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Distinguish explicit and implicit patterns of relating. You should give an example of what is meant by explicit and implicit patterns

Unit 4 A

Please make sure your full name, student number and tutors name are included in a footer/header. You are also required to reference throughout and provide a reference list.

Activity 10: Essay

3.6, 3.7, 5.2, 8.2, 8.3,9.1

Read one of the membership organisations’ ethical frameworks and then write a 750 word (+/- 100 words) essay on the need for counsellors to work within an ethical framework.

You should have a clear understanding of either the BACP’s Ethical Framework for Counselling Professions or the ACCPH’s Code of Conduct.

This essay should include why there is a need for counsellors to work within such clearly defined boundaries.

You will demonstrate how membership organisations uphold professional standards; and how ethical standards can promote safe and professional practice within the counselling and psychotherapy professions.

Also, evaluate how the standards include such things as confidentiality (and its limits), respecting difference and diversity, equal opportunities and awareness of any dual relationships.

You should be able to set out your understanding of ethics and working towards professional standards.

You will be able to identify any conflicts when marrying either the Code of Conduct or the Ethical Framework with agency policies and procedures.

Activity Eleven: Written Questions

5.5, 1.2, 1.3, 5.8

1. Write 250 words (+/- 50 words) in which you distinguish explicit and implicit patterns of relating. You should give an example of what is meant by explicit and implicit patterns. These can be your own examples or from friends or colleagues.
2. Write two hundred and fifty words (+/- fifty words) exploring the advantages and disadvantages of working within a multi-disciplinary team. Identify if there are any cross-over of skills between professionals working in a multi-disciplinary team. Distinguish when will it be appropriate to refer a client on instead of offering counselling?

Activity Twelve: Action Plan.

1.3, 3.4, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7 & 8.1

While most counselling relationships are not mapped out on paper, to give you a

greater understanding of how you might structure client sessions, for this assessment you will write an action plan for a client you are going to work with. The client (Emma) has come into counselling because she is struggling with depression, debt, addiction and relationship problems.

Please read the following case:

Emma says she “has been depressed for longer than she can remember”. She has been struggling with an addiction to painkillers for the last twelve months. This started when Emma was put on medication after an injury to her shoulder. She “does not take the painkillers every day of the week”. She feels at times she “cannot cope unless she takes the painkillers”. These make her feel calm and relaxed. 

Emma has been in a relationship for the last five years. Her girlfriend is very loving and considerate, but she often drinks too much and becomes verbally abusive, although never physically violent.

Emma feels she would benefit from long-term counselling but the policies of the agency you are working with say that fourteen sessions are the total number of sessions to be offered to all clients.

On top of this Emma has run up large debts. She is just about managing, and this is something else she feels she needs to address within counselling. She has spoken of her need to “get a financial plan in place”. 

Emma would like to work with a woman who identifies as a lesbian. She has told the assessing counsellor that her last therapist refused to self-disclose her sexuality to Emma so Emma stopped working with her. Emma has made it clear she intends to check her ‘new’ counsellor has an “understanding of what it is like to be a lesbian woman”.

• Write a plan for yourself describing how you would work with Emma. How would you structure the sessions? What problems might occur?
• What might you do at the beginning stages to set up the contract and the counselling relationship?
• What skills would you use to build the therapeutic relationship?
• Your action plan will also include your plans for the middle stages of the counselling relationship. How will you know the client is making progress?
• Your action plan will include details of how you would carry out your review of the client’s progress?
• How will you manage the end of the counselling relationship?
• Before starting with Emma (the client) it would be advisable to have a supervision session with your supervisor. What concerns would you take to supervision?
• Emma would like to look at the issues of her finances to get a financial plan in place, and she would like long-term counselling. How would you deal with these issues?

Activity Thirteen: Reflective Journal

1.3, 3.4, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 6.2 & 8.1

Entry 4: Please evaluate your personal and professional development whilst completing unit four. You will keep a reflective journal throughout this course which should be around 500 words (+/-10%).

Sample Answer - Plagiarised

Activity 10: Essay on the Need for Counsellors to Work Within an Ethical Framework

Counsellors play a crucial role in supporting individuals` mental and emotional well-being, often during vulnerable times in their lives. To ensure the highest level of care and professionalism, it is essential that counsellors operate within clearly defined ethical frameworks. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions provides guidelines that help practitioners uphold professional standards and safeguard client welfare. This essay will discuss the need for counsellors to work within an ethical framework, the promotion of safe and professional practice, and the importance of upholding standards such as confidentiality, respecting diversity, and managing dual relationships.

An ethical framework is necessary to ensure that counsellors provide consistent, high-quality care while protecting the rights of clients. The BACP’s framework offers a structured approach to practice, ensuring that counsellors work in a manner that is safe, responsible, and accountable. Ethical frameworks such as the BACP’s not only serve as a guide for practitioners but also build trust between counsellors and clients. Trust is foundational in counselling relationships, as clients need to feel confident that their counsellor will maintain professional boundaries and act in their best interests.

Membership organisations like the BACP uphold professional standards by providing detailed codes of ethics that outline practitioners` responsibilities. These organisations offer a level of accountability, ensuring that counsellors adhere to established principles of practice. This can involve disciplinary measures for breaches of conduct, reinforcing the importance of maintaining ethical standards. In this way, professional membership bodies play a key role in promoting safe and effective counselling practices.

Confidentiality is a critical element within the BACP’s ethical framework. Counsellors are required to protect clients’ personal information, creating a secure space where clients feel safe to share their experiences. However, confidentiality has limits, particularly when there is a risk of harm to the client or others. Counsellors must be transparent about these limits and include them in the counselling agreement. Such clarity helps clients understand the boundaries of confidentiality and reassures them that their information will generally remain private.

In addition to confidentiality, ethical frameworks promote respect for diversity and equality. The BACP’s framework emphasises the importance of counsellors recognising and valuing clients’ differences, including cultural, religious, and sexual identities. This ensures that counsellors provide an inclusive service, treating each client with respect and dignity. Failure to do so could damage the therapeutic relationship and alienate clients from seeking support.

Managing dual relationships, where a counsellor has a personal or business relationship with a client outside of therapy, is another aspect addressed in ethical frameworks. The BACP advises against such relationships as they can blur boundaries and lead to conflicts of interest. Counsellors need to be aware of the potential harm dual relationships can cause and work to prevent any overlap between professional and personal relationships.

Continued...