My ethical responsibilities
I am a registered clinical psychologist in New Zealand. I am required to adhere to a Code of Ethics that has been agreed on by a joint working party of the New Zealand Psychological Society, the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists, and the New Zealand Psychologists Board.
The Code of Ethics is available here. The Code identifies four major ethical principles:
- respect for the dignity of persons and peoples;
- responsible caring;
- integrity of relationships; and
- social justice and responsibility to society.
In terms of my clinical practice, the Code of Ethics requires that:
- I respect your privacy and confidentiality;
- I provide you with the necessary information about your therapy options before you consent to receiving treatment from me; and
- I only work within areas in which I am competent.