Ethical Issues In Hypnotherapist

2075 Words9 Pages
Introduction All reputable therapists will offer an initial consultation. This gives the therapist the opportunity to get to know the client and build up a rapport with them. It is the time when the therapist can gain the information needed to successfully treat the client, both current issues and circumstances and past issues if necessary. The therapist will also ascertain whether they have the competence to successfully treat the client. Hypnotherapists and counsellors are professional people, they belong to professional bodies such as the Hypnotherapy Society and the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) and the professions have to seek a professional and ethical reputation, not only for the client but also for the…show more content…
2011, p.123). The Hypnotherapy Society developed their code of ethics from the BACP code of ethics 2002. It is a lengthy document so I will extract the issues that illustrate the overriding principles that an ethical therapist will adhere to. A therapist must always aim to give the best quality of care to a client and recognise their limitations due to training and experience. They must constantly evaluate and review any treatment given so as to keep the best interests of the client and to help them in the most effective way possible, i.e never prolonging treatment unnecessarily. A therapist must never cloud their relationship with clients by bringing prejudice concerning race, sexuality or prejudice of any other kind. Gaining medical background information is vital as this may reveal hidden conditions, such as psychosis, which should never be treated by hypnotherapy. If the therapist is at all in doubt they should seek a GP’s consent for therapy. It is best that ‘dual relationships’ are avoided, such as when the therapist knows the client as a friend as this can be detrimental to the client. Records must be kept and referred to throughout treatment, but should be confidential between client and therapist. There may be times when the therapist may have to break client confidentiality, i.e. when a client poses a risk to themselves or someone else. The therapist must also work within the confines of the law, for example if treating a child who has suffered sexual abuse then the therapist has a duty to disclose any details of the offender. The therapist must be open and transparent about the treatment given but not at the detriment of the client’s well-being. Karle and Boys (2010 p.59) suggest considering the needs of other people in the client’s life that may be affected by the impact of the treatment, such as a spouse. They even suggest meeting with the spouse also so the client
Open Document