Professional and Ethical Responsibilities Flashcards

Which ethical principle requires a counselor to act in the best interest of the client?

Answer: Beneficence

Beneficence obligates counselors to actively promote the wellbeing of clients through competent, evidence-based practice.

A counselor discovers they have a close personal relationship with a new client. The ethical response is to:

Answer: Disclose the dual relationship, refrain from providing services, and refer the client appropriately

Dual relationships compromise objectivity and therapeutic boundaries; ethical practice requires disclosure and appropriate referral.

Countertransference in substance use counseling refers to:

Answer: The counselor's emotional reactions to the client that are influenced by the counselor's own experiences

Countertransference involves the counselor's unresolved issues or emotional reactions that are triggered by the client and can affect clinical judgment.

The NAADAC Code of Ethics requires counselors to practice within their:

Answer: Scope of competence, seeking supervision or referral when client needs exceed their training

Practicing within competence means counselors must recognize the limits of their training and refer or consult when client needs exceed those limits.

A counselor who shares personal recovery stories with clients as a regular therapeutic technique is risking:

Answer: Inappropriate self-disclosure that shifts focus from the client to the counselor

While judicious self-disclosure can be therapeutic, regular or extensive sharing of personal stories can blur boundaries and center the counselor's experience over the client's.

Professional burnout in substance use counselors is best prevented by:

Answer: Engaging in regular supervision, self-care, and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries

Supervision, peer support, self-care practices, and healthy boundaries are the primary evidence-based strategies for preventing counselor burnout.