Disclaimer – This blog is written from gathering personal experience as Ms Aarti Ahuja is pursuing her PhD and required technical information for the Indian scenario
In the Indian context, ethical considerations for therapists and counselors are crucial, even though terms are used interchangeably, given the country’s diverse cultural, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. Ethical practices ensure that mental health professionals provide effective and compassionate care while respecting the rights and dignity of their clients. More commonly they are referred to as Psychologists or Mental Health Professionals, which are the terms you will find used in the lines below.
Here are some key ethical considerations for therapists and counselors in India:
1. Confidentiality
- Ethical Importance: Psychologists must respect client confidentiality, ensuring that any personal, sensitive information shared during therapy remains private, unless there is a risk of harm to the client or others.
- Indian Context: Given the close-knit nature of many Indian communities, breaches in confidentiality can lead to social stigma and familial tensions. Psychologists should navigate these delicate situations with sensitivity while adhering to legal requirements, such as reporting abuse or harm.
Maintaining client confidentiality is the cornerstone of practising as a psychologist . For which contest forms are given to clients which can state their information may be shared for research or academic discussion purposes by the Psychologists.
2. Cultural Sensitivity
- Ethical Importance: Mental Health Professionals should be culturally competent, recognizing the client’s cultural norms, values, and beliefs without imposing their own biases.
- Indian Context: In India, cultural practices, traditions, and family dynamics play a significant role in a person’s mental health. Psychologists must be mindful of the impact of caste, religion, language, and regional identities while offering care. Misunderstanding or dismissing cultural values could hinder effective therapy.
Incorporating cultural sensitivity in therapeutic sessions also requires training , research and reading up on part of the Mental Health Professional. Understanding cultural diversity can lead to exploring other social sciences and their understanding of human tendencies for example , Sociology , Political Science , Anthropology , Governance etc.
3. Informed Consent
- Ethical Importance: Clients must be fully informed about the nature of therapy, the methods used, potential risks, and the psychologist’s role. This ensures autonomy and respects the client’s right to make informed decisions.
- Indian Context: There may be instances where clients, particularly from rural areas or less-educated backgrounds, may not fully understand the therapeutic process. Mental Health Professionals need to explain the therapy process in a manner that is easy to understand and culturally appropriate.
As a personal responsibility it is suggested to the Psychologist before beginning the therapeutic alliance on a short call or in person explaining the process of fees , how therapy sessions work and any other questions the client may have to ease them in the actual session to establish the desired rapport.
4. Competence and Professional Development
- Ethical Importance: Psychologists must ensure they are qualified, well-trained, and up-to-date with current mental health practices and techniques. Professional competence is critical to providing effective services.
- Indian Context: With the increasing demand for Mental Health Professionals in India, there may be individuals offering counseling services without appropriate training. They should work within their areas of competence and continually seek professional development through workshops, training, and education which is provided by various government and private organisations.
Each professional development platform must be crossed checked and vetted through asking about in the professional community and contacting the organisers. There is a grey area in this which due to lack of overall regulation is often exploited.
5. Non-Discrimination
- Ethical Importance: Psychologists should not discriminate against clients based on their age, gender, caste, religion, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic.
- Indian Context: India has a long history of caste-based discrimination, and gender biases are still prevalent in many parts of the country. Mental Health Professionals must actively work against these biases and ensure that all clients are treated equally with respect and dignity, irrespective of their background.
For this to be avoided while a psychologist is himself in therapy they can explore their own socially conditioned triggers and work on unlearning and adapting opening as a skill both professionally and personally. Being a Psychologist is also working on evolving , improving and adding value to oneself through supervision and personal counseling.
6. Dual Relationships
- Ethical Importance: It is crucial that therapists maintain professional boundaries with their clients, avoiding situations where they have multiple roles (e.g., being a friend or family member).
- Indian Context: In smaller communities or culturally connected societies, psychologists may face challenges in maintaining strict professional boundaries. However, it is essential to avoid dual relationships that can impair objectivity, create conflicts of interest, or cause emotional harm to the client.
As a part of personal ethics and integrity it is suggested not be in therapeutic alliance with family and friends or individuals in your social community. Use the referral network by referring them to other Psychologists.
7. Protection of Vulnerable Populations
- Ethical Importance: Mental Health Professionals have a duty to protect vulnerable individuals, including children, the elderly, and those who are at risk of harm or exploitation.
- Indian Context: Vulnerable populations in India, such as women in abusive relationships, children from marginalized communities, or people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, may face unique challenges. Mental Health Professionals must be equipped to recognize signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation and follow proper legal and ethical procedures for intervention.
8. Respect for Client Autonomy
- Ethical Importance: While Psychologists facilitate change in clients, the ultimate decision-making should lie with the client, respecting their autonomy and choices.
- Indian Context: In India, family involvement in decisions is often more pronounced. Mental Health Professionals may find it difficult to balance the client’s autonomy with the influence of family members, particularly when clients may be pressured to conform to family expectations.
Herein showing professional autonomy becomes crucial and supporting the client as the rapport built in therapeutic relationship is the core of facilitating the client’s individual well-being in the said environment.
9. Addressing Social Stigma
- Ethical Importance: Mental Health Professionals should aim to reduce stigma and raise awareness about mental health issues.
- Indian Context: Mental Health stigma is still widespread in many parts of India. Many individuals are reluctant to seek help due to fear of being labeled or judged. Psychologists must work not only to help clients but also to challenge societal misconceptions about mental health through education and advocacy.
While being Mental Health advocates it is important to share verified , researched and validated information that if questioned, resources and reliable information from standardised books , brochures and guidelines can be quoted if necessary.
10. Accountability and Supervision
- Ethical Importance: Psychologists should be accountable for their actions and seek supervision or consultation when faced with challenging cases or ethical dilemmas.
- Indian Context: As Mental Health services expand in India, access to peer support and supervision might be limited in certain areas. Therapists should remain vigilant in their professional practices and seek guidance when necessary, while also adhering to ethical codes of conduct and regulatory standards set by bodies like the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists (IACP) and Indian Association of Applied Psychology ( IAAP )
A Mental Health Professional should be under supervision and have their own Psychologist to mitigate the burden of being a Professional and person living in the same socio cultural fabric with similar challenges as clients.
11. Addressing Power Dynamics
- Ethical Importance: It is crucial to be aware of the inherent power imbalance between the psychologist and the client, and to ensure that the therapeutic relationship remains a safe, non-exploitative space.
- Indian Context: In India, there is a hierarchy of respect, particularly towards authority figures which the professional gets viewed as . Psychologists must be careful not to misuse this power but instead use it to empower clients and break the power dynamics by –
Asking feedback from the client after session or keeping it open during session is a great way to address the power dynamics , the responsibility of the client’s well-being is with the client and the Psychologist supports the enforcing of that autonomy. This is the skill of the professional to create a safe space.
12. Referral and Collaboration
- Ethical Importance: When aMental health Professional is unable to provide the required treatment or when the client’s needs go beyond their scope of practice, they must refer the client to a more suitable professional.
- Indian Context: Given the shortage of trained mental health professionals in some areas, Psychologists may face challenges in making timely referrals. But today the digital space connects everyone and having a referral network pan India is easier to create by researching within the professional community and reaching out to other professionals at a one to one level.
Collaboration with other healthcare providers or social workers may be essential, especially in rural areas where mental health resources are limited and even urban areas wherein the nature of the case is such.
In India, these ethical principles must be tailored to respect the country’s cultural and social diversity while promoting the well-being of individuals. The National Mental Health Policy (2014) and the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists (IACP) guidelines serve as important frameworks for ethical practice in this context.
By addressing these ethical considerations, psychologists can help ensure that mental health services in India are accessible, respectful, and beneficial to all individuals, regardless of their background.
Tatava Studio Simplifying Wellness stands by these words and enforces ethics within our practice to create well meaning spaces of authentic acceptance of the professional , individual clients and others seeking support.
It is trial and error finding the right Mental Health professional for yourself, but we are here to help you on your journey. You can choose us or we can refer you to others in our network!
Our contact details
To connect further and enroll in the program.
Aarti Ahuja
For Appointments
Email id
tatvalifestylestudio@gmail.com
Contact
Call : +011 4654 6424 / +91 7678341364
WhatsApp : 91 7678341364