You tell a counsellor things you may never have said out loud. Ethics are what make that safe. Here’s what counselling ethics mean in practice, how to spot when something isn’t right, and what you can do about it in Nigeria.
Ethics in counselling are the standards that protect you in therapy. They rest on five principles: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and fidelity. In practice, that means confidentiality with clear limits, firm boundaries, honesty, and a counsellor who puts your interests first.
The five principles
These principles run through counselling codes abroad. The American Counseling Association, for example, says its code of ethics rests on all five. Many writers trace the list to a 1984 paper by the psychologist Karen Kitchener, written for counselling psychology.
| Principle | What it means | What it looks like in a session |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomy | Your right to make your own decisions | Your counsellor helps you think, but doesn’t decide for you whether to marry, divorce, japa or change jobs |
| Beneficence | Working for your wellbeing | They focus on what helps you, and refer you on when you need something else |
| Non-maleficence | Avoiding harm | No exploitation of any kind, and care with anything that could hurt you |
| Justice | Fairness to everyone | The same respect whatever your tribe, religion, gender, income or disability |
| Fidelity | Keeping faith with you | They keep confidences, keep their promises and are honest with you |
The UK’s counselling body, BACP, used six principles in its 2018 Ethical Framework. It listed “being trustworthy”, which is close to fidelity, and added self-respect: the counsellor looking after their own knowledge, integrity and wellbeing. BACP has since replaced it with a 2026 framework.
Sometimes the principles pull in different directions, and counsellors have to weigh them. Respecting your wishes usually means keeping your confidences, for example. But in exceptional cases, such as a serious risk to your life, preventing harm may come first.
Is there a code of ethics for counsellors in Nigeria?
Not one you can easily read. As of October 2026, we couldn’t find a code of ethics published online by the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON), the Counselling Practitioners Council of Nigeria (CPCN), or the associations for psychologists. The CPCN’s website has a link for a code of ethics, but in October 2026 it was still a placeholder.
What does exist:
- CASSON says its Certification and Licensure Committee handles professional standards and discipline for its members.
- The Counselling Practitioners Council of Nigeria Act 2022 sets up an Investigating Panel and a Disciplinary Tribunal for registered counsellors. The tribunal can reprimand a counsellor found guilty of “infamous misconduct” in their professional work, or order their name struck off the register.
The council’s registration system is only just starting, so this route is new. Our guide to CASSON and how counsellors register explains the bodies involved.
Confidentiality, and where it ends
What you say in counselling stays private, with a few limits your counsellor should explain at the start.
In Nigeria, a counsellor can share what you’ve told them only in narrow situations: with your consent, when a court or a specific law requires it, or to prevent serious harm to you or someone else. Our guide to when a therapist can break confidentiality sets out what the law says. If you’re under 18, read will my therapist tell my parents?
Suggested read: Goals of Counselling: What Counselling Aims to Do
Two more points:
- In a group, the counsellor keeps the same confidentiality, but they can’t guarantee what other members do. Our guide to group therapy explains how good groups handle this.
- When someone else pays, such as your employer or HMO, they still don’t see what you discuss on Mytherapist.ng.
If you’re in immediate danger, call 112 (or 767 in Lagos), or Safe Place Nigeria on 0800 800 2000. The full list is on our helplines page.
Boundaries: the counsellor’s job, not yours
Boundaries keep the relationship about you. Keeping them is the counsellor’s responsibility, even if you’re the one who wants to blur them.
- No sexual or romantic contact, ever. BACP’s framework, for example, says counsellors must not have sexual relationships with clients or behave sexually towards them.
- No exploitation. BACP’s framework lists the ways a counsellor must not exploit a client: financially, emotionally, physically, sexually or spiritually. Borrowing money from a client, for example, crosses that line.
- Care with dual relationships. A dual relationship is when your counsellor is also something else to you: your friend, landlord, colleague or fellow church member. These should be avoided when the risk of harm outweighs any benefit, and discussed openly when they can’t be avoided.
- Separate social lives. BACP asks counsellors to keep their personal and professional presence on social media apart where mixing them could harm the relationship. A counsellor who follows your personal accounts, or messages you there about personal things, is blurring that line.
- Your beliefs are yours. A counsellor shouldn’t push their own views on your faith, marriage or lifestyle. If you want counselling that includes your faith, you can choose a faith-based counsellor.
Honesty and competence
Ethical counsellors are honest about who they are and what they can do. They describe their qualifications accurately, work within their training, and refer you to someone else when your needs go beyond it.
They should also be honest when something goes wrong. BACP’s framework calls this candour: telling a client promptly about anything in the work that has put them at risk or caused harm, and acting to put it right.
It’s fair to ask any counsellor what they’re trained in and who they’re registered with. Our list of questions to ask a potential therapist has more.
Warning signs
| Usually fine | A warning sign |
|---|---|
| Explains how they’ll work, the fees and the limits of confidentiality | Vague about fees, or promises that nothing will ever be shared |
| Keeps contact to sessions and agreed channels | Messages you about personal things, or asks to meet socially |
| Respects your decisions, even ones they wouldn’t make | Pressures you to take their view on your marriage, faith or family |
| Admits a mistake and tries to put it right | Blames you, or hides what went wrong |
| Refers you on when your needs are beyond their training | Claims they can help with anything |
| Keeps the relationship professional | Any sexual comment, touch or suggestion |
What to do if something feels wrong
- Raise it with your counsellor, if you feel safe to. BACP’s advice to clients is that talking about what’s worrying you can often help therapy get better, and that a good therapist will encourage it.
- Trust your discomfort. You don’t need to be sure a rule was broken before you take it seriously.
- Stop, or change counsellor. You can end counselling at any time. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.
- Report it to the platform or service. In the Mytherapist.ng app, you can report a therapist from the session record, and your name is never shared with them. You can also contact our support team.
- Tell the professional body. For counsellors, that’s CASSON and the Counselling Practitioners Council of Nigeria. For other professions, it’s the body they’re registered with.
- If a counsellor has assaulted you, that’s a crime as well as an ethical breach, and you can report it to the police.
Frequently asked questions
What are the ethical principles of counselling? Autonomy (your right to decide), beneficence (working for your good), non-maleficence (avoiding harm), justice (fairness) and fidelity (trustworthiness). Some codes add others, such as BACP’s self-respect.
Why is confidentiality important in counselling? Because it lets you talk openly, knowing that what you say stays private. Confidentiality has limits, such as serious risk of harm or a court order, and your counsellor should explain them at the start.
Can a counsellor be your friend? Usually not. A friendship or business deal alongside counselling is a dual relationship, and codes ask counsellors to avoid those when they risk harming the client. Romance or sex with a client is never acceptable.
Is there a code of ethics for counsellors in Nigeria? We couldn’t find one published online as of October 2026. CASSON has a committee for standards and discipline, and the Counselling Practitioners Council of Nigeria Act 2022 sets up a disciplinary tribunal for registered counsellors.
Suggested read: Stages of Group Counselling: What Happens in Each
How do I report a counsellor in Nigeria? Start with the service you used. On Mytherapist.ng, you can report a therapist from the session record. You can also go to the counsellor’s professional body, such as CASSON or the Counselling Practitioners Council of Nigeria, and to the police if a crime was committed.
Is it unethical for a counsellor to tell my family what I said? Usually, yes, unless you agreed or one of the legal limits applies, such as serious risk to your life. Read when a therapist can break confidentiality.
This article is awaiting clinical review. It’s based on published research and health guidelines, and we’ll update it once a clinician has reviewed it.
