X. Ethical and Professional Vignettes Read the following ethical dilemmas, and using the Ethical…

X. Ethical and Professional Vignettes Read the following
ethical dilemmas, and using the Ethical Standards for Human Service
Professionals in Appendix B, write a response to each dilemma.

1. A colleague with whom you work continually uses
pathological language in describing her clients. You believe that this behavior
is demeaning to her clients and wonder about her ability to work with them. You
believe that if your colleague had a better handle on development of the
person, he would understand his clients better and have more empathy. Is the
colleague acting ethically?

X. Ethical and Professional Vignettes Read the following
ethical dilemmas, and using the Ethical Standards for Human Service
Professionals in Appendix B, write a response to each dilemma.

1. A colleague with whom you work continually uses
pathological language in describing her clients. You believe that this behavior
is demeaning to her clients and wonder about her ability to work with them. You
believe that if your colleague had a better handle on development of the
person, he would understand his clients better and have more empathy. Is the
colleague acting ethically? Professionally? What, if anything, should you do?

2. A human service professional who does not believe in
mental illness insists on treating clients with severe pathology in a
proactive, humanistic manner and refuses to explore the possibility of
medication as an adjunct to counseling. Is this ethical? Professional? Legal?

3. A human service professional who is working with a
severely depressed client tells the client that she needs to seriously consider
taking some antidepressant medication. She then refers the client to a
psychiatrist. Is this ethical? Professional? Legal? Can a human service
professional recommend the use of medication?

4. A human service professional offers, for a fee,
educational workshops to help individuals understand developmental tasks and
unique developmental issues. Can the helper ethically and legally do this
without being licensed?

5. A psychologist places an ad in the local newspaper that
states, Holistic, nonintrusive, nonpsychopathologically oriented counseling.
See a helper who cares and can offer hope to all individuals. Is this type of
ad ethical? Professional? Legal?

6. A human service professional who is a colleague and a
friend has had little training in developmental stages and normal transitions
in life. You notice that often the treatment planning for his clients is based
on a medical model, and you believe that some of his clients are being served
poorly because normal developmental struggles are being viewed as pathology.
What is your responsibility to this professional? To his clients? What should
you do if you explain your concerns and he does not do anything differently?

7. You realize when working with a colleague that she often
views clients from nondominant groups in a negative light and pathologizes them
more than she does White clients. With White clients, she tends to see their
problems as developmental in nature. You believe that her misdiagnosis leads to
poor treatment, and you are concerned about her lack of cultural competence.
Which actions should you take?

8. A human service professional who works with you at a
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANFe.g., Food Stamps) office is
always grumpy to his clients. You believe that he is acting unethically, and
should have a more developmental perspective and positive attitude toward his
clients. If he could view those individuals from a developmental perspective, you
think, he would understand some of the struggles they have faced. You decide to
encourage him to take a course on developmental counseling. Is this smart,
ethical, and professional? What else might you do?