NBCC Launches 2023 Code of Ethics

The National Board for Certified Counselors is excited to announce that the updated NBCC Code of Ethics officially launched on May 15, 2023.

Previously updated in 2016, the NBCC Code of Ethics serves to establish, and set expectations for, the minimum ethical behaviors for professional certified counselors, candidates, and all those who utilize the professional services of NBCC.

In addition, the NBCC Code of Ethics provides an enforceable set of directives and ensures resources for those involved in a perceived violation. It serves as the basis for an effective and just method for submitting complaints for the protection of both the public and counselors.

The addition of core values and belief language to the introduction of the 2023 NBCC Code of Ethics provides certainty to the necessary work of counselors. The Code was also edited for easier readability and navigation and therefore divided into subsections as follows:

• Professional Responsibilities
• Counseling Relationships
• Supervision and Consultation
• Testing, Appraisal, and Research
• Counselor Education
• Telemental Health, Social Media, and Technology

NBCC has been working on updating the current Code since 2020. NBCC formed an Ethics Advisory Council that consisted of National Certified Counselors (NCCs) who work in various private and educational settings. The Council reviewed the current code and made recommendations based on the current state of the counseling profession with consideration toward future trends. This process also involved various subcommittee tasks, and all recommendations were subsequently evaluated for their relevance. A secondary review was then completed by NCCs not involved in the initial process. Finally, NBCC’s senior leadership team, in collaboration with our Chief Governance and Policy Officer, reviewed all recommendations for inclusion in the final version of the Code. 

“We are excited for this updated Code of Ethics,” says Dr. Brenden Hargett, Director of Ethics at NBCC. “As the counseling profession continues to shift, change and grow, it was important for us to retool our Code of Ethics to reflect some of those changes while providing counselors with ethical guidance.”

Updates to the Code were led by the NBCC Director of Ethics, Dr. Brenden Hargett, and the Ethics Advisory Council listed below:

• Lotes Nelson, PhD – Clinical Faculty, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire
• Latonya Graham, PhD – Director of Counseling, Huntingdon College, Montgomery, Alabama
• Perry Francis, EdD – Professor, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan
• Jeff Parsons, PhD – Professor of Counseling, Lindsey Wilson College, Berea, Kentucky
• Heather Aschenbrenner, MS – Private Practice, Sage Beginnings, St Lawrence County, New York

NCCs are encouraged to review the new Code to ensure that their counseling practice abides by the rules set forth within the document. Questions can be directed to ethics@nbcc.org.