—— Eo 1) Codes of ethic (Herlihy 7 les of ethics also can serve as a catalyst for im yroving practice TQ Setey, 1994). No ethics code, no aay lengthy or precisely worded, can address every situation coursclors might encounter in their work: There” fore, itis crucial that we read the Code with an eye to both is leer and 1 spirit, and that we strive to understand the intentions that underlie each sot dard. This requires us to consider both mandatory and aspirational eS ‘There is a'very real difference between merely following the ‘Code of Ethics and = living out a comsnitment to practice with the highest ideals, ethics Sq describes a level of ethical fiinctioning at which ‘counselors rherely act in com= ¥ pliance with minimal standards. By complying with these basic musts and must vot, counselors can meet the letter of the ethical standards of their profes- sion. Aspirational ethics describes the highest standards of conduct to which ©) Soy 2 prafcaional counselors can’ wepiré, and {erequires that we 60 more 7) Bee tice according to aspirational ethics, counselors need to ‘understand the spirit behind the Codeand the principles on which itrests, and to Bave a process fOr reasoning through the ethical dilemmas they encounter i “Two very different but complementary ways of reasoning about ethics are principle ethics and virtue ethics. Benepe ic miionsy, has been espoused in the fields of medicine anc yioethics (Cottone & ‘Tarvydas, 2003) as well as by the counseling profession. In this approach, certain moral principles—or gencrally accepted assumptions or values in society are seen as fundamental to ethical reasoning. They are viewed as prima ‘facie binding; that is, they must always be considered when. counselors work, to resolve an ethical dilemma. The following five moral principles gener- - ally are seen as being essential to counseling practice. . Trey VUNUTY 4) ¢ Autonom refer so independence and self-determination. Under this, principle, counselors respect of clients to choose their ‘Gwn directions, make their own choices, and control their own lives. 5 ‘We have an ethical obligation to decrease client dependency and fos- ter independent decision making. We refrain from imposing goals, woid being judgmental, and are accepti ifferent values. Sra 4 2) is “Taeans to do no harm. As counselors, we must take ~~" care that ous actions do not risk hurting client, even inadvertently, We have a responsibility to avoid engaging in practices that pe (bene) harm or have the potential to result in harm. 9) + Beneficence means to promote good, or mental health and wellness. ‘This principle mandates that counselors actively promote and welfare of those they serve. . 4) + Justiceis a ‘sional relationships. Justice includes consideration factors as Services, allocation of time and resources, establishment of fees, and access to counseling services. — the fair featment i “n his or her interests need to be considered in the context of the rights and interests of others.