A counselor in solo private practice is attempting to form a group on anger and
conflict management in interpersonal relationships. The group is based on a model
for assisting "normal" persons in learning strategies to manage conflicts in ways that
avoid escalation by using listening and negotiation skills. The counselor's screening
procedure consists of a 20 minute interview during which he describes the purposes
of the group, the duration and schedule of meetings, and the fee for each session.
Seven persons apply for membership in the group, and all are accepted. During the
first meeting of this group, it becomes clear that one of the members, a 40 year-old
man, is having difficulty coping with the discussion; he appears highly anxious, is
having difficulty following the discussion, and often make comments that are
tangential and sometimes incoherent. The leader is concerned about this man, but is
unsure what to do about him at the end of this meeting.
Ethical Issues in this scenario:
Ethical Standards/Best Practices relevant to this scenario:
Conclusions about counselor's behavior
Suggested alternative behaviors or actions:
Scenario 4
