Identifying an ethical dilemma in practice is the responsibility of counselors. Applying an ethical decisionmaking model to address ethical dilemmas is an ethical requirement and best practice. The assignment aims to
help you apply the steps of an ethical decision-making model and understand how the six moral principles
influence ethical decision-making.
A. Begin by reading through the entire document, “A Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making.” by
copying and pasting the link into your browser (https://www.counseling.org/docs/ethics/practitioners_guide.pdf?
sfvrsn=2). This is necessary BEFORE you begin to apply the decision making steps to an ethical scenario.
B. After reading the ethical decision making document above, choose one of the ethical dilemmas from the
document entitled, “Ethical Decision Making Paper Scenarios,” found under the assignment instructions in
Blackboard. Read and analyze the chosen scenario.
C. Approach the scenario as if it has already happened and now you must address the problems the scenario
has created. In other words, as in much of real life and practice, you must now do damage control.
D. To apply the steps of the ethical decision making model to your chosen scenario, divide the body of your
paper—formatted in current APA style—into the steps outlined in the “A Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision
Making” document, and outlined below, making sure to address all questions for each section:
• Identify the problem(s). In this section make sure to:
o Outline the facts, separating out innuendos, assumptions, hypotheses, or suspicions.
o Correctly and clearly identify the problem(s) by answering the questions, “Is this problem an ethical, legal,
professional, or clinical problem? Is it a combination of more than one of these?”
Identify the problem as related to self, client, institution, or agency. In other words, answer the questions, “Is
the issue related to me and what I am or am not doing? Is it related to a client and/or the client’s significant
others and what they are or are not doing? Is it related to the institution or agency and their policies and
procedures?”
• Apply the ACA Code of Ethics. In this section make sure to:
Identify all applicable ACA Code of Ethics. Which codes apply, or can address, the problem(s) presented in the
scenario? Make sure to cite the code numbers.
• Determine the nature/dimensions of the dilemma. In this section make sure to:
o Correctly identify the moral principles of the profession that apply. In other words, which of the professional
values apply to this problem? Autonomy, beneficence, justice, nonmaleficence, fidelity, and/or veracity? Why?