The American Psychological Association (APA) claims to have the largest association of psychologists worldwide, with 53 professional divisions and a complex system of checks and balances that help to make the system user friendly. Their mission is to advance psychology as a science and profession and to promote health, education and human welfare. The APA offers support to psychologists and students of psychology in multiple ways. To begin with, there are a range of memberships available to those who are dedicated to the future of psychology. The APA Member category is limited to doctoral degree holders who have earned their degree from a regionally accredited graduate or professional school; further criteria includes having a degree that is at least in part, based upon a psychological dissertation or other evidence of proficiency in psychological scholarship. First-year members are given a discounted membership fee rate, in recognition of their early career status, and the APA offers a graduated dues structure that slowly increases the rate marginally over an eight year period of time thereafter.

The Associate membership is available to those who have a master's degree or two years of graduate study in psychology or related field. Associate member's dues are less than Member dues, but those who are licensed and practicing (includes Member and Associate memberships) will pay additional fees according to their date of licensure increasing over time. The Affiliate membership is available to graduate students, undergraduate students, high school students, international students, and High school and community college teachers. The APA welcomes students and offers resources and benefits to support their connection in psychology. Another type of membership offered by the APA is the Fellow membership. A Fellow status is given to APA members who have demonstrated "nationally" outstanding contributions or performance in the field of psychology. Finally, the International Affiliate membership is for psychologists who live outside the United States and Canada, who have degrees from foreign institutions with proven U.S. equivalency.
The benefits and services offered by the APA are numerous. The APA's direct services include insurance programs, financial services and career resources. The APA also offers public interest programs in advocacy, aging, AIDS, children-youth and families, end of life issues and care, disabilities, lesbian-gay and bisexual issues, minorities, minority fellowship, socioeconomic status, violence prevention, women, and work.

ASPPB

The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) is another organization that is central to professionals in the field of psychology. The ASPPB creates the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is the tool that assesses candidates for licensure and certification. It is important to note that the ASPPB offers mobility programs to licensed psychologists who are seeking licensure in a state, province, or territory, different from area where license was initially attained and held. Materials for training programs and for students are also published by the ASPPB. Essentially, the ASPPB is committed to offering four critical areas of service: examination and credentialing programs, programs and services to all stakeholders, a resource for current and accurate information regarding the regulation of psychologists, and contributing to consumer protection perspectives for the development of the profession.

NRHSPP

As a psychology professional, I believe we must be as prepared as possible for the future, thinking ahead about the possibility of needing professional mobility. It is essential that one knows where he or she wants to go (geographically) in providing psychology services, as well as knowing about the requirements of that particular jurisdiction, in terms of having the appropriate credentials and the mechanisms to get there. According to their website (updated June, 2006), the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (NRHSPP) is an organization that can facilitate the process of professional mobility. In 2002, the California Board of Psychology recognized the NRHSPP credential as a mobility mechanism for registrants who have been licensed at the doctoral level for at least 5 years. This nonprofit credentialing organization provides verification of the psychology professional's credentials to other registrants or to licensing boards. Additionally, this organization helps to connect informed consumers with credentialed psychologists. The registrants (members) can benefit from participating in a consumer to registrant contact system via email through the Find a Psychologist Database. The online component of this registry service allows psychologists to add their personal web site information to their registry profile, which is then made available to consumers through the Find a Psychologist Database. Furthermore, the NRHSPP can offer additional support to professionals and students of psychology, by providing continuing education through a variety of online links and resources.

APA Ethical Principles Critique

As a Ph.D. psychology student and a licensed practicing Marriage and Family Therapist it is imperative that I have knowledge and understanding of the professional ethics and laws that frame the therapeutic relationship. While there may be many available sources to assist me in understanding the APA's ethical guidelines and codes of conduct, it is clear to me that I cannot ignore an interpretation that originates first from my own value system. Given my education and experience thus far, I recognize that both interpretation and application of ethical guidelines demand the greatest principled sensitivity. Furthermore, in this process of making ethical decisions, I do believe that it is my responsibility to utilize the APA's guidelines, in part because a lack of awareness or a misunderstanding of an ethical standard is not itself a defense to a charge of unethical conduct. However, even with access to the APA's codes and guidelines and supervisory and peer consultation, I have often felt challenged by questions (client dilemmas) that do not have obvious answers. I have also come to be aware of the trend wherein the ethical codes have a tendency to take on legalistic dimensions. While I can expect that there will be situations that will push or pull for me to think about what is right for my client verses the legal minimums or expectations, I can also expect that I will feel most motivated to formulate sound reasoning and practical professional judgment based on what seems best for my client's welfare first and foremost.

It is my opinion that the APA's ethical guidelines are based on a culturally narrow perspective of counseling and do not sufficiently address the values and interests of minority as well as majority groups. Still, I believe this is largely due to the understanding that most ethical standards are written broadly, in order to be applicable to a variety of psychologists representing varied roles. The ethical standards provided by the APA are not meant to be exhaustive, nor are these codes intended to be a basis of civil liability. In fact, the use of modifiers (e.g. reasonably, appropriate, potentially) are in part written into the codes and guidelines in order to allow for professional decision-making on the part of the psychologist and to eliminate possible inequalities that could occur with the modifier.

Generally speaking, there is a tendency in psychology to be preoccupied with the individual, and yet, taking a systems-oriented approach can go a long way in informing the decision-making process especially for the collectivist-motivated client. Although the APA has made efforts to support providers of psychological services to ethnic, linguistic, and culturally diverse populations, possibly in recognition of the global nature of today's society, a true multicultural perspective that includes all cultures and subcultures has yet to be achieved.

Ethics are not concepts that can be easily characterized and have been largely understood as a values-based quest for the "good of all." It is important to remember that although ethical codes and the guidelines that constitute them are important, they cannot replace the difficult work of ethical thinking and judgment. Since the practice of psychotherapy has largely evolved within the European/North American experience, it would be wise for psychology professionals to stay keenly aware of this framework and the values associated with them. While the APA has made excellent efforts in developing guidelines and codes of conduct for the good of all, I believe they have done so in large part from the European/North American values perspective. Failure to understand aspects of individuals' culture and ethnicity may generate misunderstandings and may result in significant mental, spiritual, and physical harm.

In spite of all the rules, guidelines, resources, and support from the above mentioned professional groups, there will be cases when it may be appropriate to file a complaint. The APA Ethics Office has designed a form to be completed by the person filing the complaint. The information to be included on the form is fairly brief, but it will give the Ethics Office enough information to address the concern and respond to the sender. The form must be faxed or sent by postal mail, as the office will not communicate by way of e-mail regarding ethics complaint matters.

Tamberly Mott, MFT, is a licensed Counselor, Life Skills Coach and writer working in the San Francisco Bay Area where she finds her passion working with children, youth and families. Along with raising foster children and her own biological children on a farm, Ms. Mott has led a very prolific life and brings much experience to her clinical work. Her therapeutic practice includes: trauma (grief, suicide, rape/family violence, and chronic illness); eating disorders and self-harm behaviors; adoption and attachment disorders; divorce, custody and blended families issues; various LBGTQ issues and alternative lifestyles; religious persecution; academic and related social issues.


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