ETHICAL ANALYSIS 1
Ethical Analysis
Justin Hayes
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
HSMF 601
ETHICAL ANALYSIS 2
Ethical Analysis
When considering the ethics of marriage and family counseling one must consider the
origins of the family. On the sixth day of creation God created what is the culmination of His
creation, the human race. He created the man and women different and distinct from all of the
other creatures and declared, “…behold, it was very good…” (Genesis 1:31, KJV). Adam and
Eve were the first married couple to have existed and therefore constituted the first family. God
recorded, in Genesis chapter three, the first sin and thus the fall of man. As a result of said sin
came God’s curse on all of His creation, changing it from perfection to imperfection. Adam and
Eve bore the Imago Dei (the image of God), however that image was now marred by sin and the
curse. Immediately after Adam and Eve’s sin conflict arose in their relationship with each other,
with God and with creation as a whole. As Adam and Eve started their family and raised their
children we see their first-born Cain become the first murderer in human history. It is plain to
see that there has been a need for marriage and family counseling from the point of original sin.
The understanding of the formation and founding of the family provide context for an
adequate and informed discussion of ethics in marriage and family counseling. The fact that man
was created in the image of God means that man carries with him or her the intrinsic value that
God has endowed to every individual and thus family therapy must be executed from a
foundation of values. Family therapy is not only a fairly a new concept, finding its formal
origins as a profession in the early twentieth century, but has been practiced throughout man’s
history. Yarhouse & Sells (2017) put it this way, “…the practice of family therapy, psychology,
counseling, or social work are conducted and regulated through the respective professional
regulations and licenses and are derived from a philosophy and a theology about human intra-
and interrelationships” (p. 30). Thus, its foundations dictate a value centered approach.
ETHICAL ANALYSIS 3
The difficulty comes from the lack of universally accepted values. The world in which
the family therapist or counselor lives today is not only diverse in its culture but also in its belief
systems. This is the reason that Blow & Karam (2017) suggest that the therapist or counselor is
of utmost importance in the therapeutic relationship and process and that there is a great need for
proper training and competency in evidenced based treatment and clinical wisdom in order to
navigate the intricacies of our multicultural and complex world (Blow & Karam, 2017). This is
the reason that codes of ethics even exist. They seek to provide a road map for the therapist to
provide the best care possible while providing a structure to morally and legally protect both the
client and the therapist. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
code of ethics requires that the AAMFT registered therapist go beyond the requirements of the
law when the code of ethics has a higher standard than the law (AAMFT, 2015). All of the
different codes of ethics operate from an understanding of the value of human life and of the
family or marital unit.
Each marriage and family therapist must enter into every therapeutic relationship with a
clear understanding of his or her beliefs and value structure in order to recognize how those
beliefs and values will affect their clients. It is imperative that the therapist place a high and
intrinsic value on human life and on marriage and family in order to see the need for and provide
help in the time of need. However, the therapist might find him or herself in situations where
they are helping a client through a divorce or an abortion or even a family that is dealing with a
family member who does not espouse the beliefs and values of the family as a unit or the
therapist him or herself, and therefore must be conscious of possible biases (Nichols & Davis,
2019). Every one of the codes of ethics provide protection against discrimination of any kind.
ETHICAL ANALYSIS 4
As a Christian, I approach marriage and family therapy, first and foremost, as a Christian
counselor. Hawkins & Clinton (2015) provide an in-depth definition of what Christian
counseling is:
Christin counseling is collaborative, including a caregiver, a care seeker, and the triune
God committed to a process of moving forward under the authority of the Word of God,
enabled by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, carried out in a context of
accountability and encouragement, aimed at the possession of all the elements in the soul
for the purpose of pursuing the imitation of Christ. (p. 52)
As a Christian counselor, I would adhere to the American Association of Christian Counselors
(AACC) code ethics. In the applicability of the code, the AACC (2014) states that, “Ethics can
be viewed as values in action or the practical rules and boundaries that guide our professional
and ministry behavior” (p. 8), therefore effecting every aspect of our counseling relationships.
As Christians, we are held to a higher standard than that of the law or any code of ethics could
ever imagine. We must treat all human beings as God’s creation and image bearers and help
them be conformed to His image as we seek to counsel with redemption as our focus in order to
help our clients reflect said redemption in all of their relationships (Yarhouse & Sells, 2017).
References
ETHICAL ANALYSIS 5
American Association of Christian Counselors, Code of Ethics for Christian Counselors (2014),
Forest, VA 24551
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Code of Ethics (2015), Alexandria, VA
22314
Blow, A. J., & Karam, E. A. (2017). The therapist's role in effective marriage and family therapy
practice: The case for evidence based therapists . Administration and Policy in Mental
Health and Mental Health Services Research, (5), 716-723. 44
http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1007/s10488-016-0768-8
Hawkins, R., & Clinton, T. (2015). The new Christian counselor: A fresh biblical and
transformational approach. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.
Nichols, M. P., Davis, S. D. (2019). The essentials of family therapy, 7th Edition. Vital Source
Bookshelf 10.0.1.
Yarhouse, M. A., Sells, J. N. (2017). 2nd Edition. Vital Source Bookshelf Family therapies,
10.0.1.
