Donna is a 35-year-old marriage counselor. For years, she dreamed of owning a clinic where she could use her skills as a counselor to help married couples resolve their issues. She enjoyed an excellent reputation in the city where she lived. She helped couples with communication problems. She also helped women who experienced spousal abuse, marital rape, and infidelity. She never allowed her personal beliefs about marriage to affect her interaction with her clients.

Over the past year, however, Donna was having trouble with her own marriage. She had been married for 12 years. Recently, she found that her husband was having an affair with a woman at his workplace. Donna could not believe this and was devastated. She was forced to question all her faith and beliefs about marriage.

How do you think Donna’s personal life would affect her counseling from this point?
According to you, what does Donna need to do to ensure that her personal life does not interfere with her profession?
What ethical obligations does Donna have in addressing this situation? Refer to the APA/ACA/AAMFT Ethical Codes of Conduct when responding to this question.
As a result of this situation, how might Donna's values & beliefs regarding marriage be impacted and how might they change the way in which she relates to her clients? How can she guard against the subtle danger of seeking reinforcement from her clients to uphold her changed beliefs?

2-3 pages friday

Optional Information:
Subject: counseling theories