Ethics – ‘it’s all Greek to me!’

When first considering the premise of working ethically in therapy, simply the vastness and subjectivity of the concept can make it feel daunting. If we consider the origins of the story (which is such a familiar route in counselling) to explore the meaning of ‘ethical’, it can help us understand a little more of its impact in the present.

The origin of the term is derived from the Greek word ethikos or ethos, loosely translating as meaning ‘custom’ and ‘showing moral character’. Considering this in its simplest form, in order to know if we are behaving ethically in any situation, we need to consider a moral guide, or framework.

When you take a first glance at the NCS Code of Practice, ethical considerations are introduced as: ‘more than polarised judgements of right and wrong. They involve exploring principles, morals and values behind a particular intent, intervention and action’

The relaunch of the code earlier this year gave us an opportunity to share in this continuous exploration and learning, to action our intent to do our best for members.

These principles aim to inspire us all towards best practice, safeguarding ourselves, our clients and crucially, show how we strive and work to be ethical.

Follow the link to our Code of Ethics:

https://www.nationalcounsellingsociety.org/about-us/code-of-ethics/.