| Ethical Policy |
ETHICAL POLICY All Associates, individuals, organisations or businesses associated with or on the A-Z register of elementals are expected to adhere to the following ethics policy as a requirement to being involved in the any work connected with elementals. Spare capacity A necessary condition for being in any field is that you must have “spare capacity”. Your work should not use up everything you've got. Nor should there be so many demands making a drain on your life that you have insufficient resources to offer good a service to your client(s). Being able to do something, anything, with confidence and ease helps develop spare capacity. It might be a sport, running a business, a craft or a skill such as typing, wiring circuit boards, or cake making. People with a skill are often surprised when other people comment on it because the skill is naturalised in them. When we do something well, we take it for granted. We don't have to think about it, or boast about our achievements. Losing vanity is a requirement of developing spare capacity, and vanity tends to fall away when you are competent and confident. This releases the energy you need and spare capacity is like spare energy. When you want to operate well in a situation you must have the spare capacity to see what's going on. You must have confidence and not be put down by anyone. You must be 'on top of your work' to have the spare capacity to see, understand and perhaps influence events. If you are too competitive, too pleased, too anxious or too depressed you have no possibility of developing the spare capacity you need in order to work well. Excessive emotion, whatever the emotion, exhausts you, using up energy that you need to hold in reserve for creating the capacity to observe objectively. You are not in control if your emotional life is too strong. Ethical considerations In most existing codes of ethics the rules of conduct are imposed externally by trade associations. You are required to read and obey. If you breach the rules — and are found out — you may have to face a formal enquiry and be made accountable if a complaint is made against you. The consequences may be anything from public censure, to suspension from practice, to full-scale striking off. Since even the best of us may become erratic at any time, guidelines are certainly needed, and we know without much thought the kind of prohibitions they should contain.. Obviously it is not ethical, among other things, to: • sleep with, or make any kind of sexual advance to, a client. • steal money or time from a client or patient, either directly or obliquely — for example, by keeping the individual in treatment for longer than he or she needs to be there; selling goods or services that the client does not want, need, can’t use or can’t afford • barter — because it often creates a confusion of roles; • indoctrinate or brainwash, for instance, by implanting ideas of an ideological, political, religious or behavioural nature. • abuse, manipulate, or indulge in any kind of cult behaviour or practices which bind client or patient to the therapist; • take advantage in any other way of the inevitable power invested in the role of “service provider” or 'therapist'. But, should fear — of breaching the rules, of discovery, and ultimately of punishment by our externally located statutory body — really be all that restrains us from unethical behaviour? What other things should be considered with regards to ethics? Over the last fifty years there has been a breakdown in the ethical and moral (legal, educational and religious) systems that society once relied upon to maintain stability. Many people cling on to vestiges of these old systems. But this breakdown process had to happen. It is an evolutionary consequence of the fact that reliance on systems eventually makes us too inflexible — and therefore more vulnerable in a rapidly changing world. It almost seems as though nature is forcing us to evolve to act ethically from a basis of real knowledge — not from conditioned responses. Many people and organisations, however, are not adapting well to these changes and appear unable to take responsibility for their actions. One consequence of this has been the development of what is sometimes called a 'victim' culture with many people becoming obsessed with 'rights' and blame. Clearly, however, rights can only be granted by law that is agreed upon by a community. Rights are not 'givens'. We don't come into the world with rights, but we do arrive with 'needs' (and 'resources' to help us get those needs met). Ethically-based practice All Associates, individuals or businesses associated with or on the A-Z register of elementals are asked to consider the following guidelines and are continually encouraged to maintain this level of conduct to ensure their ‘practice’ is as ethical as possible. • Continually examine your motives and update skills. • Look at your own beliefs. • Do not impose your world view on your clients. • Have respect for your clients and their autonomy. • Consider the fallout of your interventions on the other people in your client's life — family, friends and colleagues. • Learn how to unpack nominalisations and avoid being emotionally influenced by them. • Always encourage clients to be specific, to make concrete their beliefs and feelings so you and they have something real to work with. To be clear about what they want, need, can afford and whether or not the service or product is of use to them. • Always remember that many people are highly suggestible. *Avoid the labelling which can reinforce the pathology of their problem. And take care not to inadvertently create illusory memories about events in the past. (*Advice to therapists) • Avoid developing dependency relationships with clients. In order to see others clearly, you have to be in a suitable state. It is impossible to do effective work if you yourself are stressed, anxious, depressed or greedy. (Greed for attention, emotional excitement, or for explanation, can blind you as much as greed for money or power.) • Negotiate clear and ethical contracts with clients. • Respect and maintain confidentiality. • Keep notes and records (and keep them secure) and be sensitive to client confidentiality. • Beware of conflicts of interest arising. As soon as you perceive a conflict of interest between any of your clients, notify those concerned in writing. • Take out comprehensive professional liability insurance. • If the need arises, advise the client that you are obliged to inform the appropriate authority should they divulge to you any illegal or potentially harmful act. • Remember the limitations of your knowledge. • Develop a sensitivity about what and who will best serve your client. • Remember to keep in mind that you are offering the client a service they need, want, can use and can afford. Content Management Powered by CuteNews |
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