Assignment:Counseling The Terminally Ill

Discussion 2: Counseling the Terminally Ill

Professional counselors face immense challenges when working with terminally ill patients. Deciding how to offer support is challenging with this population group. Providing treatment for terminally ill clients may illicit personal beliefs and values. As a counselor, you must not only consider the client’s needs, but also assess how providing treatment aligns with the guidelines proposed by the codes of ethics and legal mandates. A counselor’s professional judgment is rooted in personal beliefs and values; however, it is also molded by the foundational definitions of ethics learned in the counseling profession. Learning how to integrate professional codes of ethics into your personal moral compass is a critical skill for practicing ethical counseling.

For this Discussion, you have been asked to counsel a terminally ill client who is considering hastening his own death. Consider what personal values this triggers in you. Investigate what the ethical codes say about this. Think about your potential course of action.

Post by Day 3 an explanation of your personal values that may be triggered by this case. Then, explain one potential ethical challenge related to counseling terminally ill patients. Finally, explain the potential course of action you may take in this case. Use the codes of ethics to support this action.

Be sure to use the Learning Resources and the current literature to support your response.

Respond by Day 5 and propose different challenges that your colleague did not discuss related to counseling terminally ill patients. Then, provide an alternate course of action for this case.

Required Resources

Readings

• Herlihy, B., & Corey, G. (2015). ACA ethical standards casebook (7th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
  • Chapter 6, “Counseling Minor Clients” (pp. 205–207)
  • Chapter 8, “Working With Clients Who May Harm Themselves” (pp. 231–237)
• Remley, T. P., Jr., & Herlihy, B. (2016). Ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
  • Chapter 11, “Counseling Children and Vulnerable Adults” (pp. 264-288)
  • Chapter 12, “Counseling Families and Groups” (pp. 289-310)
• Diaz, A., Neal, W. P., Nucci, A. T., Ludmer, P., Bitterman, J., & Edwards, S. (2004). Legal and ethical issues facing adolescent health care professionals. Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, 71(3), 181–185.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Duba, J. D., & Magenta, M. (2008). End-of-life decision making: A preliminary outline for preparing counselors to work with terminally ill individuals. The Family Journal, 16(4), 384–390.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Lawrence, G., & Robinson Kirpius, S. E. (2000). Legal and ethical issues involved when counseling minors in nonschool settings. Journal of Counseling & Development, 78(2), 130–136.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Document: Case Study Analysis Worksheet (Word Document)

Case Studies

• Herlihy, B., & Corey, G. (2015). ACA ethical standards casebook (7th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
  • “Case Study 11: A Legal Guardian Presses for Confidential Information” (pp. 207)
  • “Case Study 12: A Pregnant Teenager: A School Counselor’s Quandary” (pp. 211)
  • “Case Study 15: Suicide or a Well-Reasoned End-of-Life Decision?” (pp. 237)

Optional Resources

• Crespi, T. D. (2009). Group counseling in the schools: Legal, ethical, and treatment issues in school practice. Psychology in the Schools, 46(3), 273–280.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• McCurdy, K. G., & Murray, K. C. (2003). Confidentiality issues when minor children disclose family secrets in family counseling. The Family Journal, 11(4), 393–398.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Miller, C. P., & Forrest, A. W. (2009). Ethics of family narrative therapy. The Family Journal, 17(2), 156–159.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2007). Ethical considerations in crisis and humanitarian interventions. Ethics & Behavior, 17(2), 187–202.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Waggoner, E. A., Howard, R., & Markos, P. A. (2004). Ethical considerations for people who are homeless and mentally ill. Guidance & Counseling, 19(3), 132–138.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

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