An extract from the ITAA code of ethics states: "Practitioners and members have a professional responsibility to the ITAA, its members, clients and the public to integrate and behave in line with the ITAA’s Philosophy and Guidelines for Ethical Practice. This establishes a social contract inviting the public’s trust." The code thus sets expectations regarding our integration of ethical ideas, which would impact our thinking and feeling and how we behave and engage in relationships.

When pausing to reflect on our subjective experience of these stated expectations, what emerges about one’s own intrapsychic process? Are we intrinsically motivated to think, feel and behave ethically by how we imagine we will be seen by others? Are we compelled by compliance to authority? Is our fear of not belonging a stimulus for behaving in alignment with ethical principles? Are we ethical in pursuit of excellence or approval?

What do we find issue with in the ethics code, and how do we challenge or not challenge that? What would be different about us if we fully integrated all the ethics principles into our way of being? Reflecting on my own changing relationship with ethics, I initially felt not OK in seeing an ethical theme emerging in supervision. I was distressed that the mention of "ethics" meant I was not "doing it right" and imagined that my supervisor would see me as not OK as well. I saw mention or consideration of ethics as indicative of my failure.

Over time, I learned that ethics is inherent to all interactions and practice, not just something deserving consideration when things "go wrong." I grew to feel relaxed about ethics in my practice, seeing emerging ethical themes not as signals of failure or that I am not OK. I see my practice as more likely to be intrinsically ethical through considered and careful co-creation when contracting, and I see emerging ethical matters as content for exploration and learning about self, other and the system. I see my previous relationship with ethics was stimulated by my quest for perfection and the fantasy that in achieving this I would be "seen as OK" and be accepted.

I now see ethics as a way of principled thinking in support of protecting the parties in and adjacent to a contract, and enhancing the work they do. What do you notice about your relationship with ethics?