Informed Consent in Counselling: Beyond Procedure, Towards Ethical Grounding
Abstract
Informed consent is often regarded as a formal requirement within counselling practice. However, its meaning extends beyond the signing of paperwork or the provision of information. This article examines the ethical, relational, and pedagogical significance of informed consent in counselling, situating it within professional standards and psychological theory. Particular attention is given to how trainee counsellors may understand and communicate consent clearly, while appreciating its ongoing role in the therapeutic relationship.
Introduction
In the early stages of counsellor training, informed consent is frequently taught as a regulatory obligation. Trainees may be told what to say, or what to include in documentation, but seldom are they encouraged to consider why consent is essential to the therapeutic relationship.
Consent is not a bureaucratic hurdle to be cleared before the “real work” begins. Rather, it is the enactment of two principles central to counselling: respect for the client’s autonomy, and commitment to ethical transparency (Bond, 2015).
Defining Informed Consent
Informed consent refers to the client’s agreement to participate in counselling with full understanding of its nature, risks, limitations, and potential benefits. For consent to be valid, it must be:
Informed: the client is given clear and comprehensible information.
Voluntary: the client is not coerced or unduly pressured.
Ongoing: the agreement is revisited when circumstances change.
This framing ensures that clients do not enter therapy under false assumptions or without awareness of their rights.
Why Informed Consent Matters
Ethical Grounding: Informed consent upholds the principle of autonomy, a cornerstone of professional ethics (BACP, 2018).
Trust-Building: Clients are more likely to feel safe when the process is transparent.
Professional Protection: Properly documented consent protects counsellors legally and professionally.
Relational Respect: Consent communicates that the client is not a passive recipient of therapy but an active participant.
Explaining Consent Simply
The challenge for trainee counsellors is to translate abstract ethical language into client-friendly terms.
For example:
Instead of: “Therapy involves confidential disclosure within the limits of statutory safeguarding obligations.”
One might say: “What you share with me stays private, unless I believe you or someone else is in serious danger. In that case, I may need to share information to keep people safe, but I will always try to talk with you about it first.”
This shift from technical vocabulary to everyday language preserves accuracy without overwhelming the client.
Consent as Ongoing Dialogue
Consent does not conclude once a form is signed. If the therapeutic approach shifts, if new risks are identified, or if the client begins to question the process, consent must be revisited. This ongoing nature distinguishes counselling consent from one-off medical procedures.
As Corey et al. (2019) argue, ongoing consent reflects the dynamic quality of the counselling relationship. The counsellor continually checks that the client is comfortable with the work being undertaken.
Implications for Training
Trainee counsellors must learn to balance professional requirements with relational sensitivity. Role-play and mock client exercises are particularly effective for rehearsing how to explain consent in plain language, while still meeting ethical standards. Through repeated practice, counsellors in training learn that informed consent is not a mechanical step but an ethical posture that sustains the counselling alliance.
Conclusion
Informed consent, when reduced to administrative procedure, loses its ethical and relational depth. For counselling practice to remain credible, consent must be taught and understood as an ongoing dialogue that honours the client’s autonomy and strengthens therapeutic alliance. For trainees, mastering this early skill is foundational not only for ethical competence but for developing a trustworthy professional identity.
References
Bond, T. (2015). Standards and Ethics for Counselling in Action (4th ed.). London: SAGE.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). (2018). Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. Lutterworth: BACP.
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (2019). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions (10th ed.). Boston: Cengage.
