Professional Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy: Ethics and the Law

by Peter Jenkins

Overview

Developing and maintaining a secure framework for professional practice is a core part of any counselling and psychotherapy training, as all therapists need to understand the key values, ethics and laws that underpin the profession today. But what does being a member of a "profession" actually mean, and what does being a "professional" actually involve?

Structured around the BACP Core Curriculum, and with the help of exercises, case studies and tips for further reading, Professional Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy covers everything from the requirements of the BACP Ethical Framework to broader perspectives on good professional practice.

The book includes:

• Practicing as a therapist in different roles and organizational contexts
• Working with key issues, including difference, vulnerable clients and risk
• Understanding the law and relevant legal frameworks for practice
• Working ethically, including contrasting models and approaches to ethics

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781446296646
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	06/22/2017
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.53(h) x (d)

About the Author

Peter Jenkins is a counsellor, trainer, supervisor and researcher. He has worked as a student and staff counsellor in college and university settings for the past thirty years. During this time, he has developed a particular interest in exploring ethical, professional and legal issues in counselling practice. He has run over two hundred workshops on these topics, aimed at addressing the current concerns of practitioners. He has been a member of both the BACP Professional Conduct Committee and the UKCP Ethics Committee and has published around one hundred articles on law and ethics in the professional counselling press. His publications include Therapy with Children, as co-author with Dr Debbie Daniels (Second edition, Sage, 2010), Counselling, Psychotherapy and the Law (Second edition, Sage 2007), online modules for Counselling Mind-Ed and other training material, such as Counselling Confidentiality and the Law (2013, Counselling DVDs).

Peter has produced a wide range of free resources, which can be downloaded to supplement the material outlined in his recent book, Professional Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy: Ethics and the Law. These resources include a video presentation on key issues in recording therapeutic work with clients and online self-study programmes on legal issues in working with children and young people for Mind Ed. While his book closely follows the BACP Ethical Framework in terms of discussing the competencies required of counsellors and psychotherapists, he has also developed a critical analysis of the Ethical Framework, and of some of the legal resources designed to underpin it. In addition, the key area of data protection is undergoing change, with the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation in May 2018. The impact of the GDPR is explored in a further piece, looking at its background and some of the main implications for counsellors.

• Video of PPS presentation on 'Records as Evidence'
• Mind Ed Counselling: Legal and Professional Issues, i.e. self-study online programmes on working with young people, in relation to record keeping, safeguarding, ethics and the law

Webinars (access is free for counselling students via https://www.onlinevents.co.uk/library):

• Working with Children and Young People: An Ethical and Legal Minefield?
• Making Sense of the New Ethical Framework
• Supervisors – A New Duty of Care?

Peter can be contacted at [e-mail]

Table of Contents

Becoming a member of a new profession
Working in different organisational contexts as a counsellor or psychotherapist
Working with key client issues in therapeutic practice
Working with key professional issues in therapeutic practice
Understanding the legal context of professional practice
Working ethically as a counsellor and psychotherapist
Surviving and thriving as a counsellor or psychotherapist
Developing new roles in counselling and psychotherapy

Editorial Reviews

This book is sure to become an established counselling classic, both for those new to the profession and for the more established practitioner.

Therapy Today

An excellent and comprehensive text which emphasises the importance of ethics and legal issues in Professional Counselling Practice. I will be adding this title to the recommended reading list for the Trainee Counsellors on the Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Practice at Stockport College.

Trudi Welden

Peter Jenkins is a standard-bearer and an exemplary role model for counselling education. Peter leaves no stone unturned, writing in detailed and accessible prose filled with care and compassion. This is an indispensable guide to becoming and being a counsellor.

Stacey Campbell

Peter Jenkins takes the reader step by step through both the legal requirements and the requirements of the BACP Ethical Framework so that the territory of confidentiality, record-keeping and data protection, and contracting becomes accessible.

Sally Despenser

I believe it would be of equal relevance to a trainer, supervisor or manager, both on a personal level in their own practice, as well as enhancing understanding from their role perspective of what it might be like for a student or supervisee.

Pauline Culliney

This book provides an in depth account of numerous subjects pertaining to counselling and psychotherapy, from statutory registration through to ethical and legal considerations. The student in training, the new practitioner the clinical supervisor and the experienced therapist all have much to gain from this informative book which courageously leaves few difficult subjects uncovered.

Debbie Daniels

This is the definitive training and practice manual in counselling and psychotherapy in the UK.

Chrysostomos Athanasiadis

Peter Jenkins’ book provides an invaluable guide to the realities of counselling practice in organizations and supports individual practice with a relevant, in-depth exploration of ethical issues faced by counsellors.

Liz Coldridge

This book provides a solid overview of the legal, ethical and organisational frameworks within which we work as a profession.

Joanna Benfield

This is a book for our time, worthy in its aim to support counsellors and therapists in developing their risk assessments skills, decision-making processes, and in dealing with the legal minefield in our litigious and risk-averse society.

Kate Tindle

Peter Jenkins new book is a very impressive contribution and a really useful resource. It is so thorough and comprehensively wide ranging from organisational structure and culture, data protection, equality and diversity to personal development and self care. It's good to see the usefulness of group work given mention too.

This will be a valuable reference book not only for trainee counsellors but experienced practitioners, supervisors and trainers too. I'm sure there will be lots of demand for it.

Sheila King

Jenkins gives an excellent overview of CORE forms, and outcome measures generally.

Contemporary Psychotherapy - Ben Scanlan

Engagingly written, Peter Jenkins’ ‘Professional Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy’ is an essential go-to guide for both the emerging and competent practitioner. A therapist can feel confident that grey and tricky ethical areas are addressed pragmatically and openly. Ideal for our Counselling and Psychotherapy programme.

Vee Howard-Jones

I believe this book fills an important gap, which goes beyond counsellor training programmes. There is a good mix of theory and practice, with further reading, resources and areas for clinical supervisors to consider. I think it may become a well-thumbed tome on many counsellors' bookshelves.

Colette Lewis