The AAAP Code of Ethics as a guide will define the ethical rules and criteria of the AAAP members’ professional activity. The Code of Ethics will regulate psychotherapeutic relationships and the procedures of the professional work.
The AAAP member shall conduct himself/herself according to the highest ethical standards in his/her work. The AAAP member will be informed of the content and therefore would be bound by the responsibility for its implementation and fulfilment.
The breach of any of the ethical rules of the Code of Ethics and non-adherence to it by the AAAP members may result in suspension or expulsion from any form of membership in the AAAP.
I. General rules
The AAAP member shall not misrepresent the level of his/her professional qualification unreasonably elevated․ The AAAP member shall not claim to hold qualification which he/she does not have.
The AAAP member shall give proper credit and reference to the contributions and publications of other colleagues and shall not plagiarize the work of others.
II. Jungian analyst/psychotherapist - patient relationships
a) The Jungian analyst/psychotherapist shall respect the personal integrity of his/her patient under all circumstances, unless there is some obvious serious risk to the patient which requires an external professional intervention contrary to the patient’s will.
b) At the start of the psychotherapy the Jungian analyst/psychotherapist shall give information to the patient about the terms and conditions, i.e. times, frequency of sessions and fee arrangements. The Jungian analyst/psychotherapist shall ensure the maintenance of the setting.
c) Financial dealings shall be restricted to matters concerning only professional fees.
d) During and after the psychotherapy the Jungian analyst/psychotherapist shall refrain from social contacts with the patient. The social contact with the patient’s relatives should occur only with the knowledge and consent of the patient. Exceptions may be made in certain circumstances, such as when the patient is a danger to himself/herself or others, in the psychotherapy of children, or when the psychotherapy plan includes appointments with family or others for psychotherapeutic or counselling purposes.
e) The confidentiality and the preservation of the patient’s anonymity with respect to the psychotherapy are of primary importance. The occasions such as the publication of the case and/or the presentation of it during seminars must be discussed with the patient and if a patient requests that his/her material should not be published or presented, this should be respected and followed. Discretion should also be exercised during professional discussions. Exceptions may be made when the law requires a breach of confidentiality, such as in the case of a court order.
f) The Jungian analyst/psychotherapist shall not have any sexual relationship with any patient nor take any sort of personal advantages that transgress the psychotherapeutic boundaries and setting; the termination of a psychotherapeutic relationship in order to have a sexual relationship is also unethical and unacceptable.
g) The Jungian analyst/psychotherapist should not use physical violence against the patient. The use of physical constraint may be made when the patient is physically dangerous and has to be restrained for the safety of the patient, Jungian analyst/psychotherapist or others.
h) The Jungian analyst/psychotherapist shall not continue to practice when seriously or persistently impaired (1) by the use of alcohol or other substances, or (2) by a physical or psychological illness or any severe stress that would impair one's ability to practice and exercise adequate skill and judgment.
i) If the Jungian analyst/psychotherapist is convicted of a criminal offence, or has been found to have engaged in unethical professional behaviour by a professional body or licensing agency in the state or country in which he/she resides, it is his/her duty to inform the President of the AAAP of the legal, professional or licensing decision, together with the relevant facts.
III. Supervisor - supervisee relationships
a) The supervisor shall respect the relationship with a supervisee.
b) The supervisor shall not in any way take advantage of his/her greater professional authority.
c) The supervisor shall not become sexually involved with, exploit, or take advantage in any way of someone he/she is to evaluate, grade, promote, or recommend for promotion.
d) The supervisor shall refrain from the social contacts with the supervisee during and after the supervision comes to an end.
IV. Responsibility in Reporting to and Appearing Before the Ethics Committee
a) The AAAP member is responsible to report his/her unprofessional conduct to the Ethics Committee.
b) Whenever a Jungian analyst/psychotherapist has evidence of a colleague’s misconduct, it is his/her responsibility to inform the AAAP Ethics Committee.
c) When a Jungian analyst/psychotherapist is called on to respond to a complaint in order to clarify a possible breach of ethics, refusal to meet and to cooperate with the AAAP Ethics Committee could itself be the basis for a separate charge of unethical or unprofessional behaviour. This non-compliance could be a ground for Committee action, including a recommendation of suspension or expulsion from any form of membership in the AAAP.
The AAAP Code of Ethics is based on the Code of Ethics, guidelines and procedures adopted by the International Association for Analytical Psychology (IAAP).
The AAAP Code of Ethics is adopted and approved in December, 2020.
