Abstract
Marriage and family therapy are an area that requires attention from counselors. The significance of according lots of attention to family and marriage therapy transpires from the numerous ethical issues that affect families and marriages in contemporary societies. Professionalism, integrity, confidentiality, and respect are some of the sets and standards required in the field of therapy. Connecticut State values marriage and family therapy and emphasizes the importance of therapy in addressing ethical issues. Consequently, while some ethical issues require application of ethical standards and sets, others need a combination of ethical solutions and state laws.
Annotated Reference List of Ethical Standards Related to Marriage and Family Therapy
Carlson, J. (2001). Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families. The Family Journal, 9 (4), 365-484.
The journal highlights various sets of ethical standards related to marriage and family therapy. Evidently, responsibility, confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism are some of the important ethical sets in marriage and family therapy. The sets facilitate successful resolution of ethical challenges that affect marriages and families in contemporary societies. Moreover, the sets helps therapists advice their clients so that they can make decisions that are informed, ethical, and productive.
Beamish, P., & Navin, S. (2014). Ethical Dilemmas in Marriage and Family Therapy: Implications for Training. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 16 (1), 1-11.
From the journal, several ethical standards concerning marriage and family therapy emerged in 2014. Various associations such as the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), designed several sets associated with marriages and families. Principally, some sets such as confidentiality, responsibility, and professionalism materialized in January 2015. As such, therapists should comply with the provisions stipulated under these sets established by the associations and relate them with the existing state laws. Imperatively, the sets concerning family and marriage therapy are available in various sources, which comprise books and journals. The link below indicates the dates of publication and effectiveness of the ethical standards in marriage and family therapy.
Coombs, R. (2005). Family Therapy Review: Preparing for Comprehensive and Licensing Examinations. London: Psychology Press.
The book provides elaborate and comprehensive information regarding the development and publication of ethical sets and standards on marriage and family therapy. Apparently, ethical codes and sets regarding marriage and family therapy have been in existence for several decades. Conversely, these sets have undergone various modifications in accordance with the changing societal dynamics and trends. For instance, the first publication of the ACA standards pertaining to family and marriage materialized in 1962 and later revised in 2001. Overtime, the respective associations and the government have modified the ethical sets to match the various ethical challenges advanced by the ever-changing societies. Remarkably, the latest publication of the sets regarding marriage and family therapy became practical in January 2015.
ACA Governing Council. (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Virginia. American Counseling Association.
For individuals to stay informed concerning updates and changes on the ethical sets and standards on family and marriage, they need to access the sites that publish the articles such as the ACA code of ethics regularly. Fundamentally, the ACA Code of Ethics is very instrumental as it outlines the various ethical sets that facilitate effective resolution of ethical dilemmas in families and marriages. Moreover, the individuals need to read the provisions always so that they can acquaint themselves with the proposed requirements. The importance of reading the provisions occasions since the changes on ethical standards and sets are minimal and rely on the existing provisions.
The Location of the Laws Regulating the Practice of Counseling in the State of Connecticut
The location of laws regulating the practice of counseling in Connecticut State is at the Connecticut Department of Public Health where the officers concerned with Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) certify qualified counselors. Principally, the department deals with accreditation of individuals, who intend to work as counselors and undertake a range of counseling activities that comprise ethical challenges, which affect various entities in the society. The department provides information to counselors regarding the pending legislation and new laws that emerge in the field of counseling. For individuals to stay informed, they need to visit the department and acquire articles and books that have comprehensive information on the counseling procedures in Connecticut. In addition, the individuals need to ensure that they continually research and consult several sources of information so that they can be conversant with the ethical standards and sets that affect the state of Connecticut and the whole country. The link below provides information concerning accreditation of counselors and the location of laws regulating the practice of counseling in Connecticut State.
Issues That May Arise in Family and Therapy
The five issues selected, which may arise in family therapy, are:
- A 16-year-old you are seeing for counseling has disclosed that she has been sexually intimate with her 22-year-old boyfriend and does not want you to tell her parents.
- A client with a terminal illness has discussed plans to end her life and has asked you not to disclose this to anyone.
- The parents of a 13-year-old child you are counseling are worried about the child’s increasing “isolation” and “secrecy” and want to know what he has been talking about during the counseling sessions.
- A client or student discloses that he has been diagnosed as HIV-positive and is currently sexually active; he is reluctant to inform his partners and does not want you to tell anyone about his diagnosis.
- A student or client who made suicide gestures over the past year, but who has made good improvement, will be transferring to a new school and does not want you to disclose any information to her new counselor.
For effective management of the issues selected, the responses need a combination of state laws and ethical standards. In essence, the need to combine ethical standards and state laws emanates from the fact that some ethical issues need solutions that override the provisions of the ethical codes. The first issue that concerns sexual intimacy requires application ethical standards in explaining to the teenager the required course of action and the respective consequences. However, for the second, third, fourth, and fifth issues, a combination of state laws and ethical standards is paramount.
Connecticut state laws regarding family and marriage outlines confidentiality, professionalism, and integrity as the core elements of therapy that counselors need to apply in their practice. For the issues selected, some require the attention of state laws, while others need application of ethical standards. In the first issue, the counselor needs to explain using ethical standards the required choices that deals with matters of sexual intimacy and the consequences of the chosen decision to the teenager. However, in the second issue, there is need to breach the confidentiality code since the issue requires the attention of the parents. The second and fourth issues also call for laws that are beyond ethical standards as they are likely to result in loss of lives if the counselor upholds the confidentiality standard. In the fifth issue, the rule of ethics need breaching since the new counselor has to know the progress of the student, who at one point wanted to commit suicide.