Ethical Issues in the Practice of Counseling, Essay Example

Introduction

The topic of homosexuality is a difficult one, especially for conservative people. However, when a child ‘comes out’ as either gay or lesbian, it is the role of the parent to accept and love him/her like any other child (Ryan, Russell, Huebner, Diaz & Sanchez, 2010). The society today, I believe, is very open-minded and sexual orientation is no longer a sensitive topic to talk about, but a necessary one. In the past, people used to believe that homosexuality was connected to mental illness and even criminality. Psychologists studied homosexuals to find out if their sexual differences were attributed to mental illness, heredity, or gene mutations (Herek, 2010). Nevertheless, the psychologists found it difficult to find evidence that associated homosexuality with mental illness. Consequently, in 1973, the American Psychiatric Association denounced homosexuality as one of the mental disorders (Herek, 2010). With the advent of the 21st century, anti-homosexual attitudes and homophobia have been greatly broken down.

Why the case is personally challenging

The acceptance of homosexuals in society has been reinforced by the legalization of same-sex marriages by some nations such as the US, UK, Australia, and France. Nevertheless, there are still a few people, especially in Singapore, where same-sex relationships are illegal, who have a negative attitude towards homosexuals. I strongly believe that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons should have equal rights as any other person in society.  Singapore’s Section 377A posits that “any male person who, in public or private, commits, or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years”(Singapore Statutes Online).  I believe that this law about Outrages on Decency should be reviewed because we now live in a society where sexual individuality should be respected. Judging by the number of LGBT events taking place yearly since 2009 in Singapore, it is also evident that there are several homosexuals in the country. Hence, parents should be the support system their children need when they ‘come out.’ The psychology’s pledge also stipulates that a health professional has a role in eradicating the misconceptions associated with homosexuality (Herek, 2010). Aside from this pledge ethics, the ability to perceive what is right and wrong, also dictates that all human life should be respected.  I also believe that as a counselor, I must be considerate of all individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or any other differences. However, client A is angry and shamed after learning their only child is gay, and this is a sign that the parent may be holding some anti-homosexual attitudes. Therefore, this case may be difficult because it goes against my personal belief that homosexuality is not something to cause shame.

PotentiaL Risks and Difficulties

A clash will arise when dealing with case A. This is because the client is angry and ashamed of the child’s gay status while I, on the other hand, believe that homosexuality is not something to be abashed. Therefore, the major difficulty that may be evident when dealing with client A is trying to understand his traditional views and beliefs on homosexuality and my modern beliefs about the subject. The conflict may cause an unconscious discriminative behavior when counseling the client. Counselors are certainly supposed to remain professional and refrain from judging their patients. However, there are cases where the client expresses some strong feelings of dislike that are contrary to the counselor.

Potential ethical implications if the risks are not managed

Due to the personal belief difference between Client A and I, there is a great risk of breaking the Code of Ethics stipulated by the Singapore Association for Counseling. The ethical codes essentially provide for “Beneficence (to do good), Non-maleficence (not harm), Respect for Autonomy, Fairness, and Truthfulness” (Singapore Association for Counselling). The code that may be breached in this case is that of respect for autonomy, which states that counselors must respect all individuals even if the clients’ beliefs do not conform to theirs. Client A can be considered to be homophobic or just holding negative thoughts towards homosexuality; that is why he is angry and shamed after realizing his child is gay. Such a client poses difficulty handling for a counselor who affirms in the belief to eradicate the stereotyping associated with homosexuality. It is the duty of a counselor to make ethical decisions; i.e. those that benefit the client instead of creating problems. According to the ethics theory by German philosopher Habermas, an ethical decision is one that is practicable, considerate of the personal wishes and feelings of the patient, and considers in what way it will affect other people (Walseth, Abildsnes, & Schei, 2011).

Practical strategies to prevent or limit the implications

Relevant Ethical Guidelines to solve the ethical implications

The Singapore Association for Counseling (SAC) provides relevant guidelines on the Code of Ethics that counselors should follow in their practice. Several sections of SAC’s Code of Ethics provide relevant strategies that can help a counselor when solving issues related to personal values. Section B.2.1 clearly states that “members shall respect the rights of clients to hold values, attitudes, and opinions and lifestyle that differ from theirs.” Further, Section B.2.2 states that “members must acknowledge and respect differences of amongst other things; age, race, language, religion, disabilities, economic status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Members must recognize the clients’ rights of choice and not impose on their personal views, prejudices or preferences on any matter in the course of the counseling” (Singapore Association for Counseling). These two ethical guidelines provide an important safeguard against the possibility of discriminating or denying services to clients due to their differences in beliefs or other attributes. They also caution against imposing one’s values on the client. Fortunately, following the second code will not be any challenge because I hold nothing against LGBT persons. However, I will need to follow the first code in respecting the personal values of the client and the second code in ensuring that I do not impose my beliefs on the client.

According to section B.2.3 of the Code of Ethics  “members must recognize that regardless of their personal views, clients with differing values, attributes, and lifestyle must not be counseled in a manner that is detrimental to their well-being” (Singapore Association for Counseling). Adherence to this ethical guideline is also important because it helps a counselor understand that the counseling process is meant to promote a person and not damage him/her. I believe that parents should be the support system their children need when they come out as either gay or lesbian. However, ethical thinking dictates that decisions should be reached upon and deliberated by both the counselor and the client (Walseth, Abildsnes, & Schei, 2011). In that case, it would be unethical to make the Client A feel bad about his anger and shame for not accepting the idea that his child is homosexual. Therefore, it is imperative to apply code B.2.3 not only for this case but in other ethical cases that I may encounter in the future of the same nature.

Suggested Strategies to Value Conflicts

To also avert the possibility of imposing my personal views about homosexuality on the client, I will follow a client-centered approach in counseling. The client-centered approach was developed by Carl Rodgers, who posited that a client should be viewed by a counselor as a fellow human being. Rodgers argued that a client-counselor relationship should be characterized by empathy, positive regard, and genuineness. Rodgers believed that when these three aspects are applied, a client can be motivated to change (Ryan, Lynch, Vansteenkiste & Deci, 2011). Therefore, the theory states that a non-directive approach should be taken in counseling. It means that the client should be allowed to define his/her problem and state objectives he/she thinks can solve the problem. Thus far, the counselor’s role is to help the client find solutions to achieve the goals stated (Ryan et al., 2011). Therefore, by utilizing such an approach, I will be able to keep my values from interfering with the counseling process. The client may also be motivated to change his/her beliefs if they are negative or damaging to his/her well-being or that of others.

Client A’s feelings of anger and shame are very normal because Singaporean society is considered very conservative. Therefore, another strategy to avert misunderstanding with client A is to comprehend the Singaporean society, especially parents, and their views about homosexuality. It is also well-known that most young people coming out in Singapore tell their peers, siblings, or colleagues but not their parents. According to Tan (2011), during childhood, most homosexuals in Singapore hide their gay/lesbian-related materials such as videos, comics, and magazines from their parents. Next, friends often cover their gay friends when their parents suspect anything (Tan, 2011). When they grow up, it becomes difficult to keep up with the lies because their parents are always nudging them to find girlfriends, get married, and give then grandchildren. Some parents even resort to emotional blackmailing. For instance, Tan (2011) was told by one informant (Gary) that his godmother would tell him to get married because she is dying. She would proceed to tell Gary that the other grandson is already married and with three children, so why can he not also follow suit (Tan, 2011). Such a mindset (the need for children to get married so that they can have children of their own) is common among many Singaporean parents.

Children who do tell their Singaporean parents about their homosexuality are still later on confronted with the same question about marriage. Their parents believe that homosexuality is just a phase and that their children may come to their senses and marry or get married (Tan, 2011). In the worst of cases, some homosexuals succumb to getting married and end up living a miserable or double life (Tan, 2011). Therefore, there is a huge possibility that I have to face parents with such an anti-homosexuality mindset, even in the future. By understanding that the Singaporean ethical culture considers homosexuality wrong and opposite-sex marriage right, I can try to keep an open mind when handling clients who are homophobic. Indeed, children are important, and it is every parent’s dream to live to see their grandchildren. Thus, I should appreciate this fact when talking with clients such as Parent A. With time, client A can break the negative feelings of anger, shame or guilt and become more accepting of his child’s homosexuality.

Conclusion

The topic of homosexuality in a country like Singapore, where the society is still unaccepting of LGBT persons, is a sensitive one. Therefore, counselors, particularly those who are in favor of homosexuality, should carefully tread well when handling homophobic clients. Failure to control one’s values and beliefs may result in causing a misunderstanding with the client and also being discriminative. Moreover, the problem may result in breaching ethical guidelines. Fortunately, when faced with the conflict between personal values and ethical guidelines, a counselor can refer back to Section B.2.1, 2.2, and 2.3. The guidelines can offer an understanding that no matter the beliefs and values of the client, a counselor has the role to provide services without prejudice. To overcome the challenge of misunderstanding and discrimination towards the client, the patient-centered approach is proposed. The approach lets the patient take the lead in the counseling process, thus avoiding the possibility of the counselor imposing his/her values. The process ultimately allows the client to realize his/her flaws, and seek to change out of volition. The final strategy is to study the Singaporean society’s attitude towards homosexuality because it allows a counselor to understand the anger and shame most parents feel when they realize their child is gay or lesbian. With such an understanding, the barrier between the counselor’s personal beliefs and those of the client are broken, giving room for non-discriminative counsel.

References

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