ANZAP Code of Ethics

ANZAP cultivates and maintains the highest ethical standards. Our values are respect for clients and colleagues and conducting ourselves with integrity

1.1 The Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (ANZAP), seeks to cultivate and maintain the highest ethical standards. This Code of Ethics serves as a statement of those standards and as the means of communicating them to our membership and the community. This Code reflects the values and principles essential for psychotherapists and the practice of psychotherapy that need to be clearly articulated within psychotherapy organisations. This Code provides guidelines that establish minimum standards of ethical practice and conduct for psychotherapists, supervisors and trainees. These are minimum expectations for membership of the ANZAP organization.

1.2 As an organisation, ANZAP aims to institute a professional training and ongoing education that prioritizes the safety of clients using the clinical services of its members, while also protecting and supporting members.

1.3 ANZAP strongly upholds this Code of Ethics and expects all members to adhere to it consistently from the commencement of their training and throughout their membership in ANZAP. The code applies to every member regardless of the type of membership or their role.

1.4 This code of ethics will continually be informed by new information and experience and will be formally reviewed and revised regularly as necessary for the ongoing development and growth of the organization.

1.5 In addition to this code, the Ethics Committee of ANZAP may from time to time issue additional guidelines to expand on or explain this code in relation to particular situations or issues. Such guidelines shall be taken as adding to this code and have the same standing as the code itself.

1.6 The mechanism for considering complaints within ANZAP is set out in the Complaints Procedure document on the ANZAP website. Not all complaints will be investigated by the Ethics Committee although this committee will determine the appropriate course of action. Where the matter is considered appropriate for referral to an external investigating agency, that is the course that will be taken.

1.7 Members who breach the code of Ethics may be subject to external complaints procedures and disciplinary action. This may result in suspension and/or expulsion from ANZAP.