Section A: The Counseling Relationship

Question 1

A.1 Client Welfare

Answer 1

Primary Responsibility, Records and Documentation, Counseling Plans, Support Network Involvement

Question 2

A.1.a Primary Responsibility

Answer 2

The primary responsibility of the counselor is to respect the dignity and promote the welfare of the clients.

Question 3

A.1.b Records and Documentation

Answer 3

Counselors create, safeguard, and maintain documentation necessary for rendering professional services. Regardless of the medium, counselors include enough and timely documentation to ensure that documentation accurately reflects client progress and services provided. If amendments are mare to records and documentation, counselors take steps to properly note the amendments according to agency or institutional policies

Question 4

A.1.c Counseling Plans

Answer 4

Counselors and Clients work jointly to develop counseling plans that offer reasonable promise of success and are consistent with the abilities, temperament, developmental level, and circumstances of the clients. Counselors and clients regularly review and revise counseling plans to assess their continued viability and effectiveness, respecting clients freedom of choice.

Question 5

A.1.d Support Network Involvement

Answer 5

Counselors recognize that support networks hold various meanings in the lives of clients and consider enlisting the support, understanding, and involvement of others (religion, spiritual, community leaders, family members, friends) as positive resources, when appropriate, with client consent.

Question 6

A.2. Informed Consent in the Counseling Relationship

Answer 6

Informed consent, Types of Information needed, Developmental and Cultural Sensitivity, Inability to Give Consent, Mandated Clients,

Question 7

A.2.a. Informed Consent

Answer 7

Clients have the freedom to choose whether to enter into or remain in a counseling relationship and need adequate information about the counseling process and the counselor. Counselors have an obligation to review in writing and verbally with the clients the rights and responsibilities of both counselors and clients. Informed Consent is an ongoing part of the counseling process, and counselors appropriately document discussions of informed consent throughout the counseling relationship

Question 8

A.2.b Types of information needed

Answer 8

Counselors explicitly explain to clients the nature of all services provided. They inform clients about issues such as, but not limited to, the following: The purposes, goals, techniques, procedures, limitations, potential risks, and benefits of services; the counselors qualifications, credentials, relevant experience, and approach to counseling; continuation of services upon the incapacitation or death of the counselor; the role of technology; and other pertinent information. Counselors take steps to ensure that clients understand the implications of diagnosis and the intended use of tests and reports. Additionally, counselors inform clients about fees and billing arrangements, including procedures for nonpayment of fees. Clients have the right to confidentiality and to be provided with an explanation of its limits (including how supervisors and/or treatment or interdisciplinary team professionals are involved), to obtain clear information about their records, to participate in the ongoing counseling plans, and to refuse anyone services of modality changes and to be advised of the consequences of such refusal

Question 9

A.2.c. Developmental and Culturally Sensitivity

Answer 9

Counselors communicate information in ways that are both developmentally and culturally appropriate. Counselors use clear and understandable language when discussing issues related to informed consent. When clients have difficulty understanding the language that counselors use, counselors provide necessary services (e.g., arranging for qualified interpreter or translator) to ensure comprehension by the clients. In collaboration with clients, counselors consider cultural implications of informed consent procedures and, where possible, counselors adjust their practices accordingly.

Question 10

A.2.d. Inability to Give Consent

Answer 10

Counselors Discuss the required limitations to confidentiality when working with clients who have been mandated for counseling services. Counselors also explain what type of information and with whom that information is shared prior to the beginning of counseling. The client may choose to refuse services. In this case, counselors will, to the best of their ability, discuss with the client the potential consequences of refusing counseling services

Question 11

A.3 Clients Served by Others

Answer 11

When counselors learn that their clients are in a professional relationship with other mental health professionals, they request release from clients to inform the other professionals and strive to establish and collaborative professional relationships

Question 12

A.4 Avoiding Harm and Imposing Values

Answer 12

Avoiding Harm, Personal Values

Question 13

A.4.a Avoiding Harm

Answer 13

Counselors act to avoid harming their clients, trainees, and research participants and to minimize or remedy unavoidable or unanticipated harm.

Question 14

A.4.b. Personal Values

Answer 14

Counselors are aware of and avoid imposing their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Counselors respect the diversity of clients, trainees, and research participants and seek training in areas in which they are at risk of imposing their values onto clients, especially when the counselors values are inconsistent with the client’s goals or are discriminatory in nature.

Question 15

A.5 Prohibited NonCounseling Roles and Relationships

Answer 15

Sexual and/or romantic relationships prohibited, previous sexual and/or romantic relationships, sexual and/or romantic relationships with former clients, friends or family members, personal virtual relationships with current clients

Question 16

A.5.a Sexual and/or Romantic Relationships Prohibited

Answer 16

Sexual and/or romantic counselor-client interactions or relationships with current clients, their romantic partners, or their family members are prohibited. This prohibition applies to both in-person and electronic interactions or relationships

Question 17

A.5.b. Previous Sexual and/or Romantic Relationships

Answer 17

Counselors are prohibited from engaging in counseling relationships with persons with whom they have had a previous sexual and/or romantic relationship

Question 18

A.5.c Sexual and/or Romantic Relationships with Former Clients

Answer 18

Sexual and/or Romantic counselor client interactions or relationships with former clients, their romantic partners, or their family members are prohibited for a period of 5 years following the last professional contact. This prohibition applies to both in-person and electronic interactions or relationships

Question 19

A.5.d Friends or Family Members

Answer 19

Counselors are prohibited from engaging in counseling relationships with friends or family members with whom they have an inability to remain objective.

Question 20

A.5.e. Personal Virtual Relationships with Current Clients

Answer 20

Counselors are prohibited from engaging in a personal virtual relationship with individuals with whom they have a current counseling relationship (social or other media).

Question 21

A.6.a. Managing and Maintaining Boundaries and Professional Relationships

Answer 21

Previous Relationships, Extending Counseling Boundaries, Documenting Boundary Extensions, Role Changes in the Professional Relationship, Nonprofessional Interactions or Relationships (other than sexual or romantic interactions or relationships)

Question 22

A.6.a Previous Relationships

Answer 22

Counselors consider the risks and benefits of accepting as clients those with whom they had a previous relationship. These potential clients may include with whom the counselor has had a casual, distant, or past relationship. Examples include mutual or past membership in a professional association, organization, or community. When Counselors accept these clients, they take appropriate professional precautions such as informed consent, consultation, supervision, and documentation to ensure that judgement is not impaired and no exploitation occurs.

Question 23

A.6.b. Extending Counseling Boundaries

Answer 23

Counselors consider the risks and benefits of extending current counseling relationships beyond conventional parameters. Examples include attending a clients formal ceremony, purchasing a service or product provided by a client, visiting clients ill family member in the hospital. In extending these boundaries, counselors take appropriate professional precautions such as informed consent, consultation, supervision, and documentation to ensure that judgement is not impaired and no harm occurs.

Question 24

A.6.c Documenting Boundary Extensions

Answer 24

If counselors extend boundaries as described, they must officially document, prior to the interaction, the rationale for such an interaction, the potential benefit, and anticipated consequences for the client or former client and other individuals significantly involved with the client or former client. When unintentional harm occurs to the client or former client, or to an individual, significantly involved with the client or former client, the counselor must show evidence of an attempt to remedy such harm

Question 25

A.6.D Role Changes in the Professional Relationship

Answer 25

When Counselors change a role from the original or most recent contracted relationship, they must obtain informed consent from the client and explain the clients right to refuse services related to the change. Examples of role changes include, but are not limited to.

1. Changing from individual to relationship or family counseling or visa versa
2. Changing from an evaluative role to a therapeutic role or visa versa
3. Changing from a counselor to a mediator role, or visa versa

Clients must be fully informed of any anticipated consequences (financial, legal, personal, therapeutic) of counselor role changes

Question 26

A.6.e Non Professional Interactions or Relationships (Other Than Sexual or Romantic Interactions or Relationships)

Answer 26

Counselors Avoid entering into non-professional relationships with former clients, their romantic partners, or their family members when the interaction is potentially harmful to the client. This applies to both in-person and electronic interactions or relationships.

Question 27

Roles and Relationships at Individual, Group, Institutional, and Societal Levels

Answer 27

Advocacy, Confidentiality and advocacy,

Question 28

A.7.a. Advocacy

Answer 28

When appropriate, counselors advocate at individual, group, institutional, and societal levels to address potential barriers and obstacles that inhibit access and/or the growth and development of clients

Question 29

A.7.b Confidentiality and Advocacy

Answer 29

Counselors obtain client consent prior to engaging in advocacy efforts on behalf of an identifiable client to improve the provision of services and to work toward removal of systematic barriers or obstacles that inhibit client access growth, and development.

Question 30

A.8 Multiple Clients

Answer 30

When a counselor agrees to provide counseling services to two or more persons who have a relationship, the counselor clarifies at the outset which person or persons are the clients and the nature of the relationships the counselor will have with each involved person. If it becomes apparent that the counselor may be called upon to perform potentially conflicting roles, the counselor will clarify, adjust, or withdraw from roles appropriately

Question 31

A.9. Group Work

Answer 31

Screening, Protecting Clients

Question 32

A.9.a. Screening

Answer 32

Counselors screen prospective group counseling/therapy participants. To the extent possible, counselors select members whose needs and goals are compatible with the goals of the group, who will not impede the group process, and whose well-being will not be jeopardized by the group experience

Question 33

A.9.b. Protecting Clients

Answer 33

In a group setting, counselors take reasonable precautions to protect clients from physical, emotional, or psychological trauma.

Question 34

A.10. Fees and business Practices

Answer 34

Self-Referral, Unacceptable Business Practices, Establishing Fees, Nonpayment of Fees, Bartering, receiving gifts

Question 35

A.10.a. Self-Referral

Answer 35

Counselors working in an organization (school, agency, institution) that provides counseling services do not refer clients to their private practice unless the policies of a particular organization make explicit provisions for self-referrals. In such instances, the clients must be informed of other options open to them should they seek private counseling services.

Question 36

A.10.b. Unacceptable Business Practices

Answer 36

Counselors do not participate in fee splitting, nor do they give or receive commissions, rebates, or another other form of remuneration when referring clients for professional services.

Question 37

A.10.c. Establishing Fees

Answer 37

In establishing fees for professional counseling services, counselors consider the financial status of the clients and locality. If a counselor’s usual fees create undue hardship for the client, the counselor may adjust fees, when legally permissible, or assist the client in locating comparable, affordable services

Question 38

A.10.D NonPayment of Fees

Answer 38

If a counselor intend to use collection agencies or take legal measures to collect fees from clients who do not pay for services as agreed upon they include such information in their informed consent documents and also inform clients in a timely fashion of intended actions and offer clients the opportunity to make payment.

Question 39

A.10.e. Bartering

Answer 39

Counselors may barter only if the bartering does not result in exploitation or harm, if the client requests it, and if such arrangements are an accepted practice among professionals in the community. Counselors consider the cultural implications of bartering and discuss relevant concerns with clients and document such agreements in a clear written contract.

Question 40

A.10.F Receiving Gifts

Answer 40

Counselors understand the challenges of accepting gifts from clients and recognize that in some cultures, small gifts are a token of respect and gratitude. When determining whether to accept a gift from clients, counselors should take into account the therapeutic relationship, the monetary value of the gift, the client’s motivation for giving the gift, and the counselor’s motivation for wanting to accept or decline the gift.

Question 41

A.11. Termination and Referral

Answer 41

Competence Within Termination and Referral, Values within Termination and Referral, Appropriate Termination, Appropriate Transfer of Services