Most professions have a code of ethics which provides guidance regarding the scope of practice and the boundaries for practicing within a profession. The code is enforceable as well as aspirational. It elaborates the “must do” and “should do.” Some also detail the “don’t do.” Primarily, the goal of a code of ethics is to ensure the welfare and protection of individuals and groups the professional works with while providing “guard rails” for the practitioner. Additionally, a code of ethics strives to educate its members as the field, its language, and laws change. Studying the code of ethics as a student prior to entering the field is critical. The student must learn the boundaries for professional and personal actions and the reasons for those boundaries. Publication of the code and access to its foundational ethical principles and standards informs the public as well.
My profession, educational therapy, has a well-written code of ethics. It also emphasizes the mission of the organization and the continued growth of the profession and each practitioner. It advances ethics, professionalism, discussion, research, self-reflection, and self-care. While an important document, a code of ethics may not be wholly practical, as every issue or quandary may not be addressed. So, developing an ethical mindset needs to become an ongoing, regular, and “lived process” that must be consciously cultivated, valued, and applied. Then, making an important ethical decision becomes reflexive and not just reserved for an issue which sends one searching in the “rule book.”
Gray Areas
There are many gray areas in educational therapy due to working with a family, a school, allied professionals, and the student-client themself. Having a code of ethics does not address the ethical challenges for which there is no readily apparent solution. Nor can the written document assist when one feels tangled up by the emotional overlay of complex issues. Unraveling the specific issue’s context or the difficulty in establishing one’s primary allegiance when different constituents exist can be very troublesome. These gray areas require careful thinking, deliberation, and perhaps consultation to arrive at a satisfactory and ethical solution.
Many other helping professions have practice guides with illustrative cases, using well-elucidated examples of issues and problem-solving pathways. Practice guides assist in applying the code of ethics’ tenets to one’s own work and specialty area. However, my field does not have any published practice guides, whereas the American Psychological Association has 22. The recently published book (which I co-authored), “Ethical Decision Making in Educational Therapy: A Practical Guide,” attempts to address that void by linking real-life scenarios and ethical dilemmas to problem-solving models.
Boundary Setting
Many types of boundaries exist. They may need to be set for one’s own actions, behaviors, and limitations, or to set limits within a session for the client, and for communication policies with parents/guardians or caregivers. Educational therapists (ETs) work in a variety of settings—private practice, in a clinic among allied professionals, alongside other ETs, or as an employee in an independent school. Each of these settings has different boundaries for one’s actions and conduct; however, the Association of Educational Therapists Code of Ethics provides little guidance for operating in various roles outside of a private practice. In different work settings, roles and boundaries must be differentiated.
In this situation, the term boundary refers to the rules governing professional relationships. Some may think the term boundary has a negative connotation. However, by setting limits and providing structure, well-established boundaries can create an atmosphere of safety for the practitioner, client, clinic, and the independent school that employs an ET.
Creating Personal Boundaries in a Professional Setting
In a private practice, creating one’s personal boundaries clarifies one’s values and defines important practice details, such as session location(s), scheduled time for each session, length of session, and billing practices. Formulating one’s boundaries regarding the exchange of gifts, disclosure of personal information (in-person or via email or in social media), limits to physical contact, and respecting cultural norms of physical proximity and eye contact are all healthy and clarifying. Your formulation of values should also align with the profession’s code of ethics. Establishing personal boundaries can enhance well-being in your professional life by creating limits for your own work, e.g., I don’t work over the weekend, I answer emails within 24 hours, phone inquiries lasting longer than 15 minutes trigger a charge (as per the contract) or signals the need to schedule a meeting. While many ETs create personal boundaries, they do not always adhere to or enforce them. This may engender negative feelings and is counter to practicing self-care.
Self-Care
Identifying, establishing and maintaining boundaries provides on-going guidance for one’s self-care and life balance. Self-care requires self-awareness and accurate self-reflection. Periodic review of one’s core values is necessary, and personal values may need to be adjusted if life circumstances change. As our lives change, so could our core values and personal boundaries for work. Practicing regular self-awareness and functional self-care can prevent burnout, work fatigue, and simply feeling chronically overwhelmed.
Educational therapists Pamm Scribner and Drew Lau-Regent suggest ETs look at the code of ethics after having established their core values. This is a refreshing and intriguing exercise. It links one’s own values to a code of ethics, which internalizes and reinforces fundamental aspects of the code. For example, when working with a very challenging teen, reviewing “AET envisions a socially just world where all learners reach their potential, appreciate their unique abilities, and thrive” may bolster your resolve to persist with supporting the teen. Or, self-reflection may prompt a feeling that more time needs to be set aside for professional development. AET’s code of ethics states that the practitioner should “strive toward self-evaluation and continuous improvement of professional performance” and “systematically advance their knowledge and skills by pursuing a program of continuing education including but not limited to participation in such activities as professional conferences/ workshops, professional meetings, continuing education courses, and the reading of professional literature.” Revisiting these statements should reinforce and energize the goal of safeguarding time for further professional development.
If you are a member of a professional organization that has an established code of ethics, think about creating a set of personal core values and the actions required to reinforce them. Then, look to your organization’s code of ethics and determine what aspects underscore those core values.
If you do not belong to a professional organization, think about how you establish personal boundaries in your everyday life. Are they different with your best friend, your immediate family, or in a community group such as with your neighbors, a book club, or your volunteer work? How do you communicate your personal boundaries and what actions do you take to reinforce them? Taking the time to think through and answer these questions for yourself can help you connect your core values, ethics, personal boundaries, and act with integrity.
To read more about connecting ethics and boundaries to your own life, please come back for my next blog post on cultivating everyday ethics.