1. Provide one example of how the counselor’s personal beliefs could impact the
ethical nature of the counselling relationship in each scenario
One example would be – If the counsellor firmly holds the belief that no adult above the
age of 18 should be romantically involved with any person who is under the age of 18
due to the minor-adult ethics revolving around issues of consent, exploitation, legalities,
and so on, then a significant obstruction towards creating an open, truthful, ethical and a
transparent counselling relationship with the client will likely arise. This fundamental
value that the counsellor holds will not only be challenging to discard or keep away for a
certain period, but it will hinder or impair their judgment, perception, and in logically
understanding the client’s problems, and consequently, they will be unable to treat the
client as per the requirement of the situation. Even if a counselling relationship does
form, the nature of it will be disingenuous, unethical, and dishonest. It will be infiltrated
with the counsellor’s personal views and attitudes towards the client and the matter in
question, ultimately making the entire counselling experience ineffectual and immorally
designed. In the second scenario, Andrea believes that having a coffee with Zac is ok,
but she is aware that a client counsellor boundary must be upheld. Hence, this blurs the
professional boundary with the client, as meeting and discussing outside the boundaries
of a professional relationship is unethical. If she were to accept the coffee invitation, it
might lead to a violation of the principle of self-respect as a counsellor; she would be
taking undue risk. Since she holds a strong belief in having a coffee with Zac, on the one
hand, it might be viewed as her further monitoring the progress the client has made in a
social setting. But doing so violates PACFA principles and standards as, during the
coffee, it might lead to self-disclosure, affecting the progressring the counseling
sessions. The counsellor is obligated to put the client first as they are required to make
the client the primary focus of their work. Therefore, counsellors build a relationship with
the client based on trust and avoid all actions that may undermine their clients trust in
them and the services provided.
2. State the ethical principle(s) relevant to the scenario- refer to one of the two
codes listed below to guide you
The ethical principle relevant to the first scenario as per the PACFA code of
ethics is beneficence which refers to a commitment to promoting a client’s
wellbeing. Beneficence requires the counselor to act in the clients best interest
premised on their professional assessment. Therefore, the counsellor has the
obligation of promoting the client’s wellbeing by acting in care, competence and
compassion. The other principle is trust; which requires the counsellor to honor
the trust placed in them. Trust is the basis for a therapeutic relationship and is
crucial to understanding and resolving ethical dilemmas and challenges.
The ethical principle relevant to the second scenario
is self-respect hence requires the counsellor to
foster self-knowledge and care for self. This
requires that the counsellor apply all the principles
to themselves by ensuring their practice is safe by
This study source was downloaded by 100000852006834 from CourseHero.com on 03-04-2023 20:28:45 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/171778386/Counselling-case-studiesediteddocx/
not taking unnecessary risks. This ensures the
counselors seek other opportunities for personal
development and therapy as well supervision for
continued professional development and support in
the professional role. The other ethical principle is
Non-malefcence which refers to a commitment to
avoiding harm to the client. Non-malefcence
requires the counselors to endeavor not to cause
harm to others via their omissions or actions. This
encompasses avoiding sexual, emotional, fnancial
or other forms of client exploitation and avoiding
malpractice or incompetence. This is because it
could lead to the client being exploited or
manipulated and could damage the therapeutic
relationship. It’s crucial to make sure the counselorclient relationship is professional and that the right
limits are maintained. The client’s best interests
must be taken into account while working with them,
and effective and evidence-based counseling
strategies must be used. Finally, it’s critical to be
conscious of the possibility of boundary-pushing
and self-disclosure while dealing with clients when
offering professional help.
3. Describe any relevant reporting issues providing reasons for your answers
There are a few potential reporting issues in these
case studies. In the frst case study, the client Millie is
This study source was downloaded by 100000852006834 from CourseHero.com on 03-04-2023 20:28:45 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/171778386/Counselling-case-studiesediteddocx/
disclosing attraction to minors, which could be
considered grooming behavior. As a counsellor, it is
important to be aware of any potential red flags in
client behavior, and this would certainly be one to take
note of. In the second case study, the counsellor
Andrea is considering breaking boundaries by going
out for coffee with her client Zac. This could be seen
as a potential conflict of interest, as well as being a
boundary violation. It is important for counsellors to be
aware of their own boundaries and to maintain a
professional relationship with their clients at all times.
There are a few potential reporting issues in Case
Study 1. Firstly, Millie is disclosing her attraction to
children, which could be interpreted as sexual
attraction to minors. This is a potential safeguarding
issue as Millie could be a risk to children. Secondly,
Millie is experiencing delusions and hallucinations
around her age, which could be indicative of a mental
health issue such as schizophrenia. This is a potential
reporting issue as Millie may not be able to make
informed decisions about her life and may need
medication or other treatment to manage her mental
health issue. Thirdly, Millie is isolated and vulnerable,
which could make her a target for criminals. This is a
potential reporting issue as Millie could be at risk of
harm.
This study source was downloaded by 100000852006834 from CourseHero.com on 03-04-2023 20:28:45 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/171778386/Counselling-case-studiesediteddocx/
In Case Study 2, Andrea is considering breaking
boundaries by going out for coffee with her client Zac.
This is not appropriate as it blurs the boundaries
between client and counsellor and could be seen as
exploiting the therapeutic relationship. This could be a
potential reporting issue as it could be interpreted as
professional misconduct.
3. Discuss a possible course of action for the counsellor to take to resolve the dilemma
in each scenario. In the first scenario, write in the first person, as this is imagining you
are counsellor, in the second scenario, write in the third person as the counsellor is
Andrea.
If I were the counsellor in the frst scenario, I would
explore Millie’s goals for counselling further and
discuss the possibility of her fnding friends and a
romantic partner her own age. I would also normalize
her feelings and explain that it is common to feel like
you are 20 when you are 30. I would encourage her to
attend social events and gatherings that are specifc
to her interests. If I were the counsellor in the frst
scenario, I would explain to Millie that it is not
appropriate for there to be a romantic relationship
between us due to the power imbalance. I would
encourage her to seek out friendships and
relationships with people her own age, and explain
that there are many ways to meet people, both online
and in person. If she is having difculty meeting
This study source was downloaded by 100000852006834 from CourseHero.com on 03-04-2023 20:28:45 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/171778386/Counselling-case-studiesediteddocx/
people, I would suggest she joins a club or group that
aligns with one of her interests.
If Andrea were the counsellor in the second scenario,
she would explain to Zac that it is not appropriate for
there to be a coffee date outside of the counselling
sessions due to the power imbalance. Andrea would
encourage Zac to seek out friendships and
relationships with people his own age, and explain
that there are many ways to meet people, both online
and in person. If he is having difculty meeting
people, Andrea would suggest he joins a club or
group that aligns with one of his interests.
If Andrea were the counsellor in the second scenario,
she would explain to Zac that it is not appropriate for
them to have coffee outside of their counselling
sessions. She would suggest that Zac thank her by
sharing his progress with her in their next session.
This study source was downloaded by 100000852006834 from CourseHero.com on 03-04-2023 20:28:45 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/171778386/Counselling-case-studiesediteddocx/
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)