CODES OF ETHICAL CONDUCT
AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES
GOVERNING JIM BYRNE'S COUNSELLING AND THERAPY PRACTICE:
I am governed in my practice
by the codes of conduct, or ethical codes, laid down by the International Society of Professional Counsellors;
and Counselling CCC; as well as the guidelines laid down by the International Society for Mental
Health Online; and my own, unique moral code.
To consult these codes, please go to the following webpages:
In addition, I am also subject to the Independent Complaints Procedures
laid down by the International Society of Professional Counsellors, and Counselling CCC.
At least three Codes of Conduct and Ethics Codes have been amalgamated by me, into my
own personal moral code for counselling/coaching and therapy, and are appended below in that amalgamated form.
Furthermore,
my general moral code is this: "I will not condone or engage in discrimination based on age, colour, disability, ethnic
group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or socio-economic status. I will not label any client on
the basis of their problems of daily living. (A person in counselling is a *person* with 'problems of daily living', and not
a 'mental health problem'). I will work on my own personal development and professional development continually, so that the
quality of my work is ever increasing, or at least well maintained. I will manage my health, through diet, exercise and sleep
so as to be maximally available to my clients during sessions. I will not attempt to work outside of my own area of expertise,
which is the very broad field of how to cope with emotional suffering and relationship communication as a fallible, error-prone
human in an imperfect world! I will review my ethical codes from time to time to remind myself of my obligations. I will operate
a sliding scale of fees to avoid excluding the less well off; and I will donate a small number of hours of pro bono work (for
free) each week". Jim Byrne, February 2005 (Updated, March 2006).
"Caution:
Before you enter into a relationship with a counsellor/therapist, it is important to fully recognize that your personal safety
and wellbeing in that encounter will depend ultimately upon the dynamic interaction of your therapist's moral integrity and
your own ability to defend yourself in interpersonal encounters in general. Not to do so would be to expose yourself to a
potential risk from the tiny minority of therapists who are known to act unethically and immorally from time to time, especially
in exploiting their clients financially or sexually. (For a useful and interesting article on this subject, see Stephen Palmer's and Kasia Szymanska's Checklist. )". Jim Byrne, January 2005. (Updated March 2006, and April 2009).
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COMBINED CODES OF ETHICS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLORS; AND
COUNSELLING LTD CCC; PLUS MY OWN ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS:
1. I will ensure that all
potential clients are fully informed of what would be involved in entering into a counselling/therapy relationship with me,
by providing an information pack and background information on REBT/CBT/CENT, and on my own professional training and accreditations,
etc.
2. I will ensure that clients know in advance how much my services will cost them, and that there will not
be any attempt to renegotiate fees once counselling/therapy has begun.
3. The counselling relationship is for the
benefit of the client. The emotional well being of the client will be the paramount concern of the Counsellor.
ETHICS: 1
"If you have consciously worked at becoming a moral person, a person
of character and integrity, then your intuitions will be largely trustworthy. But if you have not consciously striven to develop
and refine your moral sensibilities, or if you have been raised in an environment saturated with destructive values like prejudice
and violence, then you should be very suspicious of your moral intuitions". John Chaffee, *The Thinkers Way*, Boston,
Little Brown and Company, 1998. Pages 336-337.
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4. The Counsellor
must ensure that they do not abuse the client’s vulnerable situation. The term abuse includes the following: sexual,
emotional, psychological, intellectual, financial and physical.
5. I will restrict my physical contact with clients
to formal handshakes; and that not routinely. I will not embrace my clients, so that I can ensure the maintenance of strong
barriers against romantic or sexual involvements.
6. I will work in ways that will promote client autonomy and
well-being, and maintain respect for and dignity of the client.
ETHICS: 2
"In most moral situations, the facts are known - it’s the interpretation of the facts and what to do about
the situation that poses the moral problem. ... ... ...no amount of information will add up to making the moral decision.
It's an entirely different category of reasoning, a deliberative process that often involves uncertainty and a profound sense
of responsibility". John Chaffee, 1998, page 337.
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7.
When contracting for psychotherapy, counselling or coaching I will include clear boundaries and conditions for the therapeutic/coaching
relationship.
8. All information given to the client will accurately reflect the nature of my work and of my qualifications
and training.
9. Clients will be informed if records of psychotherapy, counselling or coaching sessions are kept
and what degree of access those clients and others have to them.
ETHICS: 3
"Morally mature, psychologically healthy people think, decide, and act in accordance with thoughtfully developed
moral standards; are open-minded about their moral beliefs; defend them with reasoned argument when they are challenged; and
change or modify them when they are shown to be false or unjustified. Their conclusions are based on their own reflective
analysis, rather than being unquestioning 'children of their culture'." John Chaffee, 1998, page 340.
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10. I will monitor and recognise my own limits of competence through such activities as consultative
support, psychotherapy, counselling and coaching supervision and client feedback.
11. I will maintain high personal
and professional standards, and monitor my own effectiveness in the psychotherapy and counselling arena.
12. I
will not practise without regular consultative support and supervision.
ETHICS:
4
"In order to live a life that achieves your moral potential, you (had better) work to become aware
of the moral issues that you face, and strive to make choices that are grounded in thoughtful reflection and supported by
persuasive reasons. By living a morally enlightened life you are defining yourself as a person of substance, with a vision
that embraces the quality of your relationships with others". John Chaffee, 1998, page 342.
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13. I will work within the law and be aware of current legislation affecting the work of psychotherapists,
counsellors and coaches.
14. I will explain the terms of client confidentiality to the client in pre-session information
or during initial contracting.
15. Client confidentiality is normally maintained and only breached without the
client’s consent in exceptional circumstances, involving serious legal matters. Any breach will be minimised by releasing
only essential information pertinent to the immediate situation.
ETHICS: 5
"The Ethic of Justice is built on the concept of *impartiality*, which is our moral obligation
to treat everyone equally, with the same degree of consideration and respect we accord ourselves, unless there is some persuasive
reason not to. It is both illogical and immoral to discriminate against other people". John Chaffee, 1998, page 343.
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16. With regard to research, I accept the following rules:
Practitioners using client information for case studies, research, publications, or other purposes, should seek client’s
informed consent. In addition, it is important to disguise the clients’ identities to the extent that they cannot be
recognised by others. Furthermore, I am guided by the BACP's guidelines for counselling research (Bond, 2004).
17. Two complaints procedures are available to clients, by going to (1) the Counselling Ltd CCC website; or (2) the International Society of Professional Counsellors website - if they are dissatisfied with my competence, my behaviour or any other aspect of the helping relationship
being undertaken.
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COUNSELLING Ltd UK
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Counsellors
agreeing to abide by the Counselling Code of Conduct, and who are subsequently entered onto our database, (which Jim Byrne
is), are also subject to the following complaints procedure.
1. The only person who is entitled to make an official
complaint about the standard of work of a particular counsellor is a client, or someone acting in the best interests of a
counsellor's clients.
2. All complaints must be made in writing to The Secretary, Counselling, www.counselling.ltd.uk,
Registered Office: Counselling, 62 Douglas Towers, Radwell Drive, Bradford, BD5 0QR. Fax: 0870 138 8166 Email: info@counselling.ltd.uk
3. The client will be sent an acknowledgement, and further information obtained if necessary. The counsellor will
be sent a copy of the complaint and information, and asked to respond directly to 'Counselling'.
4. Independent
and impartial persons (who are not members of 'Counselling') will be asked to examine the details of the original complaint
together with the counsellor's response, and will seek clarification where required.
5. The independent and impartial
persons may:
a) Find the complaint proved
b) Find the complaint
unproved
6. In the event that the complaint is found proved, the counsellor
will be informed that they will:
a) Have their name deleted from the Database of Trained Counsellors
b)
Not be entitled to use 'CCC Registered Counsellor'
7. In the event that the complaint is found proved, the counsellor
will be informed the length of time that the sanctions mentioned in para 6 will apply, and any conditions required for their
lifting.
8. The client, or person making the complaint, will be notified of the decision.
ETHICS: 6
"The Ethics of Care expresses a moral responsibility to others, which
is based on your ability to *empathize* - to imaginatively put yourself in other people's situations and
view the world from their perspectives. This ability to empathize enables you to feel compassion and sympathy toward others,
and serves as the foundation of all your healthy relationships". John Chaffee, 1998, page 343. |
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