Ethics and Supervision
Counselors who are in a
supervisory role must constantly be aware of their ethical obligations.
Ethically and legally, supervisors are responsible for the quality of services
and actions of supervisees who are under their supervision. Ethical supervision
includes paying particular attention to the following areas: competence,
evaluation and due process, dual relationships, confidentiality, and informed
consent. While supervision may seem fairly straightforward, it is actually a
complex and often multi-layered process that should not be taken lightly. Counselors
in training also have an ethical responsibility to secure appropriate
supervision from a qualified supervisor, to be aware of this supervisor’s
theoretical orientation as it applies to supervision, and to be an active
partner in the supervisory process. Many states have specific guidelines for
approved clinical supervisors.
Analyze the qualities of an
ethical supervisor.
Evaluate why it is important to
have an ethical supervisor.
Address what you would do if you
discovered that your supervisor was behaving unethically.
