Abstract

Abstract The author examines a difficult case that confronted her with a variety of ethical issues: individual therapy within the context of couples' therapy, problems encountered by rural therapists, and the question of when to refer. She presented this case to graduate counseling students to analyze and critique. The students recognized, as a result of this activity, that real-life ethical dilemmas are more complex than textbook examples, that there is a difference between aspirational principles and absolute standards, and that the ethical decision-making process is key. When an instructor presents her own imperfect work, she encourages students to be open about their real concerns.