omy of the mother of the autonomy of the fetus?
Other moral issues or ethical concerns revolve around aspects of counseling such as confidentiality. The American Counseling Association (ACA) maintained that confidentiality can be violated when the counselor believes there is ôàa clear and imminent dangerö to the client or others (Millner, & Hanks, 2002, p. 61). The counselor, if he or she views the fetus as a person, may very well feel that confidentiality should be broken in cases of abortion in order to protect the fetus from a clear and imminent danger.
Millner and Hanks (2002) end their discussion of such complex issues by offering recommendations for counselors facing ethical dilemmas when counseling clients considering abortion. These recommendations include a self-inventory for counselors in which they thoughtfully and thoroughly examine their own moral and ethical views regarding abortion. This process will help counselors understand when they would or would not be able to offer effective counseling for clients considering abortion. The authors also recommend counselors refer such clients to other practitioners when unable to effectively counsel them. Millner and Hanks (2002) also recommend counseling for counselors who experience internal conflict, confusion or other negative emotions and feelings when counseling on abortion. These and other recommendations of the authorsÆ, such as awareness of all state and federal laws related to abortion, will help counselors provide moral and ethical counseling to clients considering abortion.
Millner, V. S., & Hanks, R. B. (2002, Winter). Induced abortion: An ethical consideration for counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 80(1), 57-63.
Title: INDUCED ABORTION: AN ETHICAL CONUNDRUM FOR COUNSELORS ,á By: Millner, Vaughn S., Hanks, Robert B., Journal of Counseling & Development, 07489633, Winter2002, Vol. 80, Issue 1 Database: Academic Search Premier
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