Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/142672
Listen To Yourself This may seem obvious, but how many times do we say to ourselves, "I should have listened to my first instinct"? Listening to your own common sense is paramount in this profession, especially as most massage therapists are selfemployed and have no one else in the treatment room on which to rely. If it feels wrong, if it makes you uncomfortable, if it causes you to lose sleep at night, then maybe it is something you need to think twice about. Is it divulging too much of your personal information while a client is on the table? Is it not knowing exactly how to address the client's symptoms, but trying anyway? You are trained as a hands-on, therapeutic practitioner, and as such, you are in tune with the rights and wrongs of the profession. Strengthen those skills with continuing education courses and a good dose of ethics training now and again. Finally, never violate the trust your clients have placed in you. Respect their wishes while staying within your ethical boundaries. Listen, learn, be sensitive, and, most importantly, know your role. Ethical Principles Cherie Sohnen-Moe and Ben Benjamin, the authors of The Ethics of Touch, write, "The topic of ethics can often be confusing, difficult, and, at times, downright baffling. Although debated by philosophers for millennia, agreeing on what is 'good' or 'bad' remains difficult. So much depends on the situation. Not all ethical breaches are gross violations of conduct; much unethical behavior is subtle. Furthermore, being ethical is not limited simply to knowing and following ethical codes, laws, and regulations. Ethical behavior also involves striving to bring the highest values into one's work and aspiring to do one's best in all interactions: doing the right thing in the right manner for the right reasons and with the right attitude. "For somatic practitioners, ethics can be especially complex as they encounter ethical issues and dilemmas that do not always have simple, apparent solutions. In many cases, practitioners may inadvertently act unethically because they have not considered the relevant issues. Expanding their grasp of ethical principles helps practitioners understand the impact of their behavior on clients and provides the knowledge and tools to act appropriately. The overall purpose of ethics is to guide professional practitioners so that clients' welfare remains the first priority." SPH Core Values Assessment The following exercise helps clarify your core values. Take your time. Ask yourself the following questions, and write your responses. When you finish this exercise, we recommend you discuss it with a fellow student, friend, or colleague. Engaging in a dialogue with others is another way to more fully explore your own values. • hat values are most important to me? W • hat are the character traits I deem essential? W • ho and what have been major influences in my values development? W • What are my attitudes and beliefs about wellness? • hat are my attitudes and beliefs about my profession? W • hat are the most important personal characteristics for someone W in my field? • hat are the key professional characteristics for someone in my field? W • hat are the most meaningful attributes of an effective practitioner W in my field? • ow do my values affect my work with clients? H • hich of my personal values conflict with professional rules of conduct? W • hich of my personal values conflict with laws or regulations? W • ow do my values enhance my professionalism? H —from The Ethics of Touch, by Cherie Sohnen-Moe and Ben Benjamin