What I Need to Know

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY:

(HUMSS_DIASS 12-Ic-9; HUMSS_DIASS 12-Ic-10)

• value rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of counselors

• distinguish between ethical and unethical behaviors among counselors

Professionals and Practitioners in Counseling; Rights,

Responsibilities, Accountabilities, and Code of Ethics;
Ethical and Unethical Behaviors among Counselors

This material will serve as a tool for students to continually learn even
during this time of pandemic.
This lesson is about Professionals and Practitioners in Counselling. This
covers their rights, responsibilities, accountabilities, and code of ethics so
people will further understand their role in the school and in the society as a
whole.
More so, this module is intended to make the readers understand on the
ethical and unethical behaviors among them.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Identify the rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of counselors;

2. Distinguish the ethical and unethical behaviors of a counselor; and
3. Value the rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of counselors.

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 What I Know

Direction: Read each item carefully and answer directly in your notebook.
1. The following are ethical principles except:
a. Fostering responsible caring
b. Commitment to promoting client’s well-being
c. Responsibility to the society
d. Enhancing human rights
2. It expresses the ethical principles and values of the Association and services
as a guide to the professional and personal conduct of all its members.
a. Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association (PGCA)
b. Code of Ethics
c. Ethical Principles
d. Professional Responsibility
3. Terminating counseling relationships should be done when_____________.
a. Goals of counseling have been met
b. Client condition is beyond the counselor’s expertise
c. Transference or counter-transference issues are evident
d. The client understands the purpose and operation
4. Pro bono means_____________.
a. Counselors render professional services in the community or society
for which there is little or no financial return
b. Professional fees are based on standards prescribed by the existing
laws, ordinances, promulgations, and resolutions
c. Counselors set the parameters and levels of their professional roles
and functions
d. Counselors participate in in-service training for professional growth and
development

II. TRUE OR FALSE

Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is wrong.

__________1. Counselors have the responsibility to protect group members from
physical and/or psychological harm resulting from interaction within
the group, both during and following the group experience.
__________2. Counselors do not need to maintain a high standard of professional
competence and ethical behavior to meet clients’ needs.
__________3. The counselor must preserve and safeguard the confidentiality of the
clients.

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__________4. Psychological tests in accordance with standards should be done by
counselors.
__________5. Rehabilitation services should be available for counselors under
stress.
__________6. Knowledge of Legislative laws is needed when becoming a
counselor.

What’s In
Counselors are employed in schools, colleges, communities, employment
agencies, and business. They are also used in mental institutions, family and
rehabilitation centers, government agencies and non-government organizations and
civic society organizations. Some counselors work with the churches or church-
affiliated counseling services. There are also private practice counselors who provide
their services to clients.
Since counselor is a profession, there are certain standards and quality
service that needs to comply.

Working as a counselor is fulfilling because of its impact on the lives of the

people he/she has worked with. Counseling, therefore, is a noble profession which
can be considered as a personal ministry in the perspective of the practitioner.

DISCUSSION
Code of Ethics for Counselors & The Counseling Profession
PHILIPPINE GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING ASSOCIATION, INC.
Accredited Professional Organization (APO)
by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

The expectations for ethical conduct as expressed in this Code are based on the
following fundamental principles:

· Respecting human rights and dignity

· Respect for the client’s right to be self-governing
· A commitment to promoting the client’s well being
· Fostering responsible caring
· Fair treatment of all clients and the provision of adequate services
· Equal opportunity to clients availing counseling services
· Ensuring the integrity of practitioner-client relationship
· Fostering the practitioner’s self-knowledge and care for self
· Enhancing the quality of professional knowledge and its application
· Responsibility to the society

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 ·
CHAPTER I: PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

1. General Responsibility. Counselors maintain a high standard of professional

competence and ethical behavior thereby recognizing the need for continuing
education in order to meet this responsibility.
2. Respect for Rights. Counselors respect the rights of a client and uphold the
integrity of the counseling profession. They participate in only those practices
which are respectful of the legal, civic, and moral rights of others, and act to
safeguard the dignity and rights of their clients, students, and research
participants.
3. Boundaries of Competence. Counselors limit their practices within their
professional competence, educational background, and personal experience
as what the laws, rules, guidelines, accreditation and credential are
concerned. If the counseling needs of a client are beyond the counselor’s
expertise and competence appropriate referral must be made.
4. Continuing Education. Counselors continuously update themselves with the
current trends and development in the profession to maintain a high degree of
proficiency through active participation in scientific and professional endeavor.
5. Research and Development. Counselors engage in research activities for the
advancement of the counseling profession. They have the responsibility to
disseminate such information through presentation and publication.
6. Ethical Behavior. Counselors uphold the values and ethical principles
operating in this Code. They are expected to behave as professionals in their
counseling sessions as well as in dealing with their fellow colleagues.
7. Sensitivity to Diversity. Counselors recognize and respect client’s diversity in
terms of religion, race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
education, and socio-economic status.
8. Equal Opportunity. Counselors provide equal opportunity to everyone to avail
of the counseling services in various setting regardless of age, gender,
socioeconomic status, civil status, religion, culture, ethnicity, disability, and
sexual orientation.
9. Good Quality of Practice. Counselors maintain a good quality of practice in
the helping profession at all times. They continually monitor their effectiveness
as professionals and take steps to improve when necessary.
10. Knowledge of Legislative Laws. Counselors have a responsibility to read,
understand, and follow Republic Act 9258 (Guidance and Counseling Act of
2004) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. Other mandated laws
protecting the interest of clients’ rights should be known to the practicing
counselors.
11. Extension of Ethical Responsibilities. Counseling services and products
provided by counselors through classroom instruction, public lectures,
demonstrations, publications, radio and television programs, computer
technology and other media must meet the appropriate ethical standards of
this Code of Ethics.

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CHAPTER II: COUNSELING RELATIONSHIP

1. General Responsibility. Counselors have a primary responsibility to respect

the integrity and promote the welfare of their clients. They work collaboratively

with clients in creating counseling relationships that are consistent with client
abilities and needs.
2. Confidentiality. The counselor must preserve and safeguard the confidentiality
of the clients except:
2.1 When disclosure is required to prevent clear and imminent danger to the
client or others;
2.2 When legal requirements demand that confidential matter be revealed;

3. Children and Persons with Diminished Capacity. Counselors conduct the

informed consent process with those legally appropriate to give consent when
counseling children and/or persons with diminished capacity. These clients
also give consent to such services or involvement commensurate with their
capacity to do so.
4. Maintenance of Records. Counselors maintain records in sufficient detail to
track the sequence and nature of professional services rendered and
consistent with any legal, regulatory, agency, or institutional requirement.
They secure the safety of such records and, create, maintain, transfer, and
dispose of them in a manner compliant with the requirements of confidentiality
and other articles of this Code of Ethics.
5. Access to Records. Counselors understand that clients have the right to
access their counseling records. Disclosure of such information to others is
allowed only through the clients informed consent and/or if there is imminent
changes to life properly.
6. Dual Relationships. Counselors avoid personal, familial, social and/or
business relationships except those already existing prior to the establishment
of the counseling relationships.
7. Understanding Diversity. Counselors actively work to understand the diverse
cultural background of the clients with whom they work, and do not condone
or engage in discrimination based on age, color, culture, ethnicity, disability,
gender, religion, sexual orientation, marital, or socioeconomic status.
8. Relationships with Former Clients. Counselors exercise caution about
entering any friendly, social, financial and business relationships with former
clients until such time that the issues in relational dynamic present during
counseling have been fully resolved and properly terminated.
9. Multiple Clients. When counselors agree to provide counseling to two or more
persons who have a relationship (such as husband and wife, or parents and
children), counselors clarify at the outset which person or persons are clients
and the nature of the relationship they will have with each person.
10. Multiple Helpers. If, after entering a counseling relationship, a counselor
discovers the client is already in a counseling relationship then, the counselor
is responsible for discussing the issues related to continuing or terminating
counseling with the client. It may be necessary, with client consent, to

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 discussthese issues with the other helper or counselor may opt not to take on
the case unless the client decides to terminate the counseling relationship.
11. Group Work. Counselors have the responsibility to protect group members
from physical and/or psychological harm resulting from interaction within the
group, both during and following the group experience.
12. Termination of Counseling. Counselors must terminate the counseling
relationships when it is deemed necessary. More specifically terminating the
counseling relationships should be done when
12.1. Goals of counseling have been met.
12.2. Client condition is beyond the counselor’s expertise.
12.3. Transference or counter-transference issues are evident.
13. Computer Use. When computer applications are used as a component of
counseling services, as in testing or assessment, counselors must ensure
that:
(a) client is capable of using the computer application;
(b) the computer application is appropriate to the needs of the client; and
(c) the client understands the purpose and operation of computer application.

Pertinent records stored in the computer such as counseling transcription, test data
and personal information data must be kept with confidentiality. In any case,
computer applications do not diminish the counselor’s responsibility to act in
accordance with the PGCA Code of Ethics, and in particular, to ensure adherence
to the principles of confidentiality, informed consent, and safeguarding against
harmful effects.

CHAPTER III: CONSULTING AND PRIVATE PRACTICE

1. General Responsibility. Counselors provide consultative services only in those

areas in which they have demonstrated competency by virtue of their
education and experience.
2. Undiminished Responsibility and Liability. Counselors who work in private
practice, whether incorporated or not, must ensure that there is no diminishing
of their individual professional responsibility to act in accordance with the
PGCA Code of Ethics, or in their liability for any failure to do so.
3. Consultative Relationships. Counselors ensure that consultation occurs within
a voluntary relationship between a counselor and a client, group, or
organization, and that the goals are understood by all parties concerned.
4. Informed Consent. Counselors, who provide services for the use of third
parties, acknowledge and clarify for the informed consent of clients, all
obligations of such consulting relationships, including the purpose, entitlement
to information, and any restrictions on confidentiality. Third parties may

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 include public and private institutions, funding agencies, employees, and so
forth.
5. Accurate Advertising. Counselors, when advertising services as private
practitioners, do so in a manner that accurately and clearly informs the public
of their services, areas of expertise, credentials such as licensure and
accreditation in an accurate manner that is not false, misleading, deceptive, or
fraudulent.
6. Respect for Privacy. Counselors limit any discussion of client information
obtained from a consulting relationship to persons clearly involved with the
case. Any written and oral reports must be restricted to the purposes of the
consultation and, every effort is made to protect client identity and to avoid
undue invasion of privacy.
7. Cooperating Agencies. Before sharing information, counselors make efforts to
ensure that these other agencies have defined policies that serve the clients
interest.
8. Conflict of Interest. Counselors who engage in consultation avoid
circumstances where the duality of relationships or the prior possession of
information could lead to a conflict of interest.
9. Professional Fees. Professional fees are based on standards prescribed by
the existing laws, ordinances, promulgations, and resolutions. Counselors
consider the financial status of clients and locality in establishing fees for
professional counseling services.
10. Pro Bono Service. Counselors render professional services in the community
or society for which there is little or no financial return (pro bono).

CHAPTER IV: RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS

1. General Responsibility. Counselors maintain harmonious working

relationships with other professionals in their work setting and affiliated
organizations.
2. Roles and Functions. Counselors set the parameters and levels of their
professional roles and functions.
3. Working Agreement. Counselors establish working agreements with
supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates regarding counseling relationships,
adherence to professional standards, house rules, workload, time schedule,
responsibility, and accountability. Working agreements are specified and
made known to those concerned.
4. Evaluation. Counselors submit regularly to professional review and evaluation
by their employer and peer. This can be done semi-quarterly or annually as
agreed by the counselor and the employer.
5. In-Service. Counselors participate in in-service training for professional growth
and development.

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 6. Damage Control. Counselors alert their employers to conditions that may be
potentially disruptive or damaging to the counselor’s professional
responsibilities or that may limit their effectiveness.
7. Supervisory Relationships. Counselors in supervisory position foster good
working relationships and treat all colleagues fairly.
8. Consulting with other Professionals. Counselors may consult with other
professionally competent persons about the client. However, if the identity of
the client is to be revealed, it is done with the written consent of the client.
Counselors choose professional consultants in a manner which will avoid
placing the consultant in a conflict of interest situation.
9. Client Advocate. Counselors strive to reach agreement with employers as to
acceptable standards of conduct that allow for changes in institutional policy
conducive to the growth and development of clients.
10. Coordination. Counselors maintain proper coordination with fellow
professionals in relation to counseling services and programs implemented in
their workplace.
11. Networking and Linkages. Counselors establish a good system of networking
and linkages with other sectors to promote public and social awareness as
well as for the enhancement of the profession.
12. Referral Fee. Counselors desist from accepting referral fee from other
professionals.
13. Professional Conduct. Counselors have a responsibility both to clients and the
institution within which services are performed to maintain high standards of
professional conduct.

CHAPTER V: EVALUATION, ASSESSMENT, AND INTERPRETATION

1. General Responsibility. Counselors take responsibility to inform the clients

about the purpose of any evaluation and assessment instruments and
procedures and the meaning of evaluation and assessment results.
2. Test Selection and Evaluation. Counselors have the competence to evaluate
tests in terms of the
(a) appropriateness of the test to the purpose of testing;
(b) reliability and validity;
(c) appropriateness of level of difficulty to clients; and
(d) appropriateness of norms of norm-referenced tests.
3. Test Competence. Counselors using psychological tests and other
assessment tools should only do so if they have undergone training in the use
of these tools, familiar with the training requirements of different tests, and are
conversant with the concepts of reliability and validity.
4. Purpose and Results of Assessment. Counselors take responsibility to inform
clients about the purpose of assessment, the procedures involved, and the
meaning of evaluation and assessment results.

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 5. Test Administration. Counselors administer psychological tests in accordance
with standards or guidelines of testing procedures found in the Test Manual.
6. Administrative and Supervisory Conditions. Counselors ensure that evaluation
and assessment instruments and procedures are administered and
supervised under established conditions consistent with professional
standards. They note any departures from standard conditions, and any
unusual behavior of irregularities which may affect the interpretation of results.
7. Test Data Utilization. Counselors utilize assessment data by taking into
account various factors and characteristics of the person derived from
integrated profile of battery test results that might affect the counselor’s
judgment or reduce the accuracy of information.
8. Test Confidentiality. Counselors have the responsibility to observe the
principle of confidentiality in testing.
9. Computer-Generated Tests. Counselors ensure that computer-generated test
administration and scoring programs operate properly thereby providing
clients with accurate test results.
10. Obsolete Data. Counselors do not base their assessments or
recommendations or decisions on data or test results that are outdated for the
current purpose.
11. Intellectual Property. Counselors safeguard and respect the publisher’s
intellectual property rights of psychological tests. Reproduction and/or
modification of parts thereof without acknowledgement and permission from
the publisher of psychological tests are punishable by the Law.
12. Maintaining Test Security. Counselors make reasonable efforts to maintain
the integrity and security of tests and other assessment techniques.

CHAPTER VI: COUNSELOR EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISION

1. General Responsibility. Counselors responsible for counselor education,

training, and supervision adhere to current guidelines and standards with
respect to such activities and conduct themselves in a manner consistent in
this Code and Standards of Practice.
2. Counselor Educators and Trainers. Counselor educators and trainers possess
the necessary qualifications, skills and competencies to conduct counselor
education and training programs.
3. Description of Education and Training Programs. Counselors responsible for
education and training programs ensure accurate description of the
course/training, goals and objectives, content outline, requirements,
methodology, and references.
4. Program Orientation. Counselors in teaching, training, and supervision
programs take responsibility to orient perspective students, trainees, and
supervisees to all core elements of such programs and activities.

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 5. Counselor Supervision. Counselors inform the supervisees about the process
of supervision, expectations, outcomes, monitoring, and evaluation in order to
provide competent counseling services.
6. Ethical Orientation. Counselors have an obligation to make their students,
trainees, and supervisees aware of their ethical responsibilities.
7. Evaluation. Counselor educators and trainers ensure a fair, accurate and
honest appraisal of students, supervisees and trainees.
8. Relational Boundaries. Counselors establish relationships with their students,
trainees, and supervisees such that appropriate relational boundaries are
clarified and maintained, and dual relationships avoided.
9. Contribution to Research. Counselors give credit to students and supervisees
for their contributions to research and scholarly projects in the field of
guidance and counselling.
10. Counselor Care. The counselor organization provides continuing activities for
counselor care.
11. Counselor Rights. Rehabilitation services should be available for counsellors
under stress.

CHAPTER VII: RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION

1. General Responsibility. In planning any research activity dealing with human

subjects, the counselor must observe ethical principles and standards of good
practice.
2. Informed Consent. All research subjects must be informed of the purpose of
the study except when withholding information or providing misinformation to
them is essential to the investigation. In such research, the counselor must be
responsible for corrective action as possible following completion of the
research.
2.1. Voluntary Participation. Participation of identified subjects in research
must be on a voluntary basis.
3. Welfare of the Subjects. Counselors are responsible for the welfare of the
subjects throughout the research and must take all reasonable precautions to
avoid causing injury in terms of physical, psychological, or social effects on
their subjects.
4. Joint Research Activity. Counselors working with another individual in
research and/or publication incur an obligation to cooperate in terms of
finishing the entire joint venture as agreed upon by both parties.
5. Joint Authorship. Counselors working in a group research acknowledge the
fact that all correspondence regarding the said research in that publication
must be addressed to the first author.
6. Confidentiality of Information. Counselors must take due care to disguise the
identity of respective subjects and research locale.

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 7. Reporting Accurate Results. Counselors conduct, report and make thorough
discussion of research with accuracy and avoid bias and misleading results.
8. Professional Value. Counselors communicate to others the results of any
research judged to be of professional value. Results that reflect unfavorably
on institutions, programs or services must not be withheld.
9. Acknowledgment. Counselors give due credit through acknowledgment,
footnote statements, or other appropriate means to those who have
contributed significantly to the research and/or publication in accordance with
such contributions.
10. Replication. Counselors acknowledge the fact that their researches can be
replicated by others at one point in time due to its relevance and theory-
testing.
11. Publication. Counselors submit their research output in a peer-refereed
journal for publication using the prescribed standards in writing style.
12. Review of Materials Submitted. Counselors who review materials for
publications must respect the confidentiality and propriety rights of those
persons who submitted.

What I Can Do

Task 1: Please answer the following questions in your separate paper.

1. As a student, what are your rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities?

2. Are you aware of the ethical and unethical behavior you show in the class?

Assessment
TRUE OR FALSE
Write TRUE if the statement is true ad FALSE if it is false.

__________1. Counselors have the responsibility to protect group members from

physical and/or psychological harm resulting from interaction within
the group, both during and following the group experience.
__________2. Counselors do not need to maintain a high standard of professional
competence and ethical behavior to meet clients’ needs.
__________3. The counselor must preserve and safeguard the confidentiality of the
clients.
__________4. Psychological tests in accordance with standards should be done by
counsellors.
__________5. Rehabilitation services should be available for counsellors under
stress.

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 Answer Key

TRUE .6
TRUE .5
FALSE .4
TRUE .3
FALSE .2
TRUE .1

A .4
D .3
B .2
D .1

References

Linde, L.E., & Erford, B. T. (2016). Ethical and legal foundations of group work in
schools. In B.T. Erford (Eds.), Group work in schools (pp. 28-42). New York, NY, US:
Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

American School Counselor Association. (2016). Ethical standards for school

counselors. Retrieved from:
https://www/schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/Ethical Standards2016.pdf

Internet Sources:

http://counpsychphil.blogspot.com/2007/03/code-of-ethics-for-counselors.html

http://filpsycounseling.blogspot.com/2015/02/code-of-ethics-for-registered-and.html

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Schools Division of Negros Oriental

Kagawasan, Avenue, Daro, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

Tel #: (035) 225 2376 / 541 1117

Email Address: negros.oriental@deped.gov.ph
Website: lrmds.depednodis.net

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