The psychotherapies

Abstract

In this chapter I review some of the ethical dilemmas that arise during the practice of the psychological therapies, as well as aspects of the literature about how these dilemmas might be understood and resolved, including how traditional accounts of health care ethics apply to psychotherapy. I also discuss contemporary dilemmas in psychotherapy. I suggest that the practice of psychotherapy and ethical reasoning have in common attention to values and attention to self -reflection and the capacity to think about mental experience. This chapter is based on the chapter in the first edition which was written with Professor Jeremy Holmes, and I acknowledge here with gratitude his wisdom and influence on my thinking in this area.