Counseling Association Cancels Tennessee Convention

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Counseling Association Cancels Tennessee Convention

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — May 10, 2016, 4:29 PM ET

The American Counseling Association has cancelled its plan to hold a conference in Nashville next year in protest of Tennessee passing a counseling law that allows therapists to decline to see patients based on religious values and personal principles.

The ACA made the announcement on Tuesday that it had cancelled the already booked expo in the Music City.

The ACA, which has condemned Tennessee's new law as a "hate bill" that discriminates against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, has called the legislation an unprecedented attack on its profession. The organization says no other state has passed such a law.

Supporters of the law have said that it keeps the government from forcing people to counsel others to act in ways that conflict with a therapist's moral beliefs.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/counseling-association-cancels-tennessee-convention-39018317

[Ratty]

1. OK, this one I don't get

It's not unheard of for therapists to pass on counseling someone if they feel their own personal biases or experiences would compromise treatment. I guess I'm disagreeing with the ACA's own code of conduct:

The American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics states that counselors should seek “training” when a counselor’s “values are inconsistent with the client’s goals or are discriminatory in nature.”

So counselors out there, educate me. Is this really in the best interests of the client? I mean I understand the ramifications, the decision isn't done lightly and every effort has to be made to transition the client to a new counselor and there will be some pain, but don't you have to do it sometimes?