Question 6 Discussion

By coming out as a lesbian, Karen is in a difficult situation both professionally and

personally. The faculty members are suggesting Karen to start psychological treatment and even

remove her from the program. However, under Standard 3.10, the code outlines that informed

consent is required before a client starts therapy and fees involved in the process has to be

considered (American Psychological Association, 2021). Hence, for Karen to start therapy

sessions, written or oral consent is required to allow her to make an informed decision. By

starting psychological treatment, Karen can feel more comfortable in her ‘true self’ regardless of

the opinions of other people.

Karen’s situation presents her with any ethical issue that can be resolved using Fisher’s

ethical decision-making model. Fisher’s model allows an individual to generate and evaluate

their alternatives before making a decision (Fisher, 2016). As a result, it is in Karen’s best

interest to implement a course of action that does not impact her professional and personal life

negatively. In my opinion, with informed consent, Karen should see a psychologist. With the

help of an expert, Karen can deal with internal issues. Also, Karen’s situation can also be

handled by ensuring the society advocate for safe places for all people without judgement or

stereotypes.

References

Fisher, C. B. (2016). Decoding the ethics code: A practical guide for psychologists. Sage

Publications.

American Psychological Association. (2021). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of

conduct. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ethics/code