Week 2 Discussion 1

Main Post: Ashley L. Shackelford

Brief Description of case study and ethical issues

The case I choose to selected was Case Study 16: A Suicidal Teenager (Herlihy & Corey, 2015). The case was about a seventeen-year-old boy names Frank, who had been referred to a counselor in private practice because of many recent changes in his behavior that his parents had noticed. They had express concern for Frank because we began to give away many of his prized possessions and they also reported Frank is given expressions of hopelessness and anger. During the first session the counselor found out that Frank had been contemplating committing suicide. Stating “I’ve already found the best answer to my problems” Herlihy & Corey, 2015). This statement uncovered Frank’s friend who committed suicide and his plan to do it himself. Frank suicidal thoughts are the result of a recent breakup with his girlfriend, his lack of an interpersonal relationship with his parents and use of drugs when he feels angry or guilty and something.

Ethical Challenge

ACA Code of Ethics B.2.a (2014) specifically states that the ethical requires a counselor first inform clients of the limitations of confidentiality and to identify any instance or situations where their confidentiality is broken. As a counselor ethically we have a duty to warn and make sure our clients are not harmful to their selves or others. Because legally Frank is still considered a minor because he is seventeen, a counselor must specifically state these issues and concerns with his parents. Frank disclosing his thoughts, future plan, and past attempts warrant that revealing this information with his parents could save his life on Standard B.2.a. The use of Standard B.6.b. would could also be used in Frank’s case because maintaining the confidentiality of any records or documentation is critical. If a counselor was to tell Frank’s parent about the thoughts, plan and past behavior it would create distrust for the therapeutic relationship.

Ethical Challenge Prevented

This case raises many ethical challenges but there are also some ways it could have been prevented. As a counselor especially with working with minors they first step would have been to start the session off reminding the client of their rights and limited confidentiality also at the point where Frank began to disclose his thoughts and future plan to end his life. When a counselor does not remind a client of their rights we is putting the client at harm again. The counselor wanted to do everything possible to ensure that their client did not harm their-selves or others by creating a plan to move past the suicide onto a better and productive life.

2010 AMHC Code of Ethics

In the Case Study 4: Working with an Immigrant Family (Herlihy & Corey, 2015), Esmeralda the client is a U.S. citizen who has feelings of worrying about not being able to not only be able to attend to the house hold responsibilities but also care for her young siblings. On the other hand, she juggling school and her parent’s possible deportation. As a counselor Francis first concern is his clients health and well-being her list of priorities are beginning to take a toal on her school work. During the sessions, Esmeralda is able to open up and trust the environment in which she shares nightmares that keep her up at night but moves right past the situation. The counselor begins to continue pressing the issue at hand and receives full disclosure of what Esmeralda is really going through. The counselor than seeks clarification from a school interpreter on the process of immigration but is juggling the possibility of putting Esmeralda family in danger.

Ethical Codes to Be Applied

In Esmeralda case the ethical code that should be applied in this instance is Section 2.a. of AMHCA, this code states that a client is granted the right for confidentiality in all instances of mental health counseling services and from the onset of a counseling relationship, counselors must inform clients of their rights and limitations (2010). During the session the counselor continued to press on an issues that Esmeralda was not ready to disclose, when she did disclose the issues in full detail she was not informed of her rights.

Reference

American Counseling Association (ACA). (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/Files/FD.ashx?guid=ab7c1272-71c4-46cf-848c-f98489937dda

American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). (2010). 2010 AMHCA code of ethics [White Paper]. Retrieved from https://www.amhca.org/assets/news/AMHCA_Code_of_Ethics_2010_w_pagination.pdf

Herlihy, B., & Corey, G. (2015). ACA ethical standards casebook (7th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.