MICHAEL SORSDAHL: CCPA’S NEW ETHICS CASE BOOK AND WHY YOU MUST READ IT | EP 108

The four sections of the book

1 – Foundational aspect 

• The history of ethics and how it evolved 
• The legal intersectionality of ethics and society 
• That ethics isn’t directed by law but is influenced by law 
• Ethical decision making models and that there are different models 

2 – Sections of the codes 

• The sections that each code falls under which is represented by different chapters in the book
• Historical elements of the codes and the societal considerations to be aware of 
• Any pitfalls that counsellors could be mindful of 

‘In all the chapters … What we brought together was a section that talked about best practices, or what is more accurate is the recommended practices, because there is no “best” practice … It’s the recommended practice by those that work in the profession that tries to help people navigate challenging certain situations or ethical dilemmas.’ – Michael Sorsdahl

3 – Complex cases studies without solutions 

• Complex case studies that you or your students could practice with in any case 
• Work on your own problem-solving skills for these 
• Michael’s team are going to work on putting a team together to solve these and put the solutions forward to the CCPA  

4 – The solutions to the case studies 

• There are solutions in a separate chapter so that the case studies can be studied by students without spotting the answers on the same page 

‘Just because you don’t know, doesn’t mean that you don’t do what you should know, and that’s your responsibility … If you don’t have a strong foundation in ethics and understanding ethical responsibilities or practices, you just might not know that you’re doing things that are unethical.’ – Julia Smith

Ethics have to be current 

Ethics will naturally evolve with time because it is the study and practice of handling people and situations correctly, and people are constantly changing too. 

As a responsible and compassionate counsellor, it is part of your job to know how the lines shift, change, or blur and how to navigate those changes effectively, and that means that you need to know what is happening on the ethical front. 

‘It’s about currency, right. So, when new codes of ethics or standards of practice or new kinds of legal requirements come out … Being aware of what those are and staying up to date and current because [it is] the responsibility of the therapist, and not to shy away from those challenging situations.’ – Michael Sorsdahl

Even though it is a lot to consider, it is our responsibility as the counsellor to make sure that we understand our ethical obligations. When it comes to recommended practices and ethics, it not only keeps your clients and your license safe, but you as well. 

Read more about the new CCPA ethics book at this link. 

Multiple relationships 

The ethics of multiple relationships between counsellors and clients can often be brought into discussion, especially when offering therapy in small towns or rural areas. 

For example, someone may be the therapist of their pharmacist! Which is of course a nuanced situation to navigate. 

‘When you’re in rural communities or you’re in a situation where you might be the only therapist … Then we have to start doing an ethical decision-making process around, “Do I take on multiple clients from the same family? How’s that going to work?”’ – Michael Sorsdahl 

If you are in a situation where you have multiple relationships, you need to take notes. Have clear boundaries and capture records of your choices so that if everything should ever go south, you have evidence of your decision-making and your “management” of the situation. You have to manage the situation and not hope it goes well.

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