18 ACA Ethical Standards Case $—_————— fessionals tend to think about ethics only when they encounter a Fipnificant professional ethical dilemma. I have even heard some coun- selors say that the study of ethics is “boring” or tedious. I sometimes see the look on the faces of graduate students who feel overwhelmed after gaining an initial exposure to the myriad ethical issues facing counse~ Tors in all work settings. But, for me, the study and examination of ethics is exciting and rich with intricacies that require many layers of under- standing and decision making. Studying ethics is rewarding for the very reason that there are no simple answers. Through ‘consultation, supervi- sion, discussion with colleagues and experts, and our own personal reflec- tion process, we create our own path of truth and strive to create amoral and ethical compass that supports best practices and helps the profession sharpen its collective values and beliefs. Through this process I have learned that a group of counselors who come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and professional perspectives can work together, support one another, and maneuver through differences of opinion with admiration and respect for each other to create a document that will make an impact on the work done by counselors in a variety of settings. Itcan sometimes be overwhelming to realize that the document we helped create will touch the lives of thou- sands of counselors and even many more clients, students, research partici- pants, consultees, and supervisees. As counselors, we sometimes question whether the work we do makes a difference. After helping create the Code of Ethics, 1 have learned that the work we all do as counselors does, in fact, make a significantdifference, in many ways that we will never even imagine. a Foundations of Codes of Ethics Ethics codes of organizations of mental health professionals serve a num- ber of purposes. Perhaps their most basic function is to educate members about sound ethical conduct. As professional counselors, we rely on the ethical standards of the American Counseling Association (ACA) to guide us in our work. Reading and reflecting on the standards can help us to ‘expand our awareness, clarify our values, and subsequently inform clients about our professional responsibilities. Applying the standards to our own practices can assist us to raise significant questions, most of which may not have simple or definitive answers. The application of ethical guidelines to particular situations demands a keen ethical sensitivity, pr A second function of ethical standards is to provide a mechanism for. professional accountability. The ultimate end of a code of ethics i protect the public. The American Counseling Association, through enforce: ment of its Code of Ethics, holds its members accountable to the standards it has set forth. As professional counselors, we have an obligation not only to monitor our own behavior but also to encourage ethical conduct in, our colleagues, DAD OBRLDD : : :