COUC 601 DB 2
DIRECTIONS:
Before beginning your thread, read, analyze, and critique the code of ethics
found in the Learn section. Then, follow these instructions:
Listed below is a situation that may or may not violate codes of ethics when
working with families. Study the scenario carefully and then go to the codes
of ethics for AAMFT, IAMFC, AACC, and ACA to find the ethical answers to the
dilemmas presented. Be sure to record the code location on each ethical
code where the violation or permission is given for the counselor to do what
had been done (ex: AAMFT 2.2 or ACA B.7.2).
You have been counseling a family of Korean origin for the past 5 weeks.
Specific family members have been suffering from generalized anxiety
disorder, which is connected to family discord and what you see as blurred
boundary issues. In your fifth counseling session, the teenage daughter tells
you that her parents do not understand American culture and how it affects
family rules. Having worked with over a hundred clients struggling with
anxiety, you feel she needs to set clear boundaries with her parents. You
instruct her to exercise more independence from her family and seek to
become self-actualized.
As a competent Christian counselor, you also give her Mark 10:6–9 and Luke
14:26–27 and ask her to study them this week to see how individuals must
distance themselves and become self-differentiated. In your reply, look for
other confirmations in the codes that the therapist either did well or violated
competent practice.
DB POST: In the situation given to be analyzed for this week’s discussion
board post, we were tasked with observing the interaction between the
scenario given and various codes of ethics. In studying this example and the
details of the codes of ethics provided, concerns with the impacts on culture,
family dynamic, age of consent, and awareness of our Christian counseling
platform can be identified. In the example the family being counseled is
stated as being of Korean origin. Because of this report, the cultural
background of the counselor would also be important in understanding the
counseling process in this situation. The different cultural backgrounds pose
a possible deficit as the counselor is expected to be competent not only
multicultural diversity, but also cultural sensitivity (ACA F.11.c, 2014 ACA
A.2.c, 2014; IAMFC J.2, 2017; IAMFC J.3, 2017). Later in this situation, the
counselor notes the child’s concerns regarding their parent’s understanding
of American culture as it impacts family rules. This would indicate that the
counselor is taking on the role of a bridge between these two cultures which
would require a very detailed understanding of the family’s cultural
background and respect for their customs and rituals. Because of this, it
COUC 601 DB 2
could be highly beneficial for the counselor to be sure to consult with other
counselors in a supervisory capacity to assure they carefully wade through
this topic together (ACA C.2.e, 2014; IAMFC F.9, 2017). If the counselor is not
vigilant, they could easily offend or damage the Korean family dynamics if
they are not fully aware of the cultural implications.
The focus on the teenage daughter and her concerns appears especially
central to the focus of these circumstances. This poses a code of ethics
concern as the issue of counseling the family rather than individually must
be investigated (AACC ES1-630-c, n.d.). The expectation of family counseling
is that the therapist will not align themselves with one member of the family
over the others, but rather create an open and fair environment where all
individuals can feel safe and heard (AAMFT 1.3, 2001; ACA A. 8.a., 2014). By
focusing on the needs of the teenage daughter alone, the counselor may be
creating a wedge between the parent’s and child, harming the family unit,
rather than strengthening it (ACA A.4.a., 2014; ACA A.1.a., 2014). This can
not only break down the family structure, but also indicates that there may
be an issue of informed consent as the daughter is indicated to be still a
minor (AAMFT 1.2., 2001; ACA A.2.a., 2014; AACC ES1-310, n.d.; IAMFC B.5,
2017; IAMFC B.6, 2017). With the understanding that the purpose of the
counseling session was determined to be for family counseling, rather than
individual, this could pose a big issue if the minor’s parents are not aware of
or fully understanding that the counselor is speaking with the minor alone.
The counselor is clearly giving the minor very directed advice about
separation from her parents, even backing this guidance up with scripture.
Finally, this leads us to question how the counselor is going about this
guidance. The counselor is clearly working from a Christian counseling
platform, it is expected that the family being counseled knew this before
starting to work with this counselor, indicated that this use of a Christian
worldview does not violate the code of ethics which require the counselor to
fully state their own intentions while upholding the values of the clients (ACA
A.4.b., 2014; AACC 1-330, n.d.). Even with a Christian counseling practice,
the counselor is still expected to not assume or impose beliefs onto the
family/individual being counseled. This can be compounded by the cultural
difference between the counselor and the family. To be a culturally sensitive
Christian counselor, ethics codes would require the counselor to be proactive
and aware of all aspects of the effect of spiritual practices on the Korean
culture of this family (AACC 1-520, n.d., AACC 1-540, n.d.; ACA A.4.b., 2014;
AACC 1-250-c, n.d.). The task of counseling the individuals in our care
requires attention to detail, cultural competence, sensitivity, and a respect
for the rules of engagement that have been pre-determined. In the case of
codes of ethics, not following them can expose the counselor to legal liability
(Godenberg, et al., 2016), but even more importantly, it can leave the family
or individual even worse than when they first arrived in our care emotionally,
relationally, and spiritually. Because of this, we must take time to seek
COUC 601 DB 2
counsel from one another professionally, further educating ourselves, as well
as spending time in payer.
References
AACC Code of Ethics (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aacc.net/wp-
content/uploads/2020/06/AACC-Code -of-Ethics-Master-Document.pdf Links to
an external site.
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (2001). AAMFT code
of ethics. Retrieved from
https:// www.aamft.org/Legal_Ethics/Code_of_Ethics.aspx Links to an external
site.
American Counseling Association (2014). 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. Retrieved
from http://www.counseling.orgLinks Links to an external site. to an external
site
Goldenberg, I., Stanton, M., & Goldenberg, H. (2016). Family Therapy: An
Overview (9th ed.). Cengage Learning
US. https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781305855649 Links to an
external site.
International Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
Counselors (2017). IAMFC code of ethics. Alexandria, VA. Retrieved
from https://www.iamfconline.org/public/IAMFC-Ethical-Code-Final.pdf Links to
an external site.
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