There are numerous ethical principles that have been formed in an attempt to guide good practices of psychotherapy and counselling. Disparate ethical frameworks have been formulated that boasts effective ethical principles, formed for the purpose of propagation of rightful actions as being taken by the parties involved in the practice of counselling and psychotherapy. There are numerous parties involved in the execution of an effective counselling practice and even though apparently it seems to be limited to counsellor and client, there are other entities as well who play a vital role in ensuring the dispatch of effective counselling practices which may include service commissioner, counselling supervisor manager etcetera (McLeod, 2003). With number of individuals weighing in on the success and efficacy of any counselling practice, it becomes pivotal for them to be guided in the right direction, through defining precisely the values and morals and setting appropriate standards reflecting upon and using them. For this purpose, it is important for an effective ethical framework to be adapted by counselling service providers or agency following which principles of immense value could be elicited. These principles would in turn guide counsellors, counselling supervisors among others making the practice of counselling most beneficial to the client, elevating subsequently their standards of living.
This assignment is primarily undertaken to understand the utility and importance of principles, as laid down by one of the widely known and applicable ethical frameworks, in impacting the actions taken by individuals and entities involved in the process of counselling and psychotherapy. For this purpose, a case study is selected the details of which will be explored particularly through demonstrating an understanding of the principles, as stipulated by BACP Ethical Framework, when applied to the actions of the individuals involved in the case study; counsellor, client, counselling supervisors, service commissioners, etcetera.
Professional Ethics in Counselling
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical framework or as it is widely known as; BACP ethical framework is one of the commonly used ethical frameworks across UK by counselling service providers, in order to guide counsellors in addition to other individuals who are involved in the provision of counselling and psychotherapeutic services to people to ensure advocacy and treatment within ethical boundaries. First, it is important to discuss BACP ethical framework and its derivative principles in an attempt to form essential base, so that the case study could be explored with relevance to the demonstration of the understanding of the principles of the BACP ethical framework; as applied to the actions taken by individuals in the study, effectively.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
The terms 'Counselling' and 'Psychotherapy' are primarily used as umbrella terms thereby they predominantly cover wide range of therapies and therapeutic activities. BACP employs trained practitioners for the purpose of delivery of wide range of counselling and therapeutic services. These trained practitioners work with their clients or people over a period of time that is suitable considering the type of treatment or service that is required ...