Purpose
You (as a counsellor) will use an ethical decision-making model to help in reasoning out your responses to the ethical dilemma contained in the scenario.
Instructions
Consider the following case for analysis:
Brandy is a therapist who works primarily with children, whom Robert contacted 8 months ago. Robert was widowed almost a year ago and is the father of three children. Brandy met Robert twice, along with each of the children, for three therapy sessions. Robert had asked Brandy to evaluate the children’s mental health after losing their mother. She had subsequently referred the children who needed support to other therapists as she was about to take a medical leave of absence for surgery. During the three sessions that Robert had had with Brandy, the conversation focused on the needs of the children, as Robert had indicated that he was seeing another counsellor to help him deal with his own grief. Presently, both the kids and Robert are doing well, and Robert recently called Brandy to ask her to have lunch with him. Brandy was delighted and accepted, as she had found Robert to be a fascinating man when she had met him.
Answer the following questions: Please take note
Here are provided questions based on the presented case. Make references to relevant ethical codes and standards and fundamental moral principles in your responses.
* Final Paper Outline – Students that apply for registration with Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) or other colleges (i.e. CRPO, BCACC) as counsellors, therapists, mental health service providers are required to follow this model. Members of these colleges (in addition to the CCPA Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics) may also analyze the case in terms of the principles of CRPO Code of Ethics or BCACC Code of Ethical Conduct and Standards of Clinical Practice:
CCPA Ethical Decision-Making Model
This model is a principle-based decision-making model that incorporates the use of emotional decision-making. For your information, this model below is outlined in the Code of Ethics (pg. 3) and on pages 16 to 18 of the casebook. (with the description in Appendix A, on page 539).
Step One:
A. What are the key ethical issues in this situation?
Counsellors determine the type of problem or ethical dilemma. They then collect information about the problem, identify primary concerns/conflicts, and consider potential responsibilities.
In the casebook, authors have suggested that the students describe parameters, define potential issues, or determine the type of ethical dilemma.
Step Two:
A. What ethical articles from the CCPA Code of Ethics are relevant to this situation?
B. Are there policies, case law, statutes, regulations, bylaws or other related articles that are relevant to this situation?
Provide related articles from CCPA (Code of Ethics) in relation to the presented case scenario.
Review the CCPA Code of Ethics to see if ethical articles (e.g., confidentiality or record keeping) are appropriate for your particular situation. For this step, focus on using the Standards of Practice.
Step Three:
A. Which of the six ethical principles are of major importance in this situation?
This step also involves securing additional information and examining the probable outcomes of various courses of action. Examine moral and ethical principles that are relevant and important to the situation. These principles are:
a) autonomy – allowing clients the freedom to make informed decisions and to plan their own action
b) nonmaleficence – doing no harm
c) beneficence – doing good
d) justice – acting fairly
e) fidelity – upholding the clients trust
Step Four:
A. How can the relevant ethical articles be applied in this circumstance?
B. How might any conflict between ethical principles be resolved?
C. What are the potential risks and benefits of this application and resolution?
Choose the most important principles and relevant ethical articles and start implementing some possible actions by:
a) Generating alternatives and examining the risks and benefits of each,
b) Securing additional information, and
c) Examining probable results of various courses of action.
Step Five:
A. What do my feelings and intuitions tell me to do in this situation? (See also Virtue-Based Ethical Decision-Making)
Up to this point, decision making was mainly cognitive and rational. In this step, the task is to use emotional decision-making techniques. At this stage, counsellors can add some elements of virtue ethics, especially considering all the options below that can best help and show respect for the client. Consider the emotional response to the dilemma and answer these questions:
1. What emotions and intuition am I aware of as I consider this ethical dilemma, and what are they telling me to do?
2. How can my values best show caring for the client in this situation?
3. How will my decision affect other relevant individuals in this ethical dilemma?
4. What decision would I feel best about publicizing?
5. What decision would best define who I am as a person?
Step Six:
A. What plan of action will be most helpful in this situation?
B. Follow up to evaluate the appropriateness, adequacy, and effectiveness of the course of action taken. Identify any adjustments necessary to optimize the outcome.
Counsellors should consider the breadth and depth of possibilities. What are all the different ways that the situation might be handled? How feasible is each possibility?
Identify and follow the specific action plan, evaluate it, and provide the rationale for how to adjust any negative or neutral consequences that may occur as a result of your actions.
Specific Requirements for All Students
Maximum Length: 5-7 pages, double-spaced (excluding the cover page, and the reference list), written in a word document and in essay format. You can write in the first person or third-person perspective.
When you save your assignments on your computer, you should “save as” using the following formula: First Name Last Name -Course Number-Assignment Number (JohnDoe_Course).
All written assignments should have a cover page (including the title of the assignment, your name, the name of the course, and the date of submission) and be double-spaced throughout (without leaving an extra-space between paragraphs or references).
This program uses 7th edition APA style. This is a guide for all professional communication. At the same time, please know that we have program expectations for assignments. These expectations include: 12pt text size, Times New Roman font and no running head. The reference list should only include sources that were used for in-text citations in the paper itself.
No abstract, introduction or conclusion sections will be needed for the assignment. Do not type the case scenario into your assignment.
Reminder: As a graduate-level course, student work should be based on critical thinking, not merely on summarizing or paraphrasing material. Follow APA guidelines (current edition) for general writing styles.
