Our second What Would You Do Ethical Dilemma got more people (counsellors, students and interested parties) thinking about what they would do in this tricky situation. To be kept up to date with future dilemmas and join in the discussion follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

 

The Dilemma

 

You receive a call from someone looking to arrange a series of counselling sessions for their boss. They have chosen you based on a number of criteria including the way that you work, and their bosses need for confidentiality. You take their details and arrange a meeting with the client to discuss contracts etc. You suspect the name given maybe a pseudonym, as the person making the call has expressed several times that confidentiality is key.

 

The client arrives for your session on time and as you open the door you realize that it is a celebrity who has been in the news a lot recently following a scandal. You have been following their story online, and on mainstream media and realize two things immediately. First that your potential client is in great distress and secondly that you have already made some strong decisions about their behaviour based on what you have read and heard.

 

What would you do?

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1. Explain that you feel unable to work with the client and refer them to a colleague who you know pays no attention to the media and probably won’t have heard of your client.

2. Start the session in the knowledge you have about them and think about whether you can provide unconditional positive regard and remain congruent.

3. Put aside your preconceptions and work with them without hesitation.

 

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