CRC Ethical Responsibility 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recovery coach who is also in recovery themselves begins sharing excessive personal details during sessions. This is an example of which ethical concern?
- Appropriate self-disclosure
- Counter-transference
- Inappropriate self-disclosure that can shift focus away from the client (Correct answer)
- Informed consent violation
Correct answer: Inappropriate self-disclosure that can shift focus away from the client
Excessive self-disclosure by the coach redirects focus from the client's needs and can blur professional boundaries.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the ethical concept of 'autonomy' in recovery coaching?
- The coach makes decisions for the client to ensure compliance
- The client's right to make their own informed choices about their recovery (Correct answer)
- The supervisor's authority to override client decisions
- The coach's independence from organizational oversight
Correct answer: The client's right to make their own informed choices about their recovery
Autonomy upholds the client's right to self-determination, meaning the coach supports but does not direct the client's recovery choices.
Question 3: A recovery coach discovers that a colleague is practicing outside their scope of competence. What is the ethical obligation?
- Ignore it since it does not involve the coach's own clients
- Report it to the appropriate supervisor or credentialing body (Correct answer)
- Confront the colleague publicly
- Take over the colleague's clients immediately
Correct answer: Report it to the appropriate supervisor or credentialing body
Ethical responsibility includes upholding professional standards within the field by reporting colleagues who endanger clients.
Question 4: A client discloses a history of childhood trauma during a coaching session. What is the most ethical response?
- Conduct a trauma therapy session to address the issue immediately
- Acknowledge the disclosure, express empathy, and refer to a licensed mental health professional (Correct answer)
- Document it and move on without addressing it
- Advise the client not to bring up past trauma in future sessions
Correct answer: Acknowledge the disclosure, express empathy, and refer to a licensed mental health professional
Recovery coaches acknowledge trauma with empathy but refer clients to licensed professionals for clinical trauma treatment, staying within their scope.
Question 5: What is the primary reason recovery coaches must maintain clear professional boundaries?
- To comply with liability insurance requirements
- To prevent misuse of the power differential inherent in the coaching relationship (Correct answer)
- To ensure coaches are not personally affected by client outcomes
- To keep coaching sessions shorter and more efficient
Correct answer: To prevent misuse of the power differential inherent in the coaching relationship
Clear boundaries protect clients from exploitation given the natural power imbalance in a helping relationship.
Question 6: A recovery coach is working with a client from a cultural background very different from their own. Ethical practice requires the coach to:
- Apply a universal approach that ignores cultural differences
- Develop cultural humility and adjust practices to respect the client's cultural context (Correct answer)
- Refer all culturally different clients to coaches from the same background
- Ask the client to adapt to the coach's cultural framework
Correct answer: Develop cultural humility and adjust practices to respect the client's cultural context
Cultural humility involves ongoing self-reflection and adapting practice to honor each client's unique cultural identity and values.
Question 7: When a recovery coach uses social media to connect with current clients, this raises which primary ethical concern?
- Copyright infringement
- Dual relationship and boundary violation (Correct answer)
- Lack of professional credentialing
- Violation of mandatory reporting laws
Correct answer: Dual relationship and boundary violation
Social media connections blur the professional boundary by merging personal and professional spheres, creating a dual relationship.
CRC Ethical Responsibility 3
A recovery coach who is also in recovery themselves begins sharing excessive personal details during sessions.
This is an example of which ethical concern?