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Counseling Couples and Children Assignment
This document will aim to address the following questions by utilizing information from
credible sources, including scholarly journals, our course textbook, and the Bible.
What are some of the ethical concerns/challenges associated with couples
counseling?
Couples counseling presents a wide range of ethical issues and difficulties; therefore, this paper
will only address a few of the most significant ones, but each one could be regarded as crucial.
Of these, the central Christian covenant that believers establish with God and with each other
may be the most significant (Sanders, 2013). The Bible makes it quite evident that marriage is a
holy covenant that should never be broken. Christians are commanded by Mark 10:9 not to
divide what God has put together (NASB, 1995). A lay counselor should be primarily concerned
with maintaining the covenant between two Christians and God, keeping this command in mind.
"Difficult decision-making" is another ethical dilemma that is prevalent in couples
counseling, according to the textbook. The couple needs assistance from the lay counselor in
navigating these ethical dilemmas, which frequently include interpreting Scripture. Managing
finances, deciding who makes decisions in the home, or figuring out how a couple would react to
raising children who battle with their sexuality could be difficult (Sanders, 2013). In these
circumstances, a lay counselor's interpretation of the Bible is crucial, and the Bible must always
come first when making decisions. To preserve integrity when talking about the ethical
difficulties in counseling, the lay counselor must, to the best of their ability, follow a road of
righteousness (Frunză et al., 2019). The Bible's position on church elders in 1 Timothy 3:1–13,
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which frequently assumed the function of a counselor during Biblical times, is consistent with
this sentiment (NASB, 1995).
What are some skills needed to effectively counsel couples?
While many abilities are necessary for couples therapy to work well, none are as
important in lay counseling as a thorough comprehension of Scripture. Proverbs 2:6 makes clear
that the Lord is the source of all wisdom and knowledge (NASB, 1995). While building a safe
space for clients to express their feelings and communicating with them are essential components
of any counseling method (Sanders, 2013), the application of integrative ethics is a critical
competency for lay counselors working with couples. This entails choosing which counseling
strategies to use and when to employ moral principles found in the Bible or the rules of a
recognized Christian organization to meet the unique circumstances of their clients (Sanders,
2013).
If abuse is discovered in the context of counseling how would this need to be
handled?
The role of the lay counselor is to assist the abused client in making an informed decision
about whether reconciliation should be tried and how best to proceed in this regard. (Sanders
(2013)
At what point would the lay counselor need to refer?
A lay counselor may choose to refer them based on several criteria. One obvious example
would be inadequate training in a specific subject. It is usually advised to refer clients to
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someone with appropriate training if a lay counselor is untrained in areas such as family or
couples counseling (Sanders, 2013). A particular lack of understanding is another acceptable
justification for a referral. For example, it would be wise to recommend a couple to a counselor
with relevant understanding on the subject if the counselor is unable to assist with the needs of
their child and they are seeking counseling for a child with ADHD.
What would be most rewarding to you when counseling a couple?
I find that helping two people see themselves and their marriage from a more biblical
perspective would be the most satisfying part of working with couples. Nowadays, when looking
for advice on how to make their marriage happy, couples frequently look to social media and
influencers. Unfortunately, as demonstrated by lavish weddings where the emphasis is shifted
from Jesus to spectacular parties, even Christians can drift toward secular tendencies. Today’s
culture is heavily built on appearances and applause/validations from spectators. In my role as a
wife, I must respect and submit to my husband, just as I do to The Lord. What I find most
fulfilling in therapy is encouraging couples to embrace a zoomed-out, eternal perspective, where
devotion to the Lord and each other takes precedence over personal satisfaction alone.
Counseling Children Assignment
What are some of the ethical concerns/challenges associated with counseling
children?
There are several potential ethical problems when counseling children. Determining who
bears ultimate responsibility for a child's protection and respecting their rights are two important
ethical issues. Another problem is when parents experience serious mental health problems of
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their own, which require the counselor's attention and treatment (Sanders, 2013). Furthermore,
there is an ethical dilemma with the child's treatment, especially when kids with mental health
problems frequently interact with several support providers at once. In this case, the counselor
must coordinate strategies and plans with the majority, if not all, of these service systems to
guarantee the child receives comprehensive and well-coordinated help.
These are only three instances of the ethical issues and problems that come with
counseling children. In our textbook, the author demonstrates how there may be even more
ethical dilemmas than we initially believed, and this leads to another concern. The other problem
is that a study revealed a significant lack of consistency in ethical opinions about how children
should be treated. Regarding counseling, there needs to be no doubt about the moral decisions
you will make daily. Sanders (2013).
What are some skills needed to effectively counsel children?
A child counselor must possess several fundamental abilities to be successful. First and
foremost, keeping precise and well-organized records is essential to efficiently tracking therapy
sessions. This ability guarantees that the counselor is kept up to date on the developments and
specifics of each session. A thorough awareness of the state's child-related laws and regulations
is another essential competency. This information is necessary to maintain a healthy client-
counselor relationship and set appropriate boundaries in treatment sessions.
Furthermore, a counselor working with children needs to possess strong cooperation and
communication abilities. Counselors who work well in a team environment might ask colleagues
for direction and assistance, especially when they're unsure of the right course of action from an
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ethical or legal standpoint. The children under their care benefit from this cooperative approach,
which also increases the counseling process' overall efficacy.
If abuse is discovered in the context of counseling how would this need to be
handled?
If abuse is found during counseling, the counselor has a moral and legal duty to notify
Child Protective Services (CPS) and other relevant authorities. All fifty U.S. states require the
reporting of child abuse; however, it's crucial to remember that not all forms of abuse must be
reported. The counselor must follow the state's unique regulations whether the case involves
emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. To guarantee appropriate direction and assistance after the
discovery, the counselor should talk about the matter with their supervisors. The counselor can
proactively contact local child services if there are questions about whether to report. A cautious
and knowledgeable approach to addressing possible abuse can be ensured by having casual
conversations about the case specifics with child services specialists to ascertain whether a
formal report is required.
At what point would the lay counselor need to refer?
Lay counselors must discern whether a child would benefit more from the assistance of a
professional with more specialized training. It is wise to recommend the child to a professional
who can provide more aid when the lay counselor is untrained to handle a particular scenario,
whether it be for a single session or continuous support (Clay, 2017). When ethical issues
surface, that's another reason to think about referring. A referral to another counselor with a more
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appropriate ethical framework may be required if the child's or their family's values conflict with
the ethical rules and views of the lay counselor.
Furthermore, there can be situations in which a child no longer gains anything from the
lay counselor's therapy. In these situations, the therapist ought to have candid conversations with
the child and their legal representatives to determine whether the objectives of the therapy have
been met. The best course of action may be to refer the child to another counselor who can better
meet their needs if they need help with other difficulties.
What would be most rewarding to you when counseling a child?
The most fulfilling experiences would be when the child can reflect on themselves and
put the knowledge and abilities they have gained to use on their own. Regardless of whether they
sought assistance for previous maltreatment or other traumas, my objective would be to enable
them to recognize their feelings and take action toward healing. When a child learn to identify
their emotions and respond to them with constructive behaviors, like deep breathing exercises or
listening to music, it is an indication that they are developing a robust and healthy mentality that
will benefit them throughout their life.
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References
Clay, R. A. (2017). Coping with challenging clients. Monitor on Psychology, 48(7). Retrieved
from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/07-08/challenging-clients
Frunza, S., Medveschi, I., Frunza, M., & Grad, N. O. (2019). Aspects regarding ethical
counseling in organizations. Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, 18(54), 3-
17.
Sanders, R.K.(2013).Christian Counseling Ethics(2nd ed.). Independent PublishersGroup
(Chicago ReviewPress). https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/9780830895984
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