Family Therapy Ethics Case Study

3688 Words15 Pages
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT, 2012) has developed a set standards for ethical practice that are described in a Code. The Code strives to protect our clients and communities, as well as the therapist, in the work we provide in the field of marriage and family therapy. The Code encourages marriage and family therapists (MFT) who are uncertain about the ethics of a particular course of action to seek counsel from consultants, attorneys, supervisors, colleagues, or other appropriate authorities (AAMFT, 2012). The Code was developed to guide and direct the practitioners’ conduct, whether in difficult situations, in the face of certainty, or when dealing with the unknown with clients and their families. Thus,…show more content…
Since the client was not present I would have maintained confidentiality, saying “I cannot disclose any information about any client to anyone or acknowledge that I know or do not know a client.” I think by doing so, “Principle I, 1.2 Informed Consent,” would be upheld. Unless the client specifically identified his father as part of his treatment course or conveyed that he wanted his father to have information regarding treatment, the therapist in the scenario should never acknowledge knowing the client. However, if the therapist had a lapse in judgment and did state that she knows the client, the therapist should have upheld the Principle I: Responsibility to Clients which encourages that the therapist “respect the rights of those persons seeking their assistance, and make reasonable efforts to ensure that their services are used appropriately” (AAMFT Code of Ethics, 2012). Marriage and family therapists protect the welfare of families and their individual clients, and they respect the rights of their clients, and make reasonable efforts to ensure that their services are used appropriately. In this case, the therapist would violate several Code principles by accepting the gift, such as 1.7 No Furthering of Own Interests, because the therapist would be accepting something that is highly valued and of greater value than the services provided. Principle VII: Financial Arrangements clearly states that “marriage and family therapists make financial arrangements with clients, third-party payors, and supervisees that are reasonably understandable and conform to accepted professional practices” (AAMFT Code of Ethics, 2012). The therapist cannot accept financial benefits that could jeopardize their clients. For example, accepting a gift from the father could deter his son, the client, from coming back to therapy due to shame or embarrassment over his father’s actions.

More about Family Therapy Ethics Case Study

Open Document