in an extra-marital affair and seek advice to take the next step in his life. The dilemma of whether to dissolve his marriage and move on with his life or stay in the marriage to fulfil his duties towards his wife and children is one that needs careful consideration. A divorce would mean breaking up of his family and causing a disruption in the relationship with his children. Staying in the marriage would mean the sacrifice of his love life. Analysing his situation using the model can shed light to clarify the implications of his actions and weigh the consequences. The model may help clients to make decisions at their place of work regarding conflicting work practices. An office worker may be tormented by the wrong practices of her fellow colleagues. She may be facing a dilemma as to whether to report her colleagues to the management or turn a blind eye to the situation. The model can help the client to analyse the situation and evaluate her moral values. She would then be able to make an ethical decision that would do least harm to those involved in the situation. In conclusion, the eight – step model can be a useful tool in helping a practitioner to guide clients to make sound decisions that do not have  conflict with their ethics and are aligned with the laws and regulations of the region. In doing so the practitioner must ensure that he or she is operating in the best interest of the clients.

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My fourth question to my interviewees was: What is the best way to handle a bullying situation in school settings? Tamar stated first thing is to take immediate action when bullying is observed. Respond in a timely manner to all reports of bullying. Provide protection for students who are bullied. Establish support programs and resources for both the target and bully. These Strategies include establishing classroom rules against bullying, holding regular class meetings to discuss bullying at school. Karen said develop policies that define bullying and provide appropriate responses to the problem. Apply school rules, policies, and sanctions fairly and consistently. Establish an effective system for reporting bullying, including adults who can be relied on to respond responsibly and sensitively. Explicitly, teach students to understand bullying and the consequences. In addition, Karen stated, â€Å"I do not believe that Green River Community College is doing all the things I mentioned† these comment made me go â€Å"HUH†? Ali’s response was to partner with law enforcement and mental health agencies to identify and address cases of serious bullying. Promote the norm for a bully-free school throughout the entire school community. Engage students to help promote the norm of a bully-free school. My fifth question to my interviewees was: What can the community partners do to help promote bully-free climate here at, Green River Community College? Tamar said community members can participate in problem-solving groups or ant-bullying policy committees here at the college. Community members can also share positive cultural perspectives, norms, and expectations as models for students. Promote norms that show the community does not tolerate bullying... ...g is allowed to continue, which it can have strong consequences effect. Green River Community College needs to redesign their curriculum in promote anti-bullying climate in ways that highlights the anti-bullying message clearly to all students and faculties. One smart and efficient strategy to create an anti-bullying environment will be conducting public announcements to offer an ideal way for student campaigns that promote anti-bully-free campus. This is also a way to encourage students to report bullying and teach them how to get help if they feel threatened. Also the college’s web site is a technology based way to communicate expectations of student behavior and show how bullying will be perceived and dealt with at the college. Posting the policy and notifying students, staff, and parents prevent misunderstanding and ensure clarity of intent for all concerned.

Relaxing on the Beach

Relaxing On the Beach Everyone goes through stress at some point in his or her lifetime. Coming from Basic Military Training was no deferent. Consistently getting yelled at, even for doing the right thing, being in top notch physical shape by running five miles a day or paying attention to detail by removing one tiny microscopic string from one's uniform stress will eventually add up. While we all go through stress, we all need to deal with stress and relax in our own ways.The white sandy beach right off base is so calming and peaceful I can sit and relax with friends while letting my mind wonder and simply leaving the â€Å"real world† behind for the day. After being pummel by spit for eight and a half weeks In San Antonio, Texas. All I want to do is be on the white sandy beach of Billow, Mississippi, relaxing in the hot sun. Grabbing my six string. Few buddies, and other beach essentials I headed out the door in a flash.Walking outside to the beach I couldn't help but notice the white ND puffy cuneiform clouds in the sky telling me this was going to be a good day. We could hear kids laughing, sea gulls chirping, and waves crashing in the distant but Just couldn't tell how much further our trek had to go. Feeling like a camel walking across the Sarah Desert, we finally saw it, the big blue ocean only to be seen in travel magazines. A sea breeze hit our face making us feel and smell the freedom In the air.Immediately arriving on the white soft sandy beach, our sandals came off and we let our feet feel the sand between our toes. Walking down the beachfront we saw a rainbow of tent tops and with little kids laughing and giggling made music to my ears. Finally arriving at an empty spot we opened up the cooler and had our thirst quenched by ice-cold lemonade. We began laughing and telling jokes trying to soak up the sun's radiation to give us a golden bronze tan. Soon after being in the hot son we began lathering on suntan lotion, which gave off the aroma of summer, was finally here.After a while we all decided to take a nap and let our minds wander where they ay. Lying on the hot summer sand and listening to the sounds of summer, all of the stress has been slowly lifted off my shoulders, almost feeling weightless. We had no shoes, no shirts, and no problems. Eventually, the perfect day had to come to an end. Sitting down watching the waves slowly crash against the shore we listened to the six string guitar play a little melody that made one remind of the peaceful times of life and made the day nice and relaxing.Sitting there listening to the melody we watched the bright sun set running into an orange masterpiece for our eyes to fixate on. Nothing more could be done In this day to make it any more peaceful and relaxing. In conclusion, the beach can be a way to relax for the day and be a calming place for someone trying to get away from stress. Everyone goes through stress In life and 1 OFF and friends or watching the sunset while liste ning to a melody the beach can be a beneficial way to relive stress in one's life and leave the stress at the door of the â€Å"real world†.

Racial Formation - Definition and Overview

Racial formation is the process through which the meaning of race and racial categories are agreed upon and argued over. It results from the interplay between social structure and everyday life. The concept comes from racial formation theory, a sociological theory  that focuses on the connections between how race shapes and is shaped by  social structure, and how racial categories are represented and given meaning in imagery, media, language, ideas, and everyday common sense. Racial formation theory frames the meaning of race as rooted in context and history, and thus as something that changes over time. Omi and Winants Theory In their book Racial Formation in the United States,  sociologists Michael Omi and Howard Winant define racial formation as â€Å"...the sociohistorical process by which racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed.† They explain that this process is accomplished by â€Å"historically situated projects in which human bodies and social structures are represented and organized.† â€Å"Projects,† here, refers to a representation of race that situates it in social structure. A racial project can take the form of common-sense assumptions about racial groups, about whether race is significant in today’s society, or narratives and images that depict race and racial categories through mass media, for example. These situate race within social structure by, for instance, justifying why some people have less wealth or make more money than others on the basis of race, or, by pointing out that racism is alive and well, and that it impacts people’s experiences in society. Thus, Omi and Winant see the process of racial formation as directly and deeply connected to how â€Å"society is organized and ruled.† In this sense, race and the process of racial formation have important political and economic implications. Composed of Racial Projects Central to their theory is the fact that race is used to signify differences among people, via racial projects, and that how these differences are signified connects to the organization of society. In the context of U.S. society, the concept of race is used to signify physical differences among people but is also used to signify actual and perceived cultural, economic, and behavioral differences. By framing racial formation this way, Omi and Winant illustrate that because the way we understand, describe, and represent race is connected to how society is organized, then even our common-sense understandings of race can have real and significant political and economic consequences for things like access to rights and resources. Their theory frames the relationship between racial projects and social structure as dialectical, meaning that the relationship between the two goes in both directions, and that change in one necessarily causes change in  the other. So the outcomes of a racialized social structure—differentials in wealth, income, and assets on the basis of race, for example—shape what we believe to be true about racial categories. We then use race as a sort of shorthand to provide a set of assumptions about a person, which in turn shapes our expectations for a person’s behavior, beliefs, worldviews, and even intelligence. The ideas we develop about race then act back on the social structure in various political and economic ways. While some racial projects might be benign, progressive, or anti-racist, many are racist. Racial projects which represent certain racial groups as less than or deviant impact the structure of society by excluding some from employment opportunities, political office, educational opportunities, and subject some to police harassment and higher rates of arrest, conviction, and incarceration. Changeable Nature of Race Because the ever-unfolding process of racial formation is one carried out by racial projects, Omi and Winant point out that we all exist among and within them, and they inside of us. This means we are constantly experiencing the ideological force of race in our everyday lives, and what we do and think has an impact on social structure. This also means that we as individuals have the power to change the racialized social structure and eradicate racism by changing the way we represent, think about, talk about, and act in response to race.