Trainee Perspectives on Professional and Ethical Practice

This chapter is based on research undertaken among a range of trainee therapists, psychologists and counsellors. Seventy-two trainees participated in the research from a range of training institutions and courses. It discusses the issues trainees described as important to their own professional and ethical thinking and practice development. The chapter does not attempt to be definitive or comprehensive, to include all aspects of professional and ethical practice or to dictate which areas are most important. It merely focuses attention on those dilemmas, which were considered important to this particular group of participants. The nature of the chapter means that each issue is dealt with concisely, and the interested reader may wish to engage in further reading or reflection on the issues raised. Throughout the chapter, scenarios or reflective questions based on trainee responses are interspersed with the text to assist thinking about ethical and professional practice dilemmas. Examples or quotes given by the trainees are used as examples throughout to illustrate a theme that was raised by a number of trainees; these are all presented in italic script.