Book of D: Earth to Counselor . . . Do No Harm.

Today's counseling sessions with my three Friday clients proved unusual. Unusual is better than noneventful. ¿N ‘est pas? Each person has underlying issues - as most clients do. I have them in my own case with my own counselor. The main thing is to remember what each client is bringing to the table, per se. Much like my own counselor's approach with me. Our number one rule in the counseling code of ethics and principles of counseling is nonmaleficence: do no harm. That was a difficult concept for me to understand. The reason was that I viewed the term do no harm in a very literal way. After all this time in grad school, and so many hours of practicum and internship where I have counseled many clients, I have come to comprehend that do no harm just means not interfering in the client's progress of success. Moreover, it means honoring the Hippocratic Oath. It means honoring the Ethical Principles of Counseling. Do no harm doesn't mean that we have the power to impose actual harm. It's not MMA, the UFC or the WWE. Counseling is the process of a person (the client) seeking counseling (not answers) from an extensively trained counselor (LPC). And when the process works, it is beautiful.

Ethical Principles in Counseling

·       Autonomy

·       Nonmaleficence

·       Beneficence

·       Justice

·       Fidelity

·       Veracity

Differences between counselling and patient education

• Counseling can encompass advising, educating, and simply listening and

reflecting back on what has been heard while Patient education is the

provision of information on a specific topic to a patient.

• Counselling is not a process of giving advice, but it is a process of helping

your patient who is genuinely in need.

• It aims to help an individual to help himself to overcome his problem.

Goals of Counselling

• Alter maladjusted behaviors.

• Assist clients to move in the direction of fulfilling their potentials.

• Increase clients’ capacity to take rational control over feelings and actions.

• Enable the client’s ability to adapt or cope in a new environment or expectation