CEFS-501
ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING PAPER
School of Counseling, Liberty University
CEFS 501: Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling (D03)
Abstract
This paper will contain the ethical dilemma of counseling that internes face while in a
group setting, when clients try to become friends with counselors on any social media platforms.
I will try and demonstrate value, and the code of ethics on a professional level, as well as the
ACA decision making model through examining the assessment of the moral principles that have
been violated in scenario two. The scenario with John, He is a counseling intern that works at an
alcohol and drug addiction recovery center, who chose to become friend with one of his clients
which is a male and refused to become friends with his other client, which is a female, on his
personal Facebook account. John accepted the request of the male client on Facebook but chose
to deny the request of the female client as Facebook friends. John states “I do not befriend
female client on social media as friends”, but this choice caused several ethical dilemmas.
John gives a reasoning behind denying female clients as friends on social media, but this
was an unethical decision on his part. As a counselor we follow the code of ethics, ethics are
moral standards that decides what is right and what is wrong when we see behaviors. John may
have believed that everyone’s ethical beliefs are made upon several things according to ethical
decision. Based on what we learn as counselors, our ethical beliefs are developed by our
environment as accepted behaviors. Laws and religious tell us that beliefs have a big influence
on one’s ethical behaviors. As a counselor, we will make ethical or unethical choices, John
decided what advantage or disadvantages needed to be made. By providing professional services
to clients, John needs to be more aware of his decisions when personal choices interfere with
work ethics, that causes issues.
, Seeing the Problem
When making ethical decisions based on theory, it should not be a difficult task. Based on
this situation, John has been working as a counseling intern in an outpatient drug and alcohol
recovery center for over 9 months. He has been co-leading groups and formed relationships with
most of his clients. John was at home one evening after work and received a request on Facebook
from one of his clients, and he chose to accept them as his friend. As days when by, John
received another friend request from another client, who he did not agree with, because of her
personality in group. He chose to explain, his reasoning behind denying this lady’s request,
“stating that he does not except women clients on social media as friends”. But we can see that
the real reasons were due to her having a strong personality in group, however John chose to be
dishonest with this female client.
John failed to make an ethnical decision when receiving friend request from his male
client and also his female client, putting himself in jeopardy to lose his job. In dealing with
ethical decision making, all ethical decisions should be based on all circumstances. Counselors
should always listen to their clients, by creating an unbiased atmosphere to ensure all clients feel
safe, comfortable in discussing their intimate thoughts, or being judge and even criticized while
in session. “Counselors have an authoritative role, to ensure counselor-client boundaries are
being formed. ACA Code of Ethics tells us that counselor should always avoid unethical
relationships, that could possibly harm or impair a counselor’s judgment” (Forester-Miller, &
Davis, 2006). John did not think about the consequences of his actions, or how his choices
would impair his judgment even the possibility of hurting one of his clients. Our book states,
when counselor blend the roles of friends and counselor, they create an ethical conflict of interest
ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING PAPER
School of Counseling, Liberty University
CEFS 501: Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling (D03)
Abstract
This paper will contain the ethical dilemma of counseling that internes face while in a
group setting, when clients try to become friends with counselors on any social media platforms.
I will try and demonstrate value, and the code of ethics on a professional level, as well as the
ACA decision making model through examining the assessment of the moral principles that have
been violated in scenario two. The scenario with John, He is a counseling intern that works at an
alcohol and drug addiction recovery center, who chose to become friend with one of his clients
which is a male and refused to become friends with his other client, which is a female, on his
personal Facebook account. John accepted the request of the male client on Facebook but chose
to deny the request of the female client as Facebook friends. John states “I do not befriend
female client on social media as friends”, but this choice caused several ethical dilemmas.
John gives a reasoning behind denying female clients as friends on social media, but this
was an unethical decision on his part. As a counselor we follow the code of ethics, ethics are
moral standards that decides what is right and what is wrong when we see behaviors. John may
have believed that everyone’s ethical beliefs are made upon several things according to ethical
decision. Based on what we learn as counselors, our ethical beliefs are developed by our
environment as accepted behaviors. Laws and religious tell us that beliefs have a big influence
on one’s ethical behaviors. As a counselor, we will make ethical or unethical choices, John
decided what advantage or disadvantages needed to be made. By providing professional services
to clients, John needs to be more aware of his decisions when personal choices interfere with
work ethics, that causes issues.
, Seeing the Problem
When making ethical decisions based on theory, it should not be a difficult task. Based on
this situation, John has been working as a counseling intern in an outpatient drug and alcohol
recovery center for over 9 months. He has been co-leading groups and formed relationships with
most of his clients. John was at home one evening after work and received a request on Facebook
from one of his clients, and he chose to accept them as his friend. As days when by, John
received another friend request from another client, who he did not agree with, because of her
personality in group. He chose to explain, his reasoning behind denying this lady’s request,
“stating that he does not except women clients on social media as friends”. But we can see that
the real reasons were due to her having a strong personality in group, however John chose to be
dishonest with this female client.
John failed to make an ethnical decision when receiving friend request from his male
client and also his female client, putting himself in jeopardy to lose his job. In dealing with
ethical decision making, all ethical decisions should be based on all circumstances. Counselors
should always listen to their clients, by creating an unbiased atmosphere to ensure all clients feel
safe, comfortable in discussing their intimate thoughts, or being judge and even criticized while
in session. “Counselors have an authoritative role, to ensure counselor-client boundaries are
being formed. ACA Code of Ethics tells us that counselor should always avoid unethical
relationships, that could possibly harm or impair a counselor’s judgment” (Forester-Miller, &
Davis, 2006). John did not think about the consequences of his actions, or how his choices
would impair his judgment even the possibility of hurting one of his clients. Our book states,
when counselor blend the roles of friends and counselor, they create an ethical conflict of interest
