Running head: ETHICAL DECISION MAKING PAPER 1
Ethical Decision Making Paper
Tiffani Martin
PSYCH/545-Survey of Professional Psychology
May 7, 2011
Dr. Kellie Gray-Smith
ETHICAL DECISION MAKING PAPER 2
Ethical Decision Making Paper
In the practice of counseling and psychology the key element is to remain ethical in all
you do. Clinicians must understand the population and know the unique requirements for the
models he or she will deal with on a daily basis. Psychology most certainly is not a “one size
fits all” system. In psychology practices to remain ethical and be successful one must use
techniques and approaches to address the nature of all unique situations that are not only subject
specific but reliable. In psychology the guidelines for ethical practices are related directly to the
positions of the client. Regardless of who they are whether a respected businessman, a lesbian
woman, a rebellious teenager, or a gay man each client that has a unique need is sensitive to their
position and beliefs. Just the same, a client that has strong religious beliefs is to be considered
in a unite light. As with other clients a religious client needs to be supported in such a way that
is unique to his or her experiences and all the same ethical considerations are necessary to insure
the most ethical and proficient results. Throughout this paper I will attempt to describe the
ethical dilemma on religious counseling, explain the importance of ethical decision making in
professional psychology, and I will attempt to apply each of the 14 steps in the ethical decision
making process issues discussed.
Ethical Dilemma
In a counseling environment religion should be taken into consideration from two venues,
according to the APA code of ethics. The code of ethics states: Psychologists who are treating
individuals of different sexual orientation, cultures, religions, race, language, age, ethnicity,
disability, gender, or socioeconomic status have to be informed of the individual’s beliefs in
order to deal with and interact with them effectively. The psychologist must be educated in many
cultural characteristics and when faced with an unfamiliar culture they must gain information to
ETHICAL DECISION MAKING PAPER 3
gain awareness and comprehend the specific cultural practices. To improve interpersonal
relations the psychologist must also be accepting of individual differences and tolerant of
different beliefs other than his or her own (APA Ethics Code, 1992).
The code of ethics also states that a psychologist has the responsibility of being aware of
their personal belief systems and how they might affect the counseling sessions that they conduct
