Ethical Standards in a Practice Setting

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Respecting boundaries in the broadest sense holds the key to humane treatment

The media is rife with examples of boundary violations toward patients and families in the arena of addiction treatment. We need look no further than Dr. Phil's "Al-Anon relapse" with Britney Spears to see the effect of offering patients or potential patients unsolicited help. But diat's extreme, and the truth is we face ethical dilemmas every day as we learn about, understand, and treat the individuals with whom we work.

Whether you're a counselor, therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist, you understand the need to practice according to ethical codes. The word "ethical" undoubtedly means many …