The following is adapted from the Spectrum (UKCP) Code of Ethics and Practice for Trainees and Supervisees. For the BACP’s Code please see http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/.
The overall aim of psychotherapy is to provide an opportunity for the client to work towards living in a more satisfying and resourceful way. The term ‘psychotherapy’ includes work with individuals, pairs or groups of people referred to as ‘clients’. The objectives of particular psychotherapeutic relationships will vary according to the client’s needs. Psychotherapy may be concerned with developmental issues, addressing and resolving specific problems, making decisions, coping with crisis, developing personal insight, awareness and knowledge, working through feelings of inner conflict and improving relationships with others.
The psychotherapist’s role is to facilitate the client’s work in ways which respect the client’s values, personal resources and capacity for self determination, without discrimination on the basis of culture, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender or physical ability. Psychotherapy is a non-exploitative activity. Its basic values are integrity, impartiality and respect.
Code of Ethics
A.1 Qualifications
Practitioners will disclose their professional qualifications when requested and will not claim, or imply, qualifications that they do not have.
A.2 Terms, Conditions and Methods of Practice
The terms and conditions on which psychotherapy is being offered should be made clear to clients at the outset of therapy. Subsequent revisions of these terms and conditions should be agreed in advance of any change. Negotiation of clear contracts in advance is essential in order to promote equity between the client and therapist. Practitioners should be willing to discuss their methods of practice with clients.
A.3 Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a means of providing the client with safety and privacy. For this reason, practitioners are required to preserve confidentiality and to disclose, if requested, the limits of confidentiality and the circumstances under which it might include specific third parties.
A.4 Professional Relationship
Practitioners should consider the client’s best interest when making appropriate contact with the client’s GP, relevant psychiatric services or other relevant professionals with the client’s knowledge.
A.5 Relationship with Clients
Practitioners are responsible for working in ways which promote the client’s control over his/her own life and respect the client’s ability to make decisions and change in the light of his/her own beliefs and values. Practitioners are required to maintain appropriate boundaries with their clients and to take care not to exploit their clients, current or past, in any way, financially, sexually, emotionally or physically. All reasonable steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the practitioner and the client during psychotherapy sessions.
A.8 Practitioner Competence
It is a breach of the ethical requirement for practitioners to practice without regular professional supervision.
Terms, Conditions and Methods of Practice
It is the client’s choice whether or not to participate in therapy. Reasonable steps should be taken in the course of the psychotherapeutic relationship to ensure that the client is given an opportunity to review the terms on which psychotherapy is being offered and the methods of psychotherapy being used. The decision to terminate the therapeutic relationship is generally reached by mutual agreement. If practitioners have a policy of requiring a minimum number of sessions with a client after the decision to end therapy is reached, this should be made clear to the client at the beginning of therapy.
Confidentiality
Practitioners treat as confidential personal information about clients, whether obtained directly or indirectly or by inference. Such information includes name, address, biographical details and other descriptions of the client’s life and circumstances which might result in identification of the client. If practitioners include consultations with colleagues and others within the confidential relationship, this should be stated to the client at the beginning of therapy. If records of psychotherapy sessions are kept, clients should be made aware of this. At the client’s request information should be given about access to these records, their availability to other people and the degree of security with which they are kept.
