Ethics in Group Counseling Essay

Ethics is also termed as philosophy, which is a branch of philosophy that includes the systematizing, defending and recommending concepts of the right and wrong conducts. There are three major field of study within ethics that involves Metha-ethics that concerns with the theoretical meaning that are used to reference of moral propositions and their truth-values that can be determined, the normative ethics that concerns with the practical means of determining a moral course of action. Lastly is the applied ethics that concerns with what an individual is obligated to do in an appropriate situation or at a particular domain. This research paper can explore the various ethical issues that arise during a group session. There are certain ethical conditions that should be upheld in the panel session from the initial stages of the formation of the group to the working phase of the group. The group leader should be able to uphold definitive ethical, moral codes. Thus, the paper can enlighten the various ways that a group leader should act in the midst of a conflict as well as confidentiality within the group. In focusing on the ethical responsibility of members of a group it necessary to concentrate on the following topics that are explained as follows. Ethical Responsibility Ethical responsibility is the duty that follows the moral correct paths. The ethical responsibilities of the group entail that each member has the responsibility to be honest with other group members so that to be able to make decisions in the group sessions. It is necessary that there must be a clear moral standard from the outset. For instance, create and enforce a code of conduct that ensures that group members are treated fairly to avoid the appearance of unethical behaviors. The group leader should be able to ensure that there is transparency when dealing with group members. Also the ethical that you might feel you have, you should consider how the group‘s morality could affect the group productivity. Ethical Communication in  Small Groups Dealing with small groups work we major on focusing on getting the job done while maintain a reasonable relationship among group members. Ethics in a small group involve three levels whereby we have the individual group member, the group, and the group environment. Thus using ethics in a small group, it enhances the moral aspects of the group interaction. The ethical communication enables the human worthiness and the dignity by fostering the truthfulness, fairness, responsibility and enhancing the personal integrity. Thus, ethical communication in small groups is used for caring and accountability for oneself and other group members. Some other principles that are more applicable to small group communication involves: the truthfulness ,accuracy, honesty and provision of the integrity of communication, endorse freedom of expression and diversity of perspective together with the tolerance of dissent to be able to achieve the informed and responsible for making decision making fundament al to a civil society. Unethical communication causes threats to the quality of all communication and the consequently of the well-being of the individuals and the society. In addition, as a manager be able to create a promotion communication climate of caring and mutual understanding that exist with respect and uniqueness needs and characteristics of individual’s communicator and be able to accept responsibilities for the short and long-term consequences. Ethics is more easily discussed than putting into real practice as demonstrated by San Jose Mercury stated that the increasing trend in an organization to integrate a code of ethics for daily activities. Ethical communication requires that an effective critical thinking skills, recognizing the importance of the diverse perspectives and respect for the well-being of self and other taking the responsibility for individual and the group actions and reflecting on the choices the group members can make.. Ethics in Group Counseling During the session of group counseling, consist of the psychiatric care that many patients meet more at therapist at a time. Each group has different topics that they wish to tackle for the growth that enhances the distinction of the financial issue that an individual counseling can be able to create.  The financial tights limit the delivery of the community agency for individual counseling. Focusing on the Barlow Research stated that group-counseling sessions are more successful than the individual ones. Thus by evaluating the various facts that the states that group counseling benefit more patients at one time as well as being used more than the individual counseling. Through McCarty studies, they were able to answer questions that were concerning the indicator of the importance of group counseling as compared to individual counseling. They described the positive aspect of the group counseling as well as stipulating the negative side of the group counseling. The positive results of the group counseling involve the developing of the social skills among the group due to a safe environment in which the group members can share their thoughts feelings and ideas. In addition, the aspect that concerns the patients to be able to receive a positive feedback from their own group mate as well as various perspective on a similar issue, the group members can enhance to learn new ways in order to see a particular problem. Considering the negative aspects of the group therapy involves the clients were not speaking during a group therapy session since they are too shy to share their views in the front of other individuals. The other aspect consists of group settings and the benefits that are more important in the individual setting. The other aspect involves the issue of time which is limited and the group and the group sessions do not have flexibility date setting, thus any session that is placed by the counselor should be mandatory and set in the panel settings Characteristics of an Ethical Leader During the group, counseling session there must be proper individuals that are trained and equipped in an efficient manner to lead during the session. The individual that lead the session is considered as a leader who addresses the various issues that arise during the session. Some research that was done by Kalshoven and Hugh wanted to determine the individual characteristics that a leader requires that to lead an effective a counseling session. They stated that the major features of the ethical leader were both agreeable and conscientious. In their study, they proposed that a leader possess the traits whereby the manager requires the features to ethical standards in the counseling session. Another study that was done  by Riggio stated that the two important moral emotions that a leader must possess is the empathy for their clients as well as compassion for the individual wellbeing. Jacobs in his literature book stated strongly that leaders in group counseling must be at a state to have skills in organizing and planning the counseling sessions in order to keep orders and maintain the structure of the group. As a counselor, he/she must be able to answer the challenging question that can arise and ensure a complete knowledge understanding. The counselor should be able to understand the counseling theory to enhance proper training that can assist in the implementation of the ethical foundations. Primary Planning The counselor should be given proper training in advance with the aim of ensuring an effective ways in the counseling session. Thus, the counselor is required to attend a counseling session to have the insight to the future issues and the dilemmas they might face. Thus in the participation of that session it allows them to coin and gain the understanding and the perspective. According to Corey, the study suggested that for a minimum of 10 hours of observation and taking notes of the session. This paramount process enables the counselor to be involved in ethical decision-making and well-organized knowledge. The area of jurisdiction must be satisfactory to the counselor by screening the patients before joining the group, in a move to avoid disruption and hurting the whole group at the end of the process. During the screening session, it entailed answering, unsettled questions at the stipulated time. Further, there must be an alignment with the purpose of the group as well as make the t eam leader who will be able to meet the needs of the client as much as possible. The process of planning entails alignment of the client and counselor so that the customer will be free to the counselor to give out and share the deep and times emotions. Once the process of screening is finished, there is an informed consent section. The client that discusses what issues they will be able to encounter during the counseling sessions. The preliminary role of these step, it enables the disclosure of information to the group members to inform the clients the pros and cons of joining the group. It is also suggested that the informed consent section has potential risks that the members might face while in a group therapy session. It is well explained by the Corey survey, which  states that some clients might experience their privacy, which is a guarantee that the other member will respect their privacy The informed consent is usually presented to customers in a written and oral manner so that the clients can be completely informed of what they will encounter so that to avoid surprises when the sessions begin. In the consent, the clients are required to contain the role expectations of colleagues and the leader, the policies and the procedures that are governing the mandated group, the documentation requirements and the procedures for the consultation between group leader and the group members. Open or Closed Group It is stated that it beneficial to choose the group counseling since it is better to make a decision. There are supportive reasons to those suggestions that cause the more efficient counseling method. At first, the counselor can reach out a larger group of people. Instead of focusing much time on one person, we assist the lives of many other than concentrating on a single individual. Through group counseling, it benefits both the client and the counselor since it creates a great way to build a community and stimulate the counseling session. Secondly, the group counseling is more effective since the counselor can build his/her leadership skills this is created because of the counselors can encounter various problems and through making mistakes, they can become stronger and efficient leaders as the session progresses. The third reason it beneficial for both the counselor and the group since the counselor can be able to raise his revenue through obtaining a group counselling session as compared to one person and the member of the group can save money as well. Also, the cost of individual counseling is expensive as compared to the panel session The last reason to consider the group session is such that it is much effective since the counselor can continually learn experiment and strive to make a difference in the life of a client. Group Processes According to Corey, he stated that in-group counseling the issue of conflict within counseling in a group is common. The topic at times is inevitable within the group when you have personal clashing and perspectives within the group. However, according to Jacobs warned that the issues that are dealing with the denominator, negative member, and the overwhelming chronic talker,  and some issues of asking a member to leave are expected to arise in the counseling setting. Thus, it is important to note that some of the problems do not solely happen in the group setting but may happen as well in the personal counseling setting session. Therefore, the most important issue about conflict is not the conflict itself but how the counselor will be able to deal ethically with the issue when it arises. Thus, a great tool that one should use is to list all the conflict issues that they may arise and then gain the insight as to how to solve the issue ethically. In addition, it is desirable to seek advice from other colleagues about the tactics that may be used in the sessions to resolve the issues. The counselor is supposed to develop either an open or closed session group setting. Whereby in the public group setting session the members of the group are allowed to go and come at their own pleasure. Nevertheless, in the closed group sessions the member is required to be a continuance of the attendance throughout the designated sessions. Close relationship should be built on the counselor as well as a close relationship in-between the other group members as stated by the Forsyth who stated that the aspect of cohesion when conducting the issue of evaluation the leader must activity gain the virtue to keep the group in a cohesiveness mode. The ethical questions that arise from a closed group therapy sessions show the ability for the client to leave at any point. According to Corey, stated that a member should choose to leave the counseling session then that must openly let the group and the counselor must know that they wish to exit and the reason they exiting the group. It can be done in order not to harm the homeostatic environment of the group. Thus when the team member does not do this, it can harm the rest of the group and disrupt the growth process that there is among the group. It leads to a critical ethical topic that must be addressed in the every counseling group that is the issue of com fidelity. As a counselor it safe to uphold the confidentiality of the group members, this can lead to the group members being shy about sharing certain area their lives. There are certain aspects that the counselor can break in the confidential barriers While in the individual counseling, it involves talking personal feeling thoughts and behaviors and the things that are troubling and spend time in talking about the individual relationship with others. Your counselor will work with you to be able to set goals and the things you require to be accomplished  together. The counselor assists you to develop different strategies that can assist you to be able to reach the personal goals. In some cases, it could mean changing the pattern of thinking, learning new skills, changing the behaviors, and shifting the way you feel and express the emotions. References American Psychological Association. Publication manual of the American PsychologicalAssociation (Current ed.) 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