What Is Your Interpretation of the Term "ethics Counseling"?

Ethics counseling is an amorphous activity. It is difficult to clearly define ethics counseling because it takes on so many different forms. Ethics counselors are all around us; they are not necessarily those who have a master degree in ethics or a Ð''label' that defines them as being an ethics counselor. We are all ethics counselors in some form or another. Everyone has used the principles of ethics counseling to provide guidance for people to make difficult ethical decisions. Everyday people go to their friends and family in search of this ethical guidance: a child asks his mother what to do about a teacher who marks his or her assignments with lower grade than the rest of his Caucasian peers; a husband asks a friend what to do about that sexually aggressive female colleague. These are just some of the many forms which ethics counseling takes on in everyday life (micro ethics). Ethical counseling also exists in another more formal settings: in hospitals, corporations (meso ethics) and larger governmental institutions (macro ethics). Due to the imprecision and vagueness of the notion of ethics that it serves, and to the variability that results from tailoring its practice, ethics counseling still remains a very nebulous concept. I hope to demonstrate however, that the true power inherent in ethics counseling (both in an unprofessional and professional setting) is this very mysterious, indefinable and unspeakable quality. Furthermore this paper will illuminate some of the key characteristics and qualities of the counselor of ethics, as well as examine some potential ethics counseling methodologies. Importance will be placed on an integral approach to ethics counseling (combining the Ð''it', Ð''the Ð''I' and the Ð''we) in all the aforementioned areas. Overall this paper will be representative of my interpretation of ethics counseling.

In one of the first lectures that Dr. Dollin gave in September 2005 he said that ethics counseling has to do with the "human struggle for transcendent consciousness" (Dollin Lecture 1, 1). This seemingly obscure and ambiguous definition or Dr. Dollin's proves to be one of the best summaries of ethics counseling that I have come across. Why? Because this statement serves to define ethics counseling as it should be definedÐ'--as existing in the realm of the unknown. The ambiguity and uncertainty that exists within ethics counseling is part of its mystiqueÐ'--and what makes ethics counseling such a powerful decision making tool. Dr. Dollin remarked further that the ethics counselor him or herself is involved in the "humbling task of elevating [human] consciousnessÐ'...his [or her] aim is the discovery of the Spirit that animates life" (Dollin Lecture 1, 1). How exactly does an ethics counselor elevate human consciousness?

Despite the amorphous characteristic of ethics counseling it is possible to illuminate certain qualities and roles of an ethics counselor that allow them to Ð''elevate human consciousness'. In the most general sense an ethics counselor is a person who aims to make the world a better place through supporting and fostering the growth of others (patient's / client's) and themselves. Their goal is to balance the struggle for personal development with the need for common sense and clear, objective thinking. I think that the distinct goal of an ethics consultation is something that can be compared to the goal of medical and surgical consultation: to improve patient outcomesÐ'--to help the patient reach a Ð''right' and Ð''good' clinical decision him or herself. How does the ethics counselor help the patient reach a right and good decision him or herself? The ethics consultant pursues a number of venturesÐ'- providing and clarifying information, improving communication, education and guidance, and developing an appropriately personal yet professional relationship with his or her patient. Through all these ventures the ethics counselor will prompt sound decision making that is informed by an array of philosophical, spiritual, scientific, artistic and psychological ideas and knowledge.

What the ethics counselor can do and how well he or she can do it are in a large part dependent upon features of the ethics counselor him or herself and his or her approach (methodology). Thus the ethics counselor must remain objective at all times, but at the same time they must be very connected too and aware of their inner world and Ð''subjectivity'. How does the ethics counselor remain subjectively connected and objectively rational to their clients? The answer lies in the importance of an integral vision or approach to ethics counseling.

Ken Wilber's integral vision is a methodology that is perfectly suited for the ethics counselor. His integral theory works through three different levels that are imperative for the ethics counselor, the objective (the problem or issue that a patient has brought to the counselor), the subjective (his or her own ability to harness inner knowledge, Ð''knowing thy self', inner awareness) and the connective (ability to connect with the patient on an empathetic and rational level). His work is based upon the idea that ethical counseling or practice is to be found in a path that ensures not only development of the patient, but the counselor him or herself (as well as the rest of the outer world). The integral process involves treating the ethical problem, the patient, and the counselor him or herself.

In the search for the goodlife, something which all humans aspire to, being knowledgeable and aware of the world around you is imperative. Thus ethics counseling requires not only knowledge of ethical issues, but of the self and others. Certain qualities or characteristics allow the ethical counselor to develop these three levels of awareness. They are objectivity/rationality, self-knowledge, life long learning, leadership and creativity. Wilber would call Ð''the it' the actual ethical problem presented to the counselor. The Ð''it' consists of understanding the basic empirical observations and information presented in objective reality. Through the process of Ð''knowing thy self' and through promotion of life long learning the inner dimension or the Ð''the I' of personal development is fulfilled. Leadership and creativity allow for fulfillment of the connective dimension (Ð''the we') so that the integral vision is reached.

Clare Graves Ð''Spiral Dynamics' is an extension of Kohlberg's theory on the similar three levels of consciousness (Wilber's, Ð''it', Ð''I' and Ð''we'). Kohlberg's model provides