Eating Disorder Resource Centre of Ireland
CODE OF ETHICS OF THE EATING DISORDER RESOURCE CENTRE OF IRELAND
1. Have respect for your clients and maintain confidentiality at all times.
2. Have respect for your clients and their autonomy.
3. Keep notes and records of each session/communication with each client. Qualify in your notes the reason behind each therapeutic action or decision you make and ensure those notes are in a form which can be clearly read by a colleague if this should become necessary ie onward referral. Keep all records in a secure locked container at all times.
4. Maintain professional indemnity and public liability insurance for as long as you are delivering counselling services to the general public.
5. It is advisable to update your professional skills on a regular basis.
6. Maintain reflective practice (by examining your own beliefs and motives at all times) and share these reflections in supervision.
7. Do not impose your beliefs or view of the world onto your clients.
8. Recognise the vulnerability of your clients and avoid imposing a diagnosis of their difficulties without taking a second opinion about the nature of such a diagnosis and whether it is appropriate to communicate your opinions to the client.
9. Be mindful of the risks of creating false memories or the risks of over-interpretation.
10. Discern where it may be necessary to refer a client to a more appropriate professional.
11. After the initial session with a client, the client needs to be referred to a gp for blood tests etc… to determine if they are medically stable regardless of the food, body or weight issues they present with. It is not appropriate to work with a client unless these tests are carried out. On receiving permission from the client, the practitioner can send a letter to the gp requesting these tests and can then liason with the gp when the results are complete.
12. Be mindful of the effect of therapy on both the client and their interpersonal relationships.
13. Ensure you are aware of when to end therapy and how to end therapy appropriately for all clients in any circumstances. It is unethical for a client to remain in therapy for longer than is necessary.
14. Where possible provide clients with a written contract on engaging them in therapy, such a contract should specify boundaries, such as how and when you will be available, time keeping, what therapy will entail, your right to inform authorities should information come to light which is harmful to the client or others or which is illegal.
15. Practitioner must engage in supervision in order to be a member of the network.
16. Always take inappropriate counter transference feelings such as inappropriate affection, rescuing behaviour, anger or helplessness to supervision. Avoid developing dependency relationships both emotionally and financially with clients.
17. Practitioners must model appropriate self care behaviour and boundary setting (time keeping and an appropriate counselling environment) with clients and have exemplary strategies for managing their own emotional issues in the therapy room.
18. Under no circumstances must a practitioner engage in sexual behaviour of any form with a client.
19. It is unethical to manipulate or take advantage of the power invested in you in your role of the practitioner.
These ethics are in place to protect both the client and practitioner.
Mobile - 087 2056560
Suzanne Horgan
director & founder
Certified Trainer in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders and Obesity
Contact Us today..........info@eatingdisorders.ie