Introduction The American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics suggests that counselors must undertake a “cautiously deliberated ethical decision-making procedures” (p. 4) when they experience complex ethical dilemmas. The ethical standard further requires that counselors must be able to identify and apply all valid ethical decision-making models. The ACA code is the only standard, among profession standards, that insists on the significance of knowing and applying ethical decision-making models. The aim of this paper is to compare two ethical decision-making models and use one method to solve an ethical dilemma presented in a case study. Family counseling is an area that presents complex ethical dilemmas for professionals. In this report, the critical-evaluation model and the virtue ethics model are compared. The steps characteristic to each model is summarized. Subsequently, the critical-evaluation model solves the ethical dilemma presented in the case study. Comparing Critical-Evaluation Model to Virtue Ethics Model The critical-evaluation was developed by Kitchener in 1984 in accordance with the standards of independence, justice, beneficence, non-malfeasance, veracity and fidelity (Carnes-Holt, K. & Bratton, 2014). The critical-evaluation model for decision-making requires a counselor to apply eight steps before making a decision. When confronted with an ethical dilemma, the counselor must first identify the moral, ethical, and legal aspects of the situation. Also, the counselor identifies potential stakeholders, issues, stakeholders’ roles, and the challenging standards characteristic to the situation. Subsequently, the counselor shall reviews the ethical principles of counseling against personal morals and idea of the dilemma. At the fourth stage, the critical-evaluation model requires the counselor to identify the applicable laws and standards within the jurisdiction of practice. After satisfying the four stages, the counselor can engage in the counseling process following ACA principles. The sixth step for the counselor to take is to consider the possible solutions, and the requirement of all stakeholders. At the seventh stage, the counselor shall list possible penalties of various decisions for each party involved. Lastly, the counselor decides the best option to apply (McMahon, Mason & Daluga-Guenther, 2014). From the steps presented by the critical-evaluation model focus on the importance of ensuring standard procedures during counseling tries to prevent the counselor from taking a decision that does not conform to the ACA principles. The virtue ethics decision-making model is a counseling approach that guides majority of the professional codes. Aside from some provisions in some standards, only a few sections of the document, are related to virtue ethics. The virtue-ethics model of decision-making entails the professional to look within and create an opportunity for a reflective course of action. Reflection during ethical decision-making process invites expressive experiences of kindness and empathy. Emotion in decision-making, which is a valid element of an ethically good intention, is not a group of laws but is an infusion of human interaction, emotion, and sympathy with the areas of personal c