Code of conduct for members
1. We inform clients adequately about the therapy and its limits.
2. We do not misrepresent our professional qualifications, affiliations, and purposes. We disclose upon request our training, qualifications, and competencies to prospective clients.
3. We do not reject clients on the basis of gender, race, ethnic background, culture or sexual preference.
4. Our reception and our therapy room are appropriate. Our personal hygiene and the hygiene of our therapy room are impeccable.
5. We are responsible for the therapy, but never act against the best interest of our clients, or against their express will. However, we cannot shirk responsibility by claiming to follow a request from a client. The welfare of the client is the prime consideration at all times. When the client’s desires and our professional responsibility conflict, we will end the therapeutic relationship courteously. We do neither blame the client nor ourselves for that.
6. As we deal with intimate thoughts, feelings and details of our client’s life, we retain a professional distance. We present our work and ourselves professionally. We do not behave as personal friends or acquaintances. We do not engage in intimate relationships of any kind with clients.
7. We recognize transference, counter-transference and other projections, and seek to restrain these. We don’t assume the role of Helper or Savior; we discourage admiration and deference from the client. We avoid making clients dependent on us; we stimulate their own responsibility and independence.
8. We do not try to convert clients to any belief or practice. We respect their convictions, though we may point out how these seem to relate to their problems, if this seems the case.
9. We build a relationship of trust with the client and will not betray that trust. We will treat all information from clients confidentially and will not divulge it without the full consent of the client, except when obliged by law to do so. In
publications we protect the anonymity of the client or ask written permission.
10. We only perform those therapies for which we are qualified. Unless otherwise licensed to do so, we do not provide or offer to provide diagnosis or treatment which is limited by law to appropriately
licensed practitioners.
11. We stay alert if clients need anything outside our own experience or training. We then refer to colleagues or suggest other suitable
methods outside our field.
12. We advise clients to see a doctor when problems could have medical causes. We never suggest decreasing or stopping medication. We limit ourselves to psychosomatic diseases and physical complaints for which no physical cause has been found. We do not pretend to heal serious and terminal diseases, but at best
to influence favorably the course of such diseases.
13. Sessions are only recorded with the consent of the client. The client may withdraw his consent right after the session. Clients are entitled to copies of records of sessions.
14. We refrain from making disparaging remarks to clients about colleagues or other therapies in the regular or alternative field.
15. We respect and safeguard the professional works and original ideas of others, and give full credit and appropriate citation for such works and ideas when used
in our publications and presentations
16. We are willing to discuss our professional activities with fellowmembers. We collaborate with complaint procedures.
17. We will assess our own competence, skills and limitations. We seek additional knowledge and skills through participation in seminars, workshops or trainings and other opportunities. We keep informed about developments in the profession and in society.
18. We will collaborate with any serious research that does not prejudice the therapy process. We adhere to the generally accepted academic guidelines in conducting research with people.
19. We exercise prudence and discretion in promoting, encouraging, and facilitating public awareness and understanding of the field. We avoid sensationalism, inaccuracy or misleading claims.
20. We adhere to professionally accepted guidelines and standards of good taste in informing the general public of the availability of our
services.
21. We seek to protect the public from all those who are not qualified to practise by deficient education, preparation, competence, emotional stability, or ethical standards.
22. When we observe inappropriate professional practices of fellow members, we will whenever possible discuss this with them. If this does not work, we will inform the Board of EARTh in writing.