Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Ethical and Professional

Issues in Group Practice

Members need enough information about a group to be

able to make informed choices

Educate members about their rights and responsibilities

Confidentiality is essential but not absolute

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (1)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Exceptions to confidentiality:
The client poses a danger to others or self
A minor, elder, or dependent adult is victim of abuse or neglect
The client needs to be hospitalized
The information is made an issue in a court action
The client requests a release of record

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (2)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Issues in involuntary groups

Freedom to leave a group

Freedom from coercion and undue pressure

Protecting members from psychological risks in
groups
Ethics of group leaders actions
Subgrouping and out-of-group contact

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (3)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Be aware of how your values influence your group

interventions and recognize that you are not value-neutral

Assist members in finding answers that are most congruent

with their own values

Find ways to manage value conflicts between you and the

members

Recognize that much of group members exploration involves

clarifying their values

Monitor any members who may attempt to impose their values

on other members

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (5)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Transcend cultural encapsulation and avoid

imposing your worldview on members

Recognize differences among and within groups

Align the values of the group process with the

cultural values of your members

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (8)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Have a rationale for all techniques

Use techniques to foster self-exploration and selfunderstanding

Modify techniques based on cultural and ethnic

backgrounds of members

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (9)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Adjuncts to training of group counselors:

Participation

in ones own personal therapy

Participation

as a member of a group

Participation

in a training group (for skills)

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (11)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Ethical issues in training group workers:

Combining

experiential and didactic approaches in

training
Informed

consent

Importance

of professionalism of group trainer

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (12)

Group leaders:

are on firmer ground legally if they follow accepted

standards and practices of others in their profession

are subject to civil penalties if they fail to do right or actively

do wrong to their members

need to keep up to date with state laws that pertain to their

professional practice

should take preventative measures in order to avoid

malpractice suits

Theory and Practice of Group CounselingChapter 3 (13)

Copyright 2012 Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.