Recognize the danger of indiscriminate self-disclosure. These three issues do not , however, address all the ethical concerns of recovering counselors. This Free Module is offered as an additional resource for increasing awareness about the dilemmas recovering professionals encounter. These counselors working in the field bring with them their own experiences in recovery or treatment.
Research indicates that a significant percentage of substance abuse professionals are in recovery.
Currently there is a lack of ethical guidelines for recovering professionals, as Doyle indicated in the above quote. In the absence of specific guidelines, it is important for recovering counselors to dialogue with colleagues about their ethical concerns. Below, two professional counselors reflect on some of the ethical issues they've encountered in the course of their careers, and how they've resolved ethical dilemmas. Each of these counselors has over 15 years experience in the substance abuse field. Some of their disclosures have been inappropriate, and when I've worked with them as a group co-therapist, I've been placed in an awkward position.