Ethical Principles of my work
Counselling in Nottingham Psychotherapy in Nottingham Supervision in Nottingham
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I subscribe to and abide by the Ethical Codes of Good Practice of the British Association for Counselling
and Psychotherapy (BACP) and The Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute (SPTI) as a professional
practising member of both organisations. This ensures my clients safety and covers such areas as
confidentiality, trust, disclosure and clinical supervision. More information can be found by following the
links here to the BACP and SPTI code of ethics.
Fidelity
Being trustworthy is regarded as fundamental to understanding and resolving ethical issues.
Practitioners who adopt this principle: act in accordance with the trust placed in them by their
clients; regard confidentiality as an obligation arising from the respecting of a client's trust;
restrict any disclosure of any confidential information about clients to furthering the purposes for
which it was originally disclosed.
Autonomy
This principle emphasises the importance of the client's commitment to participating in
counselling or psychotherapy, usually on a voluntary basis. Practitioners who respect their
clients' autonomy: ensure accuracy in any advertising or information given in advance of services
offered; seek freely given and adequately informed consent; engage in explicit contracting in
advance of any commitment by the client; protect privacy; protect confidentiality; normally make
any disclosures of confidential information conditional on the consent of the person concerned;
and inform the client in advance of foreseeable conflicts of interest or as soon as possible after
such conflicts become apparent. The principle of autonomy opposes the manipulation of clients
against their will, even for beneficial social ends.
Beneficence
The principle of beneficence means acting in the best interests of the client based on professional
assessment. It directs attention to working strictly within one's limits of competence and
providing services on the basis of adequate training or experience. Ensuring that the client's best
interests are achieved requires systematic monitoring of practice and outcomes by the best
available means. It is considered important that research and systematic reflection inform
practice. There is an obligation to use regular and on-going supervision to enhance the quality of
the services provided and to commit to updating practice by continuing professional
development. An obligation to act in the best interests of a client may become paramount when
working with clients whose capacity for autonomy is diminished because of immaturity, lack of
understanding, extreme distress, serious disturbance or other significant personal constraints.
Non-Maleficence
Non-maleficence involves: avoiding sexual, financial, and emotional or any other form of client
exploitation; avoiding incompetence or malpractice; not providing services when unfit to do so
due to illness, personal circumstances or intoxication. The practitioner has an ethical
responsibility to strive to mitigate any harm caused to a client even when the harm is
unavoidable or unintended. Holding appropriate insurance may assist in restitution. Practitioners
have a personal responsibility to challenge, where appropriate, the incompetence or malpractice
of others; and to contribute to any investigation and/or adjudication concerning professional
practice which falls below that of a reasonably competent practitioner and/or risks bringing
discredit upon the profession.
Justice
The principle of justice requires being just and fair to all clients and respecting their human
rights and dignity. It directs attention to considering conscientiously any legal requirements and
obligations, and remaining alert to potential conflicts between legal and ethical obligations.
Justice in the distribution of services requires the ability to determine impartially the provision of
services for clients and the allocation of services between clients. A commitment to fairness
requires the ability to appreciate differences between people and to be committed to equality of
opportunity, and avoiding discrimination against people or groups contrary to their legitimate
personal or social characteristics. Practitioners have a duty to strive to ensure a fair provision of
counselling and psychotherapy services, accessible and appropriate to the needs of potential
clients.
Self-Respect
The principle of self-respect means that the practitioner appropriately applies all the above
principles as entitlements for self. This includes seeking counselling or therapy and other
opportunities for personal development as required. There is an ethical responsibility to use
supervision for appropriate personal and professional support and development, and to seek
training and other opportunities for continuing professional development. Guarding against
financial liabilities arising from work undertaken usually requires obtaining appropriate
insurance. The principle of self-respect encourages active engagement in life-enhancing
activities and relationships that are independent of relationships in counselling or psychotherapy.
Counselling in Nottingham
Supervision - Psychotherapy - Counselling - services based in Nottingham
The principle of justice requires being just and fair
to all clients and respecting their human rights and
dignity. It directs attention to considering
conscientiously any legal requirements and
obligations, and remaining alert to potential
conflicts between legal and ethical obligations.
Justice in the distribution of services requires the
ability to determine impartially the provision of
services for clients and the allocation of services
between clients. A commitment to fairness requires
the ability to appreciate differences between
people and to be committed to equality of
opportunity, and avoiding discrimination against
people or groups contrary to their legitimate
personal or social characteristics. Practitioners
have a duty to strive to ensure a fair provision of
counselling and psychotherapy services, accessible
and appropriate to the needs of potential clients.
Counselling in Nottingham
Copyright © 2023 - All Rights Reserved.
Counselling in Nottingham
Counselling - Psychotherapy - Supervision
Non-maleficence involves: avoiding sexual, financial,
and emotional or any other form of client
exploitation; avoiding incompetence or malpractice;
not providing services when unfit to do so due to
illness, personal circumstances or intoxication. The
practitioner has an ethical responsibility to strive to
mitigate any harm caused to a client even when the
harm is unavoidable or unintended. Holding
appropriate insurance may assist in restitution.
Practitioners have a personal responsibility to
challenge, where appropriate, the incompetence or
malpractice of others; and to contribute to any
investigation and/or adjudication concerning
professional practice which falls below that of a
reasonably competent practitioner and/or risks
bringing discredit upon the profession.
Ethical Principles of my work
I subscribe to and abide by the Ethical Codes of Good
Practice of the British Association for Counselling and
Psychotherapy (BACP) and The Sherwood
Psychotherapy Training Institute (SPTI) as a
professional practising member of both organisations.
This ensures my clients safety and covers such areas
as confidentiality, trust, disclosure and clinical
supervision. More information can be found by
following the links here to the BACP and SPTI code of
ethics.
Fidelity
Being trustworthy is regarded as fundamental to
understanding and resolving ethical issues.
Practitioners who adopt this principle: act in
accordance with the trust placed in them by their
clients; regard confidentiality as an obligation arising
from the respecting of a client's trust; restrict any
disclosure of any confidential information about
clients to furthering the purposes for which it was
originally disclosed.
Autonomy
This principle emphasises the importance of the
client's commitment to participating in counselling or
psychotherapy, usually on a voluntary basis.
Practitioners who respect their clients' autonomy:
ensure accuracy in any advertising or information
given in advance of services offered; seek freely
given and adequately informed consent; engage in
explicit contracting in advance of any commitment by
the client; protect privacy; protect confidentiality;
normally make any disclosures of confidential
information conditional on the consent of the person
concerned; and inform the client in advance of
foreseeable conflicts of interest or as soon as
possible after such conflicts become apparent. The
principle of autonomy opposes the manipulation of
clients against their will, even for beneficial social
ends.
Beneficence
The principle of beneficence means acting in the best
interests of the client based on professional
assessment. It directs attention to working strictly
within one's limits of competence and providing
services on the basis of adequate training or
experience. Ensuring that the client's best interests
are achieved requires systematic monitoring of
practice and outcomes by the best available means.
It is considered important that research and
systematic reflection inform practice. There is an
obligation to use regular and on-going supervision to
enhance the quality of the services provided and to
commit to updating practice by continuing
professional development. An obligation to act in the
best interests of a client may become paramount
when working with clients whose capacity for
autonomy is diminished because of immaturity, lack
of understanding, extreme distress, serious
disturbance or other significant personal constraints.
Non-Maleficence
Justice
Self-Respect
The principle of self-respect means that the
practitioner appropriately applies all the above
principles as entitlements for self. This includes
seeking counselling or therapy and other
opportunities for personal development as
required. There is an ethical responsibility to use
supervision for appropriate personal and
professional support and development, and to seek
training and other opportunities for continuing
professional development. Guarding against
financial liabilities arising from work undertaken
usually requires obtaining appropriate insurance.
The principle of self-respect encourages active
engagement in life-enhancing activities and
relationships that are independent of relationships
in counselling or psychotherapy.
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