A Higher Calling

1. A Higher Calling • “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” Romans 12: 9-16 NIV

2. What is the ethical thing to do? You have a new client. She is a 35 year old married Caucasian female who presents for vocational counseling. Her husband of 12 years has just left her and now lives with his 23 year old secretary. She reports that she’s having trouble sleeping, cries uncontrollably and is at times too overwhelmed with feelings to fix meals for her three children ages 8, 6, and 3. She has lost 20# in the past three weeks and is unsure of how she will pay her bills since her husband has not contacted her since he left. She is unsure of his whereabouts. She has a college degree in Art History and has not been in the workforce since marriage. Her stated goal for counseling is to “get a job as soon as possible.” What are the ethical issues in this case?

3. Models of Ethical Decision Making • Kitchener’s (1984) Model: 2 levels and 5 principles • Levels of moral reasoning: • Intuitive • Critical/Evaluative • Ethical Rules • Ethical Principles

4. Models of Ethical Decision Making: Kitchener’s Model in detail • Ethical Principles: • Autonomy • Nonmaleficence • Beneficence • Justice • Fidelity

5. Ethical Foundations • Familiarity with rules of professional conduct • Internalize basis of these rules (eg. Scripture, Kitchener) • Thy will be done vs. “O.K. have it Your way!” • Stewardship of Talents, Humility • Image of God in Humanity • Concern for Community • Honesty

6. Practical steps to ethical decision makingSanders, 1997 p. 302 - 307 • Assess a situation for its ethical dimensions • Define the problem using codes and principles • Understand and process your emotional reaction • Seek consultation as needed • Determine whom should be considered in making the ethical decision and why • Look for a precedent to help make your decision • Consider your options and the consequences of each of them. • Make the decision, be prepared to take responsibility for your actions.

7. Is Counseling Value Free? • Authority • Logic • Sensory Experience • Emotion • Intuition • Science • Scripture • Tradition • Reason • Experience What would you do?

8. Christian Ethics and Counseling Ethics • Called to adhere to a higher standard than the minimal expectations of the world. • A Clear Mission • Pure Motives • Honest Methods

9. The Professional Relationship • How Ethical Problems Develop • Types of Problems that lead to Complaints • Informed Consent

10. How Ethical Problems Develop • Inexperience or Ignorance • Not Anticipating Problems • Deception in Treatment • Sharing confidential Information • Inadequate Guidelines • Ambiguous Situations • Conflicting Regulations

11. Problems that Lead to Complaints • Exploitation • Insensitivity • Incompetence • Irresponsibility • Abandonment • Negligence

12. Informed Consent • Competence • Information • Voluntariness

13. What are Pastors looking for from Christian Counselors? • “Pastors want counselors who will support the mission of the church” • “Pastors want counselors who demonstrate professionalism and ethics.” (emphasis mine) • “Pastors want counselors who understand that counseling takes place in a spiritual context.” • “Pastors need counselors who function within the boundaries of Christian orthodoxy.” • Cooper, D. (2004) What pastors want from counselors. Christian Association for Psychological Studies Report, Summer.

14. When Values Collide…Bruff v. North Mississippi Health Services (2001) • A counselor refused to counsel a lesbian client for relationship issues and was subsequently terminated. • The counselor (Bruff) appealed this termination in court. • The federal appeals court upheld the job termination

15. Bruff v. North Mississippi Health Services (2001) some important details • Bruff said she would “not be willing to counsel anyone on any subject that went against her religion” Hermann & Herlihy (2006) p. 414 • A jury initially found that the employer had violated Bruff’s rights by discriminating based on religion • Accommodation of Bruff’s preferences would create hardship for her colleagues.

16. Ethical implications of Bruff v. North Mississippi Health Services, Inc.Hermann & Herlihy, 2006 • The principles of justice, beneficence and nonmaleficence override the principle of counselor competence in cases like this. • A.4.b says counselors are “aware of their own values, attitudes , beliefs, and behaviors and avoid imposing values that are inconsistent with counseling goals.” • C.2.a. stipulates that we “gain knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity and skills pertinent to working with a diverse client population.”

17. Ethical implications of Bruff v. North Mississippi Health Services, Inc.Hermann & Herlihy, 2006 • Respect for client autonomy dictates that our values cannot decide on the issues that are appropriate to deal with in counseling. • Nonmaleficence dictates that we do not “harm” clients by abrupt referral or abandonment. • The authors hold that the client would likely prevail in a malpractice suit against the counselor.

18. Small Group work • What is your initial reaction to Ms. Bruff’s response to her client? To her termination? • Was her handling of the case ethical? • What might you do in a situation similar to Ms. Bruff?