Ethics in Counselling

Singapore University of Social Sciences

Ethics in Counselling (COU208)

Applications Open: To be confirmed

Applications Close: To be confirmed

Next Available Intake: To be confirmed

Course Types: To be confirmed

Language: English

Duration: 6 months

Fees: To be confirmed

Area of Interest: Social Services

Schemes: To be confirmed

Funding: To be confirmed

School/Department: S R Nathan School of Human Development

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Synopsis

The course aims at transforming students into professional counsellors who are ethical, therapeutically effective and multiculturally sensitive. The course content will cover professional ethics, the counsellor as a person and as a professional, professional issues in counselling, values and the counselling relationship, multicultural perspectives and diversity issues, as well as client rights and counsellor responsibilities.

Level: 2
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: EVERY REGULAR SEMESTER

Topics

Introduction to Professional Ethics
Ethical Decision-making
The Counsellor as a Person
The Counsellor as a Professional
Values and the Professional Counsellor
Values Clarification for Counsellors
The Ethics of Imposing Values on Clients
Values Conflict: To Refer or Not
Client-counsellor Relationship
Multiple Relationships
Boundary Issues
Multiculturalism: Definitions and Terminology
The Need for Multicultural Emphasis
Cultural Values and Assumptions in Counselling
Cultural Tunnel Vision and Culturally-encapsulated Counsellors
Informed Consent
Legal Aspects
Educating Clients about Informed Consent
The Content of Informed Consent
Counsellor Responsibility in Record-keeping
Division of Responsibility in Counselling

Learning Outcome

Present an overview of the counsellor's ethical responsibilities
Explain the importance of and need for self-awareness and self-monitoring, in minimising countertransference issues in counselling
Recognise the importance of values and multicultural perspectives in counselling
Differentiate between boundary crossing and boundary violation
Interpret the ethical guidelines reagrding confidentiality, and its limitations
Examine the place of informed consent int he cousnellor-client relationship
Apply the Code of Ethics to guide counselling practices
Demonstrate ethical thinking and ethical decision-making abilities in counselling
Recognise transference and countertransference in counselling, and deal with these appropriately
Analyse value conflicts in counselling, and handle these effectively
Develop skills in managing multiple relationships and professional boundaries in counselling
Examine the clinical implications of record-keeping