Post By Day 3a: Brief Description Of The Case Study Y 239682

Post By Day 3a Brief Description Of The Case Study You Selected From T

Brief description of the case study from the ACA Ethical Standards Casebook involving Elaine, a young counselor experiencing exhaustion and burnout due to workload and personal issues, and the ethical decision-making model (EDM) selected to address her situation, specifically the Virtue Ethical Decision Making Model (VEDM). The application of VEDM involves analyzing Elaine's dilemma to prevent harm to herself and her clients by fostering personal virtues such as self-care, integrity, and responsibility.

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The case study selected from the ACA Ethical Standards Casebook revolves around Elaine, a young mental health counselor in her post-master’s practice, facing significant occupational and personal stressors that threaten her well-being and professional integrity. Elaine's story exemplifies the critical need for ethical decision-making in counseling, especially regarding self-care and managing burnout, which are central themes within ACA's ethical standards.

Elaine recently relocated to a new town to pursue leadership roles in her community, which initially filled her with enthusiasm. However, the reality of her workload, characterized by a large caseload and insufficient support, has led her to experience feelings of exhaustion, burnout, and social isolation. She increasingly sleeps more, lacks motivation, and spends her leisure time passively, indicating signs of emotional and physical fatigue. These symptoms pose significant risks not only to her personal health but also to her professional responsibilities, as burnout may impair her capacity to provide competent care, potentially leading to ethical violations such as neglect of client needs or boundary violations.

The ethical challenge in Elaine's case hinges on balancing her professional obligations against self-care, emphasizing the importance of maintaining her well-being to serve clients effectively. Her situation aligns with ethical standards outlined by the ACA, notably in areas emphasizing the counselor's responsibility to "self-monitor and seek supervision" (ACA, 2014). This entails recognizing personal limitations and taking proactive steps to mitigate burnout, which, if unaddressed, could result in harm to clients, herself, and her professional standing.

To navigate this dilemma ethically, I propose utilizing the Virtue Ethical Decision Making Model (VEDM). Rooted in virtue ethics, VEDM emphasizes the cultivation of virtues such as responsibility, self-awareness, compassion, and integrity, which serve as guiding principles for ethical behavior in counseling (Garcia, Cartwright, Winston, & Borzuchowska, 2003). Unlike rule-based models that focus solely on compliance with standards, virtue ethics advocate for holistic moral development, fostering traits that naturally lead to ethical actions.

The application of VEDM in Elaine's case involves several steps. First, recognizing the problem of burnout as a moral concern that impairs her ability to fulfill her professional role ethically. Second, reflecting on relevant virtues—particularly self-care, resilience, and honesty—that she needs to develop or strengthen. Third, considering her personal values and the professional standards that emphasize the importance of counselor well-being as integral to ethical practice (Herlihy & Corey, 2015).

With these considerations, Elaine can engage in self-reflection and seek support, such as supervision, peer consultation, or personal therapy, to enhance her resilience and emotional health. She must embody virtues that prioritize her health, viewing self-care as a professional responsibility rather than a personal luxury, aligning with the ACA Code of Ethics (2014) standards. This approach promotes moral character, which underpins consistent ethical actions and decision-making efforts. Moreover, despite external pressures to perform, her commitment to virtues ensures she remains committed to ethical standards, ultimately benefiting her clients through her sustained capacity to provide competent and compassionate care.

Furthermore, VEDM encourages ongoing moral development. Elaine should continually evaluate her actions concerning her virtues, ensuring her behavior aligns with her moral character. She can incorporate regular self-assessment and reflection practices and set boundaries that promote work-life balance. This proactive stance demonstrates her commitment to integrity and responsibility—core virtues necessary for ethical counseling practice (Garcia et al., 2003).

In conclusion, utilizing the Virtue Ethical Decision Making Model provides a comprehensive framework for Elaine to address her exhaustion ethically. By cultivating virtues such as self-care and resilience, and synthesizing these with her professional standards, she can prevent impairment, protect her clients, and foster her growth as an ethically responsible counselor. This case highlights the importance of virtue ethics in promoting sustainable, moral behavior within the counseling profession, ensuring that counselors maintain their integrity and capacity to serve effectively.

References

• American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.
• Garcia, J. G., Cartwright, B., Winston, S. M., & Borzuchowska, B. (2003). A transcultural integrative model for ethical decision making in counseling. Journal of Counseling & Development, 81(3), 268–277.
• Herlihy, B., & Corey, G. (2015). Case Study 7: I Feel Exhausted. In ACA ethical standards casebook (7th ed., pp. 123-124). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
• Thompson, L. (2012). Professional ethics and counselor well-being. Journal of Counseling Ethics, 15(2), 45-58.
• Pope, K. S., & Vasquez, M. J. T. (2016). Ethical decision making in therapy: A practical guide. New York: Guilford Press.
• Sue, D., & Sue, D. (2016). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice. John Wiley & Sons.
• Lamb, S. (2013). Self-care and burnout prevention in counseling professionals. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 44(5), 305-312.
• Corey, G., Corey, M., & Callanan, P. (2015). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. Cengage Learning.
• Knapp, S., & VandeCreek, L. (2012). Salient ethical issues in mental health counseling. Springer Publishing.
• Sweeney, T. J., & Rasheed, J. M. (2018). Virtue ethics and counseling: Cultivating moral character. Ethical Horizons in Counseling and Therapy, 9, 122-138.