A commitment to excellence is something for which many of us strive. That may include taking care of ourselves so we are able to give great service, continuing our education so we are knowledgeable in our field, and taking advantage of new technologies to provide better customer care.
Of all the marks of ethics I have listed here, maintaining boundaries is the one I see well-intentioned practitioners struggle with the most. Maintaining proper boundaries may include being sensitive to whether or not your client is comfortable being physically touched to refraining from spending your client’s session talking about your own life to choosing not to become sexually or romantically involved with a client.
Once you have decided where you stand on these six categories of ethical concerns and how you address each one, it is time to decide if you have other categories to add to that.
If you have been practicing for a while, take some time to think about sticky situations from your past. Which were ones you felt you handled well? Which ones do you wish you had handled differently?
If you are a new practitioner, think about times you have been a client. What made you feel comfortable and well served?
Once you know what your ethics are, you can create a written code of ethics. You can share your code with your clients if you like, or simply keep it as a guide for yourself. You can revise it as you learn and grow.
Although we all have different ideas about ethics and how we practice them, it is important that we all place a high priority on acting ethically.
When we do, we serve our clients well, we honor our gifts and we bring respect to our fields. For those of us who are professionals or aspiring professionals, good ethics just make good business sense.