Abstract
The cardinal principles of ethics in the practice of psychotherapy comprising of autonomy, beneficence, justice and non-maleficence are well known. This paper advances the position that ethical principles must be viewed within the prism of sociocultural forces that shape and influence them rather than as universal concepts that are invariant. It attempts to address the challenges that arise when therapists try to operationalize these principles in their practice in the Indian context. It is argued that ethical principles are emergent properties of interactions between the therapists and their clients, with no a priori assumptions and are closely linked to the social structures of which both are a part. Impoverishment and exploitation (both economically and emotionally) are intrinsic to the sociocultural milieu just as much as internal dynamic conflicts are. In this scenario, ethics cannot be decontextualized from local realities. Psychotherapeutic interventions have to be sensitive to these processes to be culturally congruent and socially relevant.
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Raguram, R. (2016). Ethics in Therapeutic Practice: Culturally Universal and Valid?. In: Bhola, P., Raguram, A. (eds) Ethical Issues in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1808-4_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1808-4_12
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