Ethical Issue 2
You have been counseling a young mother and her third-grade daughter in the elementary school where you are employed. The mother has been separated from her husband for a month and intends to seek a divorce. Today, the mother begs you to testify on her behalf at a court hearing. Her husband is petitioning the court for custody of the daughter. You have never met the husband, but the mother seems to be a loving parent and you want to help her.
QUESTIONS that must be answer
1. Should you agree to go to the hearing and testify for her?
Note: NO – ONLY if therapist called to testify as a percipient witness
PAGE-269 (book) Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling, 6E
2. Would you be objective and unbiased?
Note: if you were officially called into testify- YES- you would be objective and unbiased-go into detail.
PAGE-166 (book) Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling, 6E
3. What would your employer think of your testifying?
Note: PAGE-146 (book) Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling, 6E
4. Would your testimony be expert/professional or personal/knowledge?
Note: PAGE-168 & 420 (book) Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling, 6E
It would be professional
