Ethics and the therapeutic relationship

Ethics and the therapeutic relationship | Why the BACP Ethical Framework matters

Understanding the framework | Ethics in relationship | The challenge of ethical practice | What ethical practice requires | Ethics as foundation | Framework review

Eileen Fisher

“This is where ethical practice moves beyond knowledge into wisdom – something we develop through experience, reflection, and ongoing professional development”

Ethics

Exploring the values, principles, and personal moral qualities that underpin our work.

What strikes me about this framework is its emphasis on the relational nature of ethical practice. It’s not simply about following rules; it’s about how we are with our clients and how we build relationships that can hold the depth and complexity of therapeutic work.

Ethics in relationship

In my work with trainee counsellors, I’ve observed that ethics become real not in the abstract, but in relationship. The framework recognises this. It asks us to consider how trust develops, how respect is demonstrated, how boundaries serve the work, and how we maintain integrity when facing difficult decisions.

Consider confidentiality – one of the first concepts students learn. The framework doesn’t simply say “keep it confidential.” Instead, it asks us to think about circles of confidentiality, about when client safety might require us to act, about how we communicate limitations in advance, and about balancing competing ethical principles when they conflict. Point 10 acknowledges that exceptional circumstances may require us to override client wishes to prevent serious harm – a situation that requires careful ethical reasoning, not just rule-following.

Or take the principle of autonomy – respecting the client’s right to be self-governing. In the room with a client, this means constantly navigating: How much do I lead? When do I challenge? How do I work with someone whose choices concern me while still respecting their agency? These aren’t questions with simple answers, and the framework doesn’t pretend they are.

The challenges of ethical practice

What I appreciate most about the framework is its honesty. Point 7 explicitly states that practitioners may encounter circumstances where it’s impossible to reconcile all applicable principles. Sometimes being trustworthy and promoting client wellbeing might pull us in different directions. Sometimes respect for autonomy and preventing harm create genuine dilemmas.

The framework doesn’t resolve these tensions for us. Instead, it asks us to:

• Consider all relevant circumstances with care
• Use professional resources and consultation
• Take responsibility for our decisions
• Be ready to explain our reasoning

This is where ethical practice moves beyond knowledge into wisdom – something we develop through experience, reflection, and ongoing professional development.

What ethical practice requires

In my teaching, I emphasise that ethical practice is both a way of doing and a way of being. The framework identifies key personal moral qualities, including candour, empathy, humility, integrity, and respect. These aren’t add-ons to our technical skills – they’re central to the therapeutic relationship itself.

Ethical practice involves:

Reflective practice

Regularly examining our work, our assumptions, and our decision-making. As a tutor, I recognise how crucial this is to practitioners’ development. The ability to reflect on your practice, to notice your responses, to question your assumptions – this is where ethical awareness lives.

Commitment to self-care

Maintaining our wellbeing so we can sustain the quality of our work. We can’t care for others if we’re depleted ourselves.

“… the framework is there to support you, not to catch you out.”

For trainees and developing practitioners

If you’re training or newly qualified, the framework can feel overwhelming. 94 points is a lot to hold. My advice? Start by truly understanding the six core principles: being trustworthy, autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and self-respect. These principles underpin everything else.

Then recognise that the framework is there to support you, not to catch you out. Points 92-94 acknowledge that ethical dilemmas “are an unavoidable part of our practice.” The question isn’t whether you’ll face them, but how you’ll respond.

• Will you seek consultation?
• Will you consider multiple perspectives?
• Will you be willing to sit with uncertainty while you work towards the best possible response?

A living document | The framework review

• It’s worth noting that the BACP Ethical Framework is currently undergoing its first major review since 2018. The second consultation process closed in January 2026, and the updated framework is expected to be published in Autumn 2026, becoming mandatory three months after publication.
• The review has been informed by significant changes in our profession and the wider world since 2018 – the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on service delivery, the rapid advancement of technology and AI, increased international working, and evolving understandings of equality, diversity and inclusion. The draft framework reportedly introduces “Anti-Oppression” as an explicit ethical principle and places greater emphasis on relational power dynamics and equity.
• This review process itself demonstrates something important about ethical practice: it evolves. The questions our profession faces today – around technology, accessibility, diverse identities, global practice – weren’t as prominent in 2018. Our ethical framework must develop alongside our changing context, always asking: how do we best serve clients and maintain the integrity of our work in this current moment?
• For those of us teaching or training, this period of transition offers rich opportunities for discussion. What do we hope to see in the updated framework? What challenges do we face now that weren’t as pressing before? How do we prepare students for practising ethically in an ever-changing landscape?

Questions for reflection

As you consider your own practice (whether as a trainee, newly qualified, or experienced practitioner), you might reflect on:

Can you recall a moment when ethical principles seemed to conflict? How did you navigate that?

How do you continue to develop your understanding of ethics beyond initial training?

The framework is a living document that evolves with our profession. Our engagement with it should be equally alive – questioning, reflecting, and growing in our capacity to practise ethically in relationship with those who trust us with their stories.

Written by Eileen Fisher, Training Academy Lead Tutor, February 2026.

References

BACP (2018) Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. Lutterworth: BACP. Available at: www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/